TENNIS PLAYER GETS IMPUDENT LETTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18805, 6 July 1929, Page 33 (Supplement)

TENNIS PLAYER GETS IMPUDENT LETTER.

Miss “Billie” Tapscott, a member of the South African women’s lawn tennis team, received during the British hard court championships at Bournemouth a letter from an unknown man which for sheer impudence and smug effrontery would be hard to beat. Miss Tapscott on her previous visit two years ago set a fashion of playing lawn tennis without stockings which a number of English players have followed. Indeed, at every seaside tournament it is safe to say that at least twenty women competitors are stockingless when on the courts. So it makes it all the harder to understand why such a letter should be written by a person who is “supposed” to be an Englishman, and who would call himself a gentleman. The letter said that “it was disgraceful, disgusting, de grading, and a shame to her sex. The sooner you get back to South Africa

the better for all decent English pe^ pie.” “This absurd, narrow-minded letter rather upset Miss Tapscott, who is one of the most charming people one could meet,” says an English writer. “But Miss Tapscott is still not going tc wear stockings while playing teain the All England tournament Miee Tapscott was eliminated in the quarter finals by Miss E. Goldsack (Brfc