IV 6 £?s; **•.. • I. 20£ 006 900 SS3H0N00 dO Advuan \ GV 995 .V2 1910 Copy 1 Spalding's hletic Library Anticipating the present ten- dency of the American people toward a healthful method of living and enjoyment, Spalding's Athletic Library was established in 1892 for the purpose of encouraging ath- letics in every form, not only by publishing the official rules and records pertaining to the various pastimes, but also by instructing, until to-day Spalding's Athletic Library is unique in its own par- ticular field and has been conceded the greatest educational series on athletic and physical training sub- jects that has ever been compiled. The publication of a distinct series of books devoted to athletic sports and pastimes and designed to occupy the premier place in America in its class was an early idea of Mr. A. G. Spalding, who was one of the first in America to publish a handbook devoted to athletic sports, Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide being the initial number, which was followed at intervals with other handbooks on the sports prominent in the '70s. Spalding's Athletic Library has had the advice and counsel of Mr. A. G. Spalding in all of its undertakings, and particularly in all books devoted to the national game. This applies especially to Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide and Spalding's Official Base Ball Record, both of which receive the personal attention of Mr. A. G. Spalding, owing to his early connection with the game as the leading pitcher of the champion Boston and Chicago teams of 1872-76. His interest does not stop, however, rrith matters pertaining to base ball; there is not a sport that Mr. Spalding does not make it his business to become familiar with, and that the Library will always maintain its premier place, with Mr. Spalding's able counsel at hand, goes without saying. The entire series since the issue of the first number has been under the direct personal supervision of Mr. James E. Sullivan, President of the American Sports Publishing Company, and the total series of consecutive numbers reach an aggregate of considerably over three hundred, included in which are many "annuals," that really constitute the history of their particular sport in America year by year, back copies of which are even now eagerly sought for, constituting as they do the really first authentic records of events and official rules that have ever been consecutively compiled. v When Spalding's Athletic Library was founded, seventeen years ago, track and field athletics were practically unknown outside the larger colleges and a few athletic clubs in the leading cities, which gave occa- sional meets, when an entry list of 250 competitors was a subject of com- ment; golf was known only by a comparatively few persons; lawn tenni3 had some vogue and base ball was practically the only established field G. Spalding EDITORS OF SPALDING' S ATHLETIC LIBRARY sport, and that in a professional way; basket ball had just been invented; athletics for the schoolboy — and schoolgirl— were almost unknown, and an advocate of class contests in athletics in the schools could not get a hearing. To-day we find the greatest body of athletes in the world is the Public Schools Athletic League of Greater New York, which has had an entry list at its annual games of over two thousand, and in whose "elementary series" in base ball last year 106 schools competed for the trophy emblematic of the championship. While Spalding's Athletic Library cannot claim that the rapid growth of athletics in this country is due to it solely, the fact cannot be denied that the books have had a great deal to do with its encouragement, by printing the official rules and instructions for playing the various games at a nominal price, within the reach of everyone, with the sole object that its series might be complete and the one place where a person could look with absolute certainty for the particular book in which he might be interested. In selecting the editors and writers for the various books, the lead- ing authority in his particular line has been obtained, with the result that no collection of books on athletic_ subjects can compare with Spalding's Athletic Library for the prominence of the various authors and their ability to present their subjects in a thorough and practical manner. A short sketch of a few of those who have edited some of the lead- ing numbers of Spalding's Athletic Library is given herewith : JAMES E. SULLIVAN President American Sports Publishing Com- pany; entered the publishing house of Frank Leslie in 1878, and has been connected continu- ously with the publishing business since then and also as athletic editor of various New York papers; was a competing athlete; one of the organizers of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States; has been actively on its board of