the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第16章
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in certain localities has been phenomenal。 In Philadelphia alone over 500
boys compete in sanctioned play annually； while the city ranking for 1919
contained the names of 88 boys under eighteen； and 30 under fifteen； all of
whom had competed in at least three sanctioned events。 The school
leagues of the city hold a schedule of 726 individual matches a year。 The
success of the Philadelphia junior system is due to the many large clubs
who give the use of their courts and the balls for an open tournament。
Among these clubs are Germantown Cricket Club； Cynwyd Club；
Philadelphia Cricket； Overbrook Golf Club； Belfield Country Club；
Stenton A。 C。； Green Point Tennis Clubs and at times Merion Cricket Club。
The movement has been fostered and built up by the efforts of a small
group of men； the most important of whom is Paul W。 Gibbons； President
of the Philadelphia Tennis Association； together with Wm。 H。 Connell of
Germantown； the late Hosmer W。 Hanna of Stenton； whose untiring efforts
aided greatly in obtaining a real start； Dr。 Chuton A。 Strong； President of
the Interscholastic League； Albert L。 Hoskins； for years Vice…President of
the U。S。L。T。A。； and others。 This plan brought great results。 It developed
such players as Rodney M。 Beck； H。 F。 Domkin； G。 B。 Pfingst； Carl
Fischer； the most promising boy in the city； who has graduated from the
junior age limit； and Charles Watson （third）； who； in 1920； is the
Philadelphia junior Champion； and one of the most remarkable players for
a boy of sixteen I have ever seen。
New York City was fortunate in having F。 B。 Alexander； the famous
Internationalist； to handle the junior tennis there。 He； together with Julian
S。 Myrick； and several other men； built up a series of tournaments around
New York that produced some remarkable young players。 It is largely due
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to the junior system that Vincent Richards has become the marvellous
player that he is； at such an early age。 Second only to Richards； and but a
shade behind； are Harold Taylor and Cecil Donaldson； who have just
passed out of the junior age limit。 Charles Wood； the Indoor Boys
Champion； is a remarkable youngster。
In New England； particularly in Providence； through the efforts of J。 D。
E。 Jones； junior tennis is rapidly assuming an important place； and many
young stars who will be heard of in the future are coming to the fore。 By a
strange coincidence the list is headed by the two sons of Jones。 They seem
to have inherited their father's ability。 Arnold W。 Jones； the National Boy
Champion； is a player of marked ability； with a fine all…around game。
Following closely on his heels come J。 D。 E。 Jones； Jr。； and Wm。 W。
Ingraham。 From the South one finds John E。 Howard。 Around Chicago a
group of men； led by Samuel Hardy； captain of the 1920 Davis Cup team；
and assisted by R。 T。 Van Arsdale； built up a magnificent system of
tournaments and coaching。 Hardy left Chicago and came to New York in
1919； but the work which he so ably organized will continue under the
supervision of the Western Association。 The leading juniors developed in
Chicago were Lucian Williams and the Weber brothers； James and Jerry。
From the Pacific Coast； the pioneer in junior development； wonderful
boys are continually coming East。 A boy's tennis game matures early in
California。 M'Loughlin was about eighteen when he first came East；
Johnston less than twenty…one when he won the national title the first time；
Marvin Griffin and Morgan Fottrell are in 1920 the leading youngsters in
California。
The success of the Californians is due largely to the efforts of Dr。
Sumner Hardy； brother of Samuel Hardy； and one of the most remarkable
figures in the tennis world。 Dr。 Hardy practically carries the California
Association single handed。 He is a big factor in American tennis success。
From up in Washington State； a fine young player； Marshall Allen； has
come to the fore。
Charles S。 Garland； the Davis Cup star； is a former junior Champion of
America； and a product of the junior system in Pittsburg； which is so ably
handled by his father； Charles Garland。 Other young stars developing
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include George Moreland and Leonard Reed。
Most of the foregoing is irrelevant； I suppose； but I have gone into
detail because I want to prove that America has gone into the matter of
junior developments； carefully； systematically； and has produced results。
It has been proved conclusively that it is in the schools that the most
favourable progress could be made。 Once tennis is placed on the basis of
importance it deserves； the boys will take it up。 At present there is a
