DAVIS CUP PLAYER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 7 April 1934, Page 7

DAVIS CUP PLAYER

DEATH OF SATOH ... »<r DISAPPEARS FROM STEAMER (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) SINGAPORE, 6th J April. Jiro Satoh, the Japanese Davis jCupc;!*. player, committed suicide by jumping overboard from the steamer Hakoneyy Maru twelve hours after' leaving, Singo,., pore with the Davis Cup team for Europe. He had landed ‘ at. Singapore with the (intent-ion ct Returning tp.-yy Japan, suffering from neurasthenia, ,but,.„,, after a medical examination \he tinued the voyage. He was very, d it .. 0 i pressed. A three- hours search failed c '-j L to find the body. His will was founds...-.o in his cabin in the Hakone Maru.: ',.7 .33 Satoh left a letter of farewell indreatmg his intention to commit suicide.;

MIKI TO CAPTAIN TEA,ME* TOKIO, 6th ApriL-" '<£ The tennis association has decided'-to'--. - substitute Ryaki Miki; now in "7 for Satoh. It will not send anyone from- -ut. Japan. Miki will be playing captain;im:-;"id stead of 11011-playing viously arranged. " ; BLOW TO JAPAN’S. HOPES r . ,;,f TOKIO, 6th April. " uo ; Japan’s Davis Cup hopes received a shattering blow by the tragedy of Satoh. The Japanese-Tennis Association received a telegram of his disappearance fVonv. the Hakone Mam on Thursday; evening. i« •> It is presumed that he went: overboard. while in the straits -of Malacca, on:-the if. way to Penang, where the ship.Ts-dhe -j-q:-this afternoon. 7 ’',‘ ' 1 i'j: The news is confirmed by local agents.When the Tennis Association ' received'""" ■ his telegram earlier in the week - saying***'-; that lie wanted to return owing' toMIL; ness, the association replied persuading n<* him to continue. Apparently lie' suffered -L'l a nervous breakdown on shipboard, but l f i even while at- home lie used to -act. -- ; queeriy, sometimes walking, the, TGkiO* streets with a compass. .-.- • Friends fear that the this year's critical prospect'd Australia and . Britain weighed.too hek'V-?T„ ily on his mind. '■’""T'TmvY JOKINGLY THREATENED -W 9' SUICIDE moJwKieW i.»u: (Received 7th April, 9:15 a.m>)- soi KOBE, Gth-April.;::-Cor , Satoh’s suicide is confirmed. " ” "The”'. Hakone Maru captain states that the<“ ship was searched fruitlessly.*''' I '''' '* Satoh’s fiancee reveals that ‘ jokingly threatened suicide in flip-' event of being forced to prpc%ed'7' ; tj>‘.p !U Europe. Satoli refused selection, but was finally persuaded against hiswill,,. A knowing that he was on the verge o|l,v a nervous breakdown. ...... ~ ..yj/" TRIBUTES TO JAPAN’S GREATEST - , PLAYER . . . .. .-j r.Ji v <sn .1 (Received 7th April;'9.l% a.m;) c ' s " ' LONDON. Gth April. Saioli’s death lias greatly"'shocked tennis circles. Perry, interviewed, said rhat Japan and the game liad lost one,, of the finest players and the greatest , lS y£ sportsmen who ever walked the court. Austin said, “He was Japan’s.finest--player, and always gave the impres- ; sion that- he would be the last man on earth to come to such an end.”