governors since its organization until the present time, and President for two suc- cessive terms; has attended every champion- ship meeting in America since 1879 and has officiated in some capacity in connection with American amateur championships track and field games for nearly twenty-five years; assistant American director Olympic Games, Paris, 1900; director Pan-American Exposition athletic department, 1901 ; chief department physical culture Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis, 1904; secretary American Committee Olympic Games, at Athens, 1906; honorary director of Athletics at Jamestown Exposition, 1907; secre- tary American Committee Olympic Games, at London, 1908; member of the Pastime A. C, New York: honorary member Missouri A. C, St. Louis; honorary member Olympic A. C, San Francisco; ex-president Pastime A. C, New Jersey A. C, Knickerbocker A. C; president Metropolitan Association of the A. A. U. for fifteen years; president Outdoor Recrea- tion League; with Dr. Luther H. Gulick organized the Public Schools Athletic League of New York, and is now chairman of its games commit- tee and member executive committee; was a pioneer in playground work and one of the organizers of the Outdoor Recreation League of New York ; appointed by President Roosevelt as special commissioner to the Olympic Games at Athens, 1906, and decorated by King George I. of the Hellenes (Greece) for his services in connection with the Olympic Games; ap- pointed special commissioner by President Roosevelt to the Olympic Games at London, 1908; appointed by Mayor McClellan, 1908, as member of the Board of Education of Greater New York. EDITORS OF SPALDING'S ATHLETIC in tPAvv WALTER CAMP of ™S ter ° f a ^ cen , tu 7 Mr - Walter Camp wl ^Vm ?■ occ "P'. ed . a leading position in col- lege athletics. It is immaterial what organiza- th°A£f SUg8:eS ^ for allege athletics?™ for the betterment of conditions, insofar as college athletics is concerned, Mr. Camp has always Played an important part in its conferences and the great interest in and high plane of college sport today, are undoubtedly due more to Mr. Camp than to any other individual Mr athletics than any other w*?teV andTh* 1 Y 7 Htten more on colle ^ e when we hear of Walter Camp as a foot ball expert we muesli d ' S ° ber his remarkable knowledge of the game of blse ball of whth k" 16 " 1 ' great admirer. Mr. Camp has edited Spalding's Offic al FoTt fell r '-V 1 DR. LUTHER HALSEY GULICK fn T A h ^^ adingr ex P° l nel ? t of Physical training In America; one who has worked hard to im- press the value of physical training in the schools; when physical training was combined with education at the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 Dr. Guhck played an important part in that congress; he received several awards for „!?™°£ d W ° r ^ a . nd ^ad many honors conferred upon him; he is the author of a great many 5Sw° n tu e Subject: - St was Dr - Gulick - who, organized the Public acb^^^^jS^SoSL^^S^TA Phv,t S iT t?e ? retar ^ Dr 'S ulick was als ° f °' ^severt Tears Director of Physical Training in the public schools of Greater NewYnrlTS- the position to assume the Presidency of the i Plavo-Vn^/ a ' res i? mn ? JOHN B. FOSTER Successor to the late Henry Chadwick -father of Base Ball") as editor of SpTld- 3P + 8 v, 0f w ,al B ^ se , B ^' Guide : sporting editor of the New York Evening Telegram; has been in the newspaper business for many years and is recognized throughout America as a leading writer on the national game- a staunch supporter of organized base ball his Pen has always been used for the better- ment of the game. EDITORS OF SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY TIM MURNANE Base Ball editor of the Boston Globe and President of the New England League of Base Ball Clubs; one of the best known base ball men of the country; known from coast to coast; is a keen follower of the game and prominent in all its councils; nearly half a century ago was one of America's foremost players: knows the game thoroughly and writes from the point of view both of player and an official. HARRY PHILIP BURCHELL Sporting editor of the New York Times; graduate of the University of Pennsylvania; editor of Spalding's Official Lawn Tennis Annual; is an authority on the game; follows the movements of the players minutely and understands not only tennis but all other sub- jects that can be classed as athletics; no one is better qualified to edit this book than Mr. Burchell. GEORGE T. HEPBRON Former Young Men's Christian Association director; for many years an official of the Athletic League of Young Men's Christian Associations of North America ; was con- nected with Dr. Luther H. Gulick in Young Men's Christian Association work for over twelve years; became identified with basket ball when it was in its infancy and has fol- lowed it since, being recognized as the lead- ing exponent of the official rules; succeeded Dr. Gulick as editor of the Official Basket Ball Guide and also editor of the Spalding Athletic Library book on How to Play Basket Ball. JAMES S. MITCHEL Former champion weight thrower; holder of numerous records, and is the winner of more championships than any other individual in the history of sport ; Mr. Mitchel is a close student of athletics and well qualified_ to write upon any topic connected with athletic sport ; has been for years on the staff of the New- York Sun. EDITORS OF SPALDING S ATHLETIC LIBRARY MICHAEL C MURPHY The world's most famous athletic trainer; the champion athletes that he has developed for track and field sports, foot ball and base ball fields, would run into thousands; he became famous when at Yale University and has been particularly successful in developing what might be termed championship teams: his rare good judgment has placed him in an enviable position in the athletic world* now with the University of Pennsylvania: dur- ing his career has trained only at two col- leges and one athletic club, Yale and the University of Pennsylvania and Detroit Athletic Club: his most recent triumph was that of training the famous American team of athletes that swept the field at the Olympic Games of 1903 at London. DR. C. WARD CRAMPTON Succeeded Dr. Gulick as director of physical training in the schools of Greater New York: as secretary of the Public Schools Athletic League is at the head of the most remarkable organization of its kind in the world; is a practical athlete and gymnast himself, and has been for years connected with the physi- cal training system in the schools of Greater New York, having had charge of the High School of Commerce. DR. GEORGE J. FISHER Has been connected with Y. M. C. A. work for many years as physical director at Cincin- nati and Brooklyn, where he made such a high reputation as organizer that he was chosen to succeed Dr. Luther H. Gulick as Secretary of the Athletic League of Y. M. C. A.'s of North America, when the latter resigned to take charge of the physical training in the Public Schools of Greater New York. DR. GEORGE ORTON On athletics, college athletics, particularly track and field, foot ball, soccer foot ball, and training of the youth, it would be hard to find one better qualified than Dr. Orton; has had the necessary athletic experience and the ability to impart that experience intelligently to the youtli of the land; for years was the American, British and Canadian champion runner. EDITORS OF SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY FREDERICK R. TOOMBS A well known authority on skating', rowing, boxing, racquets, and other athletic sports; was sporting editor of American Press Asso- ciation, New York; dramatic editor; is a law- yer and has served several terms as a member of Assembly of the Legislature of the State of New York; has written several novels and historical works. R. L. WELCH A resident of Chicago; the popularity of Indoor base ball is chiefly due to his efforts; a player himself of no mean ability; a first- class organizer; he has followed the game of indoor base ball from its inception. DR. HENRY S. ANDERSON Has been connected with Yale University for years and is a recognized authority on gymnastics; is admitted to be one of the lead- ing authorities in America on gymnastic sub- jects; is the author of many books on physical training. CHARLES M. DANIELS Just the man to write an authoritative book on swimming; the fastest swimmer the world has ever known; member New York Athletic Club swimming team and an Olym- pic champion at Athens in 1906 and London, 1908. In his book_ on Swimming, Champion Daniels describes just the methods one must use to become an expert swimmer. GUSTAVE BOJUS Mr. Bojus is most thoroughly qualified to write intelligently on all subjects pertaining to gymnastics and athletics; in his day one of America's most famous amateur athletes; has competed successfully in gymnastics and many other sports for the New York Turn Verein; for twenty years he has been prom- inent in teaching gymnastics and athletics; was responsible for the famous gymnastic championship teams of Columbia University; now with the Jersey City high schools. EDITORS OF SPALDING'S ATHLETIC LIBRARY CHARLES JACOBUS Admitted to be the "Father of Roque;" one of America's most expert players, win- ning the Olympic Championship at St. Louis in 1904; an ardent supporter of the game and follows it minutely, and much of the success of roque is due to his untiring efforts; certainly there is no one better qualified to write on this subject than Mr. Jacobus. DR. E. B. WARMAN Well known as a physical training expert; was probably one of the first to enter the field and is the author of many books on the sub- ject; lectures extensively each year all over the country. W. J. CROMIE Now with the University of Pennsylvania; was formerly a Y. M. C. A. physical director; a keen student of all gymnastic matters; the author of many books on subjects pertaining to physical training. G. M. MARTIN By profession a physical director of the Young Men's Christian Association; a close student of all things gymnastic, and games for the classes in the gymnasium or clubs. PROF. SENAC A leader in the fencing world ; has main- tained a fencing school in New York for years and developed a great many cham- pions ; understands the science of fencing thoroughly and the benefits to be derived therefrom. SPALDING ATHLETIC LIBRARY a Giving the Titles of all Spalding Athletic Library Books now <->. ^ In print, grouped lor ready reference c ■ ■■ -J J SPALDING OFFICIAL ANNUALS No. I No. IA No. 2 No. 2A No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 No. 9 No. IO No. 12 Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald Spald ng's Official Base Ball Guide ng's Official Base Ball Record ng's Official Foot Ball Guide ng's Official Soccer Foot Ball Guide ng's Official Cricket Guide ng's Official Lawn Tennis Annual ng's Official Golf Guide ng's Official Ice Hockey Guide ng's Official Basket Ball Guide ng's Official Bowling Guide ng's Official Indoor Base Ball Guide ng's Official Roller Polo Guide ng's Official Athletic Almanac Group i. Base Ball No. 1 Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide. No. IA Official Base Ball Record. No. 202 How to Play Base Ball. No. £23 How to Bat. No. 232 How to Run Bases. No. 230 How to Pitch. No. 229 How to Catch. No. 225 How to Play First Base. No. 226 How to Play Second Base. No. 227 How to Play Third Base. No. 228 How to Play Shortstop. No. 224 How to Play the Outfield. How to Organize a Base Ball Club. f League. How to Organize a Base Ball How to Manage a Base Ball o'qi \ Club. How toTrain a BaseBallTeam How to Captain a Base Ball HowtoUmpireaGame. [Team „ Technical Base Ball Terms, No. 219 Ready Reckoner of Base Ball Percentages. BASE BALL AUXILIARIES No. 319 Minor League Base Ball Guide No. 320 Official Book National League of Prof. Base Ball Clubs. No. 321 Official Handbook National Playground Ball Assn. Group II. Fool Ball No. 2 Spalding's Official Foot Ball Guide. No. 334 Code of the Foot Ball Rules. No. 324 How to Play Foot Ball. No. 2a Spalding's Official Soccer Foot Ball Guide. No. 286 How to Play Soccer. FOOT BALL AUXILIARY No. 332 Spalding's Official Canadian Foot Ball Guide. No. 335 Spalding's Official Rugby Foot Ball Guide. Group ill. Crichet No. 3 Spalding's Official Cricket Guide. No. 277 Cricket and How to Play It. Group IV. Lawn Tennis No. 4 Spalding's Official Lawn Ten- nis Annual. No. 157 How to Play Lawn Tennis. No. 279 Strokes and Science of Lawn Tennis. Group V. Golf No. 5 Spalding's Official Golf Guide No. 276 How to Play Golf. Group VI. Hockey No. 6 Spalding's Official Ice Hockey Guide. No. 304 How to Play Ice Hockey. No. 154 Field Hockey. (Lawn Hockey. No. 188 < Parlor Hockey. (Garden Hockey. No. 180 Ring Hockey. HOCKEY AUXILIARY No. 256 Official Handbook Ontario Hockey Association. Group VII. Basket Ball No. 7 Spalding' 8 Official Basket Ball Guide. No. 193 How to Play Basket Ball. No. 318 Basket Ball Guide for Women. BASKET BALL AUXILIARY No. 323 Official Collegiate Basket Ball Handbook. 4NV of THE ABOVE BOOHS MAILED POSTPAID UPON RECEIPT OF 10 CENTS SPALDING ATHLETIC LIBRARY Group vill. Bowling No. 8 Spalding's Official Bowling Guide. Group No. 9 IX. indoor Base Ball Spalding's Official Indoor Base Ball Guide. x. polo Spalding's Official Roller Polo Guide. Water Polo. Equestrian Polo. XI. Miscellaneous Games Official Handbook U.S. Inter, collegiate Lacrosse League Archery. Croquet. Roque. ( Racquets. < Squash-Racquets. (Court Tennis. Hand Ball. Quoits. Push Ball. v'urling. Lawn Bowls. Lawn Games. Children's Games. No. 10 No. 129 No. 199 Group No. 201 No. 322 No. 248 No. 138 No. 271 No. 194 No. 13 No. 167 No. 170 No. 14 No. 207 No. 188 No. 189 Group Xll. Athletics No. 12 Spalding's Official Athletic Almanac. No. 27 College Athletics. No. 182 All Around Athletics. No. 156 Athletes' Guide. No. 87 Athletic Primer. No. 273 Olympic GamesatAthens,1906 No. 252 How to Sprint. No. 255 How to Run 100 Yards. No. 174 Distance and Cross Country Running. [Thrower. No. 259 How to Become a Weight No. 55 Official Sporting Rules, [boys. No. 246 Athletic Training for School- No. 317 Marathon Running. No. 331 Schoolyard Athletics. ATHLETIC AUXILIARIES No. 311 Amateur Athletic Union Offi- cial Handbook. [book. No. 316 Intercollegiate Official Hand- No. 302 Y. M. C. A. Official Handbook. No. 313 Public Schools Athletic League Official Handbook. No. 314 Public Schools Athletic League Official Handbook — Girls' Branch. No. 308 Official Handbook New York Interscholastic Athletic Association. No. 177 No. 296 No. 128 No. 209 No. 178 No. 