tendency to discount tennis and golf in school。 This is a big mistake； as
these two games are the only ones that a man can play regularly after he
leaves college and enters； into business。 The school can keep a sport alive。
It is schools that kept cricket alive in England； and lack of scholastic
support that killed it in America。 The future of tennis in England； France；
Australia； Japan； etc。； rests in the hands of the boys。 If the game is to grow；
tennis must be encouraged among the youngsters and played in the
schools。
England is faced with a serious problem。 Eton and Harrow； the two big
schools； are firm set against tennis。 The other institutions naturally follow
in the lead of these famous schools。 The younger generation is growing up
with little or no knowledge of tennis。 One thing that forcibly bore in on
my mind； during my trip in 1920； was the complete absence of boys of all
ages at the various tournaments。 In America youngsters from ten years of
age up swarm all over the grounds at big tennis events。 I saw very few of
either at Queen's Club； Wimbledon； Eastbourne； or Edgbaston where I
played。 The boys do not understand tennis in England； and naturally do
not care to play it。
The English Lawn Tennis Association is very desirous of building up
tennis in the schools； but so far has not yet succeeded in breaking down
the old prejudice。 It is really a question of life or death with English tennis
at this time。 Major A。 R。 F。 Kingscote； the youngest of the leading players
in England； is older than any man in the American First ten； with the
single exception of Walter T。 Hayes。 J。 C。 Parke has stated definitely that
1920 marked his retirement from the game。 He is just under forty。 Young
players must be found to replace the waning stars。 The danger is not
immediate； for all the players who proved so good in 1920 seemed certain
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of several more years of first… class play； but what of the next ten years？
The future development of tennis is dependent largely upon the type of
court that will become the standard。 All big fixtures to…day are played on
grass wherever possible。 There is little question but that the grass game is
the best。 In the first place； it is the old…established custom； and should be
maintained if possible。 Secondly； the game is more skilful and more
interesting on turf。 Thirdly； grass is far easier on the eyes and feet of the
players than any other surface。
There are drawbacks to grass courts。 Grass cannot grow in all climates。
The grass season opens late and closes early。 The expense of upkeep is
very great； and skilled groundsmen are required at all clubs that have grass
courts。
The hard court of clay or dirt； cinder； en…tout…cas； or asphalt allows
more continuous play and uniform conditions in more kinds of weather。
The bound is truer and higher； but the light and surface are harder on the
player。 The balls wear light very rapidly； while racquets wear through
quite soon。
The advantages are a much longer season on hard courts； with less
chance of weather interrupting important meetings。 The courts require far
less care in upkeep than grass。
What has been the actual tendency in the last decade？ In America the
hard courts erected have been approximately nine to one grass。 America is
rapidly become a hard…court country。 France is entirely on a hard…court
basis； there are no grass courts at all。 Play in South Africa is entirely on
hard courts。 Australia and the British Isles have successfully repelled the
hard…court invasion thus far； although during the past two years the
number of hard courts put up in England has exceeded grass。
The en…tout…cas court of peculiar red surface is the most popular
composition in England and the Continent。
There seems little doubt but that the hard court is the coming surface
in the next decade。 Grass will continue to be used for the most important
events； but the great majority of the tennis played； exclusive of the
championships； will be on hard courts。
The result on the game will be one of increasing the value of the
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ground stroke and partially cutting down the net attack； since the surface
of a hard court is slippery and tends to make it hard to reach the net to
volley。 Thus the natural attack will become a drive and not a volley。 Hard…
court play speeds up the ground strokes； and makes the game more
orthodox。
The installation of hard courts universally should spread tennis rapidly；
since it will afford more chance to play over a longer period。 The growth
of public courts in the parks and the municipal play grounds in America
has been a big factor in the spread of the game's popu
