TILDEN SUSPENDED —BIGGEST BLOW FOR TENNIS FOR YEARS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6667, 21 July 1928, Page 7

TILDEN SUSPENDED —BIGGEST BLOW FOR TENNIS FOR YEARS

Infringement Alleged Of Player-Writer Rule

MEAN ATTTACK ON VEILED PROFESSIONALISM

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received Friday 7.5 p.m. - LONDON, July 20. The ‘'Morning Post” says:— “Amateur tennis without , Tilden's cannonball services and virile virtuosity in stroke production will be duller than it has ever been since he first came to Wimbledon. We sincerely hope he will soon be reinstated. . “Players who write about a game with or without a time' limit ought not. to be the first objective of an attack on veiled professionalism.” Tilden Suspended. An earlier message from New York was to the'effect: Mr W. T. Tilden has been remo'ved from the Davis Cup tennis team following an investigation demanded by the president of the Californian Lawn Tennis Association ' (Mr Sumner Hardy) into writings by Tilden which apparently violate* the amateur rule of the United States Lawn Tennis Association. ‘I Refute the Charges.” • A Paris Cable sent out after receipt of the nows of suspension states: The order to suspend Tilden was cabled from New York on Wednesday. Mr Collum, American representative with the Davis Cup team, instantly summoned a conference of players and those jstcrostcd, which lasted far into' the night. . ’ - ' Heated echoes wore heard long before Tilden emerged in angry' mood, exclaiming: '■ “Once again the committee have falsely interrupted my motives, decided before sailing. Mr Collum said there was nothing-objectionable in my first article, but members of the committee seem to have changed their ■minds. 1 '. • •• - . ; ' ' “I refute, the charges made against me. All I wrote about Wimbledon was comment and not reports. I consider the articles have been deliberately misrepresented.” , ' • . ■ ' Hunter Now’ First Leg. Mr Collum declares that in the face of the fact that Tilden wrote about tho Wimbledon championship' tournament, in which ho competed and thus’ flagrantly broke the American rules, nothing else could bo done than dis? qualify the champion. For this reason F. T. Hunter and J. F. Hehnessy will play the singles matches against Italy in the final between the rival zones , for tho Davis Cup ,and Hennessy and George Lott will contest the doubles Neither Reports nor Comment.

A London cable expresses the sensation caused in English tennis circles;. The suspension of Tilden has created a first-class tennis sensation, though the precise articles to which objection is taken' is ‘ not at present known, Tilden wrote eight articles, consisting of comment on famous players, but they were in no sense a report or comment on the play at Wimbledon tournament. These were delivered to the '‘Evening Standard” shortly .after, his arrival in England, and ho did exactly the same last year without criticism. Tilden points out that two of the three disputed articles were published priof ' to. the departure of Mr Collum with Mr Wear from America, and one of which was fully .diseased at a committee meeting which offered no objection. ' , ’■ ! . , , ■ ~ , V Americans. Laughing-Stock. Mr S. W._ Merrihbw, a world-famous tennis authority and editor of the “American'Lawn Tennis,” who is at present in Paris, declares that the disqualification is an outrage and makes tho Americana appear foolish and a laughingrstock before tho world. He adds that Tilden is suffering from bittc. disappointment.. • , ‘ Despite his distress, Tilden seceded to Baron H. L. de request to play an exhibition match this after-' noon in view of tho possibility of their not meeting in. the Davis Cup zone final. Tilden won, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1, amidst terrific cheers; He unquestionably* has the sympathy of the whole European tennis world.