23 No. 282 Group xiv. No. 18 Fencing. No. 162 No. 165 No. 140 No. 236 No. 102 No. 233 No. 166 No. 200 No. 143 No. 262 No. 29 No. 191 No. 289 No. 326 «"•"• uJSSLm How to Swim. Speed Swimming. How to Row. How to Become a Skater. How to Train for Bicycling. Canoeing. Roller Skating Guide. Manly sports ( By Breck.) Boxing. Fencing. ( By Senac.) Wrestling. How to Wrestle. i Ground Tumbling. ' Jiu Jitsu. How to Swing Indian Clubs. r Dumb Bell Exercises. Indian Clubs and Dumb Bella. Medicine Ball Exercises. Pulley Weight Exercises. How to Punch the Bag. Tumbling for Amateurs. Professional Wrestling. Group XV. j Gymnastics No. 104 Grading of Gymnastic Exer- cises. [Dumb Bell Drills. No. 214 Graded Calisthenics and No. 254 Barnjum Bar Bell Drill. No. 158 Indoor and Outdoor Gym- nastic Games. No. 124 How to Become a Gymnast. No. 287 Fancy Dumb Bell and March- ing Drills. [Apparatus. No. 327 Pyramid Building Without No. 328 Exercises on the Parallel Bars. No. 329 Pyramid Building with Wands, Chairs and Ladders GYMNASTIC AUXILIARY No. 333 Official Handbook I. C. A. A. Gymnasts of America. Group XVI. Physical culture No. 161 Ten Minutes' E x e r c i s e for Busy Men. [giene. No. 208 Physical Education and Hy- No. 149 Scientific Physical Training and Care of the Body. No. 142 Physical Training Simplified. No. 185 Hints on Health. No. 213 285 Health Answers. No. 238 Muscle Building. [nine. No. 234 School Tactics and Maze Run- No. 261 Tensing Exercises, [nasties. No. 285 Health by Muscular Gym- No. 288 Indigestion Treated by Gym- No. 290 Get Well ; Keep W A\. [nasties. No. 325 Twenty-Minute Exercises. No. 330 Physical Training for the School and Class Room. BUY OP THE ABO VF BOOKS MAILED P0SXPA19 UPON BECEHT OF 10 CBNTS SPALDING ATHLETIC LIBRARY Group I. Base Ball No. l— Si>Al<1lnK*» Official te Ball Guide. The leading Base Ball annual of the country, and the official authority of the game. Contains the official playing rules, with JuYd$£ I an explanatory index of the ^gwy^ | rules compiled by Mr. A. G. Spalding; pictures of all the teams in the National, American and minor leagues ; re- views of the season; college Base Ball, No. 202— How to riay Bate Ball. Edited by Tim Murnane. New and revised edition. Illustrated with pic- tures showing how all the various curves and drops are thrown and por- traits of leading players. Price 10 cents. No. 223— How to But. "* There is no better way of becoming a proficient batter than by reading this book and practising the directions. Numerous illustrations. Price 10 cents. Ny. 232— How to Hon the 232— How Banes. This book gives clear and concise directions for excelling as a base run- ner; tells when to run and when not to do so; how and when to slide; team work on the bases; in fact, every point of the game is thoroughly explained. Illustrated. Price 10 cents. No. 230— How to Piteh. A new, up-to-date book. Its contents are the practical teaching of men who have reached the top as pitchers, and who know how to impart a knowledge of their art. All the big leagues' pitchers are shown. Price 10 cents. No. 229— How to Catch. Every boy who has hopes of being a clever catcher should read how known players cover their position. Pictures of all the noted catchers in the big leagues. Price 10 cents. No. 225— How to Play First I- Base. Illustrated with pictures of all the prominent first basemen. PricelOcents. No. 226— How to Play Second Base. The ideas of the best second basemen have been incorporated in this book for the especial benefit of boys who to know the fine points of play at this point of the diamond. Price 10 cents. No. 22T— How to Play Third Base. Third base is, in some respects, the most important of the infield. All the points explained. Price 10 cents. No. 22S— How to Play Short* stop. Shortstop is one of the hardest posi- tions on the infield to fill, and quick thought and quick action are necessary for a player who expects to make good as a shortstop. Ulus. PricelOcents. No. 224— How to Play the Outfield. An invaluable guide for the out* fielder. Price 10 cents. No. 231— How to Coach; How to Captain a Team; How to Manage a Team; How to Umpire; How to Or- firniiize a Leasrae; Tech- nical Terms of Base Ball. A useful guide. Price 10 cents. No . 210— Ready Reckoner of Base Ball Percentages. To supply a demand for a book which would show the percentage of clubs thout recourse to the arduous work of figuring. the publishers hadthese tables compiled by an expert Price 10 cents, BASK BALL AUXILIARIES. No. 1A — Spalding's Ottlcinl Bnse Bull Record. Something new in Base Ball. Con- tains records of all kinds from the be- ginning of the National League and official averages of all professional or- ganizations for past season. 