WILL HE TURN PRO.?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 4

WILL HE TURN PRO.?

■ U.S.A.’s TENNIS STAR DONALD BUDGE WHAT WRITERS THINK Donald Budge, by agreeing to visit Australia in the coming season, has temporarily set at rest all amateur tennis fears of his turning professional. However, United States sports scribes have no doubt that Budge will ultimately join Vines and Perry in the professional ranks. The money is too big for any young man with a precarious future to refuse (states a writer in the Sporting Globe). “What would you do if they offered you £lO,OOO a year for three years?” I put that question to Adrian Quist. Adrian did not speak, but the whole of his bearing gave eloquent answer to the question. It gave answer for any other young man who would be put in the position of refusing such a fortune. We were discussing the trend of professionalism in tennis. Quist has not had such an offer made to him, but we were discussing the possibilities of leading amateurs turning professional. There is no need for any answer. Quist or Budge or any other young amateur could not afford to ignore such big money. It is a competence for life. Who is World’s Best? The success of Budge has revived the question as to who among Budge, as the leading amateur, Perry and Vines, as the leading professionals, is the greatest player in the world. There can be only one way of finding the answer—by matching them. As open tournaments are taboo under the amateur decree the only avenue is the professional ranks. The world wants to see these three great players matched and will pay well for it. Consequently an offer of £lO,OOO a year for three years, plus all the increments that would arise with newspaper copyrights and royalties on sporting goods, is not unlikely to attract even a Budge. The American sports writers are openly advising Budge to take the step and become a professional, accepting, of course, the best offer available.

Pat Frayne, sports editor of the Call Bulletin, says:

“The U.S.N.L.T.A. wants Budge to remain amateur because the Davis Cup finals will be played in U.S.A, next year and if Budge is in the affairs the U.S.N.L.T.A. cash register will ring some 50,000 dollars louder by the time the finals and the exhibition matches will have been played. With Budge out of the picture their cash register might get a bit rusty. “It seems to be a case of Budge versus the U.S.N.L.T.A. “Ikidge says he is out to beat Tilden’s record of 10 United States nationals. That would mean that Budge would get a budget of six dollars a day for the next ten years, whereas he might make himself. 75,000 dollars in the pro. ranks.” “Slicker to Refuse” Joe Williams, New York World Telegram sports editor, is even more outspoken:— “Practically the first, utterance of Don Budge after his triple victory in the all-England tennis championship at Wimbledon was, ‘l’ll never turn pro.’ “That’s what Bill Tilden said. That’s what Ellsworth Vines said, and that's what Fred Perry said. “But Budge will turn professional. Very likely this winter. He would be what Professor Billy Phelps, of Yale, might call a sucker if he didn’t. Though an amateur, tennis is Budge's business. It’s the only thing he can do and do well. It's the only thing he has tried to do.

“The sentiments of the heads of amateur tennis are selfish but understandable. They develop the amateurs to a point where they become gate attractions. and then the amateurs turn professional. Naturally this is destructive to the business of amateur tennis. “The amateur tennis heads are either very stubborn or very dumb. They themselves are responsible for the success of professional tennis. [Year after year they go along developing gate attractions for the professional promoters.

“They refuse to sanction an open tournament which would bring the amateurs and the professionals together. Such- a tournament would automatically end professional exploitation, and at the same time provide the promoters of amateur tennis with the most profitable tournament of the season. Simple Solution “This seems such a ample, practical solution of the problem it is beyond comprehension that it is not done. Maybe the gentlemen should have their heads examined. And, conditions being what they are, the same goes for Mr. Budge if he refuses to turn professional.” Editor Eddie Brietz says: “Mike Jacobs is out to sign Don Budge for professional tennis. He has the contract all lettered and ready. Grantland Rice, world sporting authority, wrote in the Sporting Chronicle:— "Bill Tilden, Henri Cochet, Ellsworth Vines and Fred Perry left the amateur cart rolling along as they took the financial plunge. “In less than a year Vines made more money than any two ball players were drawing then, and Perry repeated with a clean-up that no ball player or golfer, and few fighters, could even approach. “As an off-hand guess. I would say that Budge is almost certain to swing into the pro. ranks some time after

the next national championship a'. Forest Hills.” To all of which Donald Budge says .determinedly:— “I’ll never turn pro. while there is a Davis Cup to defend.” K. That’s the rub—l believe that Bud/i [might remain amateur and help defend the Davis Cup next season.