10 cents. No. 310— Minor League Base Ball Guide. V The minors' own guide. Edited by President T, H. Murnane. of the New England League. Price 10 cents. No. 320— Official Handbook of the National Leuurue of Professional Base Bull Clubs. Contains the Constitution, By-Laws. Official Rules. Averages, and schedule of the National League for the current year, together with list of club officers and reports of the annual meetings of the League. Price 10 cents. No. 321— Official Handbook National Playground Bull Association. This game is specially adapted for playgrounds, parks, etc., is spreading rapidly. The book contains a descrip- tion of the game, rules and officers. Price 10 cents. Group n. Foot Ball No. 2— SpuIdiiiK's Official Foot Ball Guide* Edited by Walter Camp. Contains the new rules, with diagram of field; All- America teams as selected by the leading authorities; reviews of the game from various sections of the country: scores; pictures. Price 10 cents. No. 334— Code of the Foot Ball Rules. This book is meant for the use of Officials, to help them to refresh their memories before a game and to afford them a quick means of ascertaining a point during a game. It also gives a ready means of finding a rule in the Official Rule Book, and is of great help to a player in studying the Rules. Compiled by C.W.Shor^, Harvard, 1908. Price 10 cents. No. 324— How to Play Foot Ball. Edited by Walter Camp, of Yale. Everything that a beginner wants to know and many points that an expert will be glad to learn. Snapshots of leading teams and players in action, with comments by Walter Camp. Price 10 cents. No. 2 A— Spa ldlnu '» Official Association Soccer Foot Ball Guide. A complete and up-to-, date guide to the "'Soccer" game in the United States, containing instructions for playing tHte game, official rules, and interesting news from alt parts of the country. Illustrated. Price 10 cents. No. 2SC— How to Play Soc- cer. " How each position should be played, written by the best player in England in his respective position, and illus- trated with full-page photographs of players in action. Price 10 cents. FOOT BALL AUXILIARIES. No. 332— SpuldlnK'H Official Canadian Foot Ball Guide. The official book of the game in Can* ada. Price 10 cents. Group in. Cricket No. S— Spaldin*r*« Official Cricket Guide. The most complete year book of the game that has ever been published in America. Reports of special matches, official rules and pictures of all the leading teams. Price 10 cents. No. 277— CrieUet; and How to Play It. By Prince Ranjitsinhji. The game described concisely and illustrated with full-pape pictures posed especially for this book. Price 10 cents. Group IV. Lawn Tennis 4— Spalding's Official Lawn Tennis Annual. Contents include reports of all important tourna- ments; official ranking from 1885 to date; laws of lawn tennis; instructions for handicapping; deci- sions on doubtful points; management of tourna- ments; directory of clubs; ng ou t and keeping a court. Illusj trated. Price 10 cents. No. 157-How to Flay Lawn Tennis. A complete description of lawn ten- nis; a lesson for beginners and direc- tions telling how to make the most im- portant strokes. Illustrated., Price 10 cents. No. 270— Strokes and Science of Lawn Tennis. By P. A. Vaile, a leading authority on the game in Great Britain. Every stroke in the game is accurately illus- trated and analyzed by the author. Price 10 cents. Group V. Golf No. C Contains records of all important tournaments. articles on the game in various sections of the country, pictures of prom- inent players, official play- ing rules and general items of interest. Price 10 cents. No. 270— How to Play Golf, By James Braid and Harry Vardon. the world's two greatest players tell, how they play the game, with numer* ous full-page pictures of them taken on (he links. Prico 10 cent* SPALDING ATHLETIC LIBRARY Group VI. „ Hockey No. *S*Spal By E J. Giannini. of the New York Athletic Club, one of America's most famous amateur oarsmen and cham- pions. Shows how to hold the oars, the finish of the stroke and other valu- able information. Price 10 cents. No. S4»tt— Speed Swimming. By Champion C. M. Daniels of the New York Athletic Club team, holder of numerous American records, and the best swimmer in America qualified to write on the subject. Any boy should be able to increase his speed in the water after reading Champion Daniels' instructions on the subject. Price 10 cents. No. 23— Canoeing. Paddling, sailing, cruising and rac- ing canoes and their uses; with hints on rig and management; the choice of a canoe; sailing canoes, racing regula- tions; canoeing and camping. Fully illustrated. Price 10 cents. Contains advice for beginners; how to become a figure skater, showing how to do all the different tricks of the beat figure skaters. Pictures of prominent skaters and numerous diagrams. Price 10 cents. No. 282— Official Boiler Skat* Ing Gnlde. Directions for becoming a fancy and trick roller skater, and rules for roller skating. Pictures of prominent tries: skaters in action. Price 10 cents. No. ITS— How to Train for Bicycling. Gives methods of the best riders when training for long or short distance races; hints on training. Revised and up-to-date in every particular. Price 10 cents. Prist 10 cant*. Group XIII. Athletic Accomplishments No. 177— How to Swim. Will interest the expert as well as the novice; the illustrations were made from photographs especially posed. :r in clear water; is the series of land drill " exercise* for the bwinnex. Group XIV. Manly Sports No. 140— Wrestling. Catoh-as-catch-can style. Seventy illustrations of the different holds, pho- tographed especially and so described that anybody can with little effort learn every one. Price 10 cents. No. 18— Fencing. By Dr. Edward Breck. of Boston* editor of The Swordsman, a promi- nent amateur fencer. A book that has stood the test of time, and is universally acknowledged to be a standard work. Illustrated. Price 10 cents. No. 102— Boxing Gnlde. Contains over 70 pages of illustrations showing all the latest blows, ' posed especially for this book under the super- vision of a well-known instructor of boxing, who makes a specialty of teach- ing and knows how to impart bis knowledge. Price 10 cents. No. 165— The Art Of Fencing By Regis and Louis Senac. of New York, famous instructors and leading authorities on (the subject. Gives in detail how every move should be made. Price 10 cents. No. 236— How to Wrestle. The most complete and up-to-date book on wrestling ever published. Edited by F. R. Toombs, and devoted principally to special poses and Uhistra* dons by George Hackensehmidt, to* "gsultsUsi.' PrtsssMsM, SPALDING ATHLETIC LIBRARY No. 102— Ground Tumbling. Any boy. by reading this book and following: the instructions, can become proficient. Price 10 cents. NO. irsu— Tumbling: for Ama- teur*. Specially compiled for amateurs by Dr. James T. Gwathmey. Every variety of the pastime explained by text and pictures, over 100 different positions being; shown. Price 10 cents. No. 191— Hoir to Punch the Bng. The best treatise on bag punching that has ever been printed. Every va- riety of blow used in training is shown and explained, with a chanter on fancy bag punching by awell-known theatri- cal bag puncher. Price 10 cents, No. 143— Indian Clubs and Dnmb-BelU. By America's amateur champion club swinger, J. H. Dougherty. It is clearly illustrated, by which any novice can become an expert. Price 10 cents. No. 200— Dumb-Dells. The best work on dumb-bells that has ever been offered. By Prof. G. Bojus. of New York. Contains 200 photographs. Should be in the hands of every teacher and pupil of physical culture, and is invaluable for home exercise. Price 10 cents. No. 2G2— Medicine Ball Ex- ercises. A series of plain and practical exer- cises with the medicine ball, suitable for boys and girls, business and profes- sional men. in and out of gymnasium. Price 10 cents. No. 29— Puller Weight Eier- cides. By Dr. Henry S. Anderson, instructor In heavy gymnastics Yale gymnasium. 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Edited by P. R. Carpenter. Physical Director Amherst College. Contains pictures of leading teams and individual champions, official rules governing con- tests, records. Price 10 cents. Group XVI. culture No. 1 E o-* « en (/) j- 1 o oj " n! ij (/> S 3 .t: ° OT § x bo.^ £ en flu xi 2'°H gxi.C u c h x 5 E " , C D C >- — bo o 60 «£ -5 |.s o-SP-x X! « rt J5 0, 3 u O bO tn rt «J »j C X J..5 £ a > c « O to _ 4-. en ,C §.5 °-g u ^DrtE^biDOrt-.t: £ ~£ >— p rt £ rt rt _-^ H OX! £ I- oXX E-o _ e tlN o-°x 5 > - ■* rt X) C <" nx.2 •- -^ ^ c c •- oi -m rt C .= rt ^J PL,— S C to bfl"0 rt+-.T3 rt-O 0,rt.-X)^tn ':j ^ re.« 1*1 "s ■J a a Mr S « I ccs - 'I 2*5 I rt O -^ ■ .d o -is rt £ .^ G *J D | ,_ CU X3 ■^ G u o> I O rtjS ■ U I* -4-i •j ■" V J3 .1 - -G .t! 2 -s •3..S.I S u p- 3 rt bo c C 1> .2 .S zGjlc So < C " M V I -a <" '. c -3 ■ »o 3 bfi re "1 ,, o c « M H "O •-' £ a g c u CO U s 2 |£ rt T3 •— i U 03 iC u ■^ a ? rt .,_> 3, a. U J3 Xi V -.n ^ a 03 3 o u t/i C ft Q-» J65 > ■o u o O.T3 s _c; ■ a .n M ir. tn u •V W rt u ft ft & .5 in < "" HI i — i c pq CO U V § 2 X> P o JS X J3 ft H u C £ be ** *> ~ T? "O c C? U .-I- •a a«-a« 1^2-2 ,-^©| -3 "3 JJi u > >\ ■" a ■ se; mS^ .3 £ 3 c 3 "> oT.^^ Jj 3 tC >3 cy rt 3 '- u • W.3 O 3 O Z > E O £_3 U W — X1--' Wi3 5 3 - _ . ti ih .Q g ~ en §i?a « 55'5 §. r i "5 J 3 +-» W"3 O H 3 ~ <; n) J.3 M i-. o 42 • O ■a 3^ 1) cu.c 3 U« (J of the racket. Notice position of feet and balance. Plate 34. — Waiting for Service. This is a most important position. One must not stand with stiff legs and in a state of inaction. The weight should be thrown forward on to the ball of the toe, and the knees slightly flexed, for you cannot start from a straight joint without first flexing it. The racket should be held as shown in the plate, and the player should be nearly overbalanced so as to be ready to start like a flash in any given direction. Stand as nearly as possible diagonally opposite to the server unless you know of any peculiarity in his service which makes it advisable to take up another position. Spalding^s Athletic Library. 6\ THE FOREHAND STROKE. This stroke is the foundation of nearly every player's game, and too much trouble in mastering it cannot be taken by any one who wishes to become first class. For the forehand stroke you must stand with your left side to the net and, roughly speaking, in a line towards the place you intend to hit the ball to. Your left foot will be in front and your right foot will be about eighteen inches behind it. Just as you are striking the ball you transfer your weight from your right leg to your left. If this transference is done well you will find it adds much to the effectiveness of your stroke. As you become more accurate you will probably step in to your ball as you play it by taking a short step with the left foot. You must always have your weight fairly evenly distributed until you are going to play a stroke. Then, in the case of a forehand drive, it is thrown back on to the right foot until almost the moment of making the stroke. You must, in the first instance, aim at acquiring certainty in returning plain balls. When you have got that you may take up the more difficult cut strokes and indulge in a few attempts at driving with plenty of pace ; but always remember that accuracy i« playing the plain ball strokes witlr good length and position is the foundation of the game. Plate 35. — Forehand Stroke. Swing Back. Here the ball is shown approaching the pbyer. The racket is swung back to about the level of the shoulder, the weight is on the right leg, and the left arm is extended to balance. Notice carefully the position of the feet. Plate 36. — Forehand Stroke. Impact. The weight is just being transferred to the left foot. Notice position of feet and balance. This is a perfectly plain stroke ; that is, the ball comes off the racket as if it were bounding off the wall of a house, I practically without spin. Notice the position of the ball both laterally and longitudinally with relation to the body of the player. With this stroke it could be played with comfort nine inches or a foot nearer to the left leg. This would be impos- sible with the English grip. Plate 37. — Forehand Stroke. Finish. The racket has struck the ball and followed after it in the line of its flight as though the head of the racket were being thrown after the ball. This is a true follow through. The stroke is a most useful one, and is much superior to the ordinary English forehand, which cramps the player's stroke too much unless he gets it exactly at the right distance from him. I have seen a man play a first- class game with no other forehand stroke but this. There are, however, more valuable shots on the forehand, as I shall show in due course. Note the position of feet and the balance. >£ u Plate 39. — Forehand Drive with Lift. I m tact. The weight here is transferred to the left foot and the racket is coming rapidly forward and upward in the line A B, producing the flight C D, and causing the bail to spin forward as shown by the arrow on it. This spin is called lift top or overspin, and ( it causes the ball to dip suddenly at the end of its flight, so that many balls which appear to be going out of court dive suddenly into it in a very deceptive manner. Plate 40. — Finish of Forehand Drive with Lift. Notice the transference of weight on to the ball of the toe of the left foot, and the finish across the body instead of straight down the court as in the plain stroke. Plate 41. — Horizontal Forehand jjrive. This stroke may be played with or without lift. The swing back is practically the same as for the forehand drive with lift, but in playing this stroke the head of the racket does not drop so low as is therein shown. Plate 42. — Horizontal Drive. Impact. The dotted line A B shows the travel of the racket head. When the ball is very high the top side of the racket may be inclined a little forward. If the stroke is then played as shown by A B, the angle of the face imparts top to the ball. This return may also be played as a lifting drive if desired. In that case the racket must cut up more sharply, so that A B would then be at an angle of about 45 degrees to the court. Plate 44. — Forehand Drive. This is one of the most re- markahle strokes in the game. It is carrying out beyond what I say the practice of having arm and racket handle in line. This is the hold Miss Sutton, the American lady player, uses. It is hardly possible to got any more powerful stroke on the fore- hand, as this peculiar hold enables one to get a direct hit up- wards along the dotted line. This gives an immense amount of lift, and causes the ball to keep in court in a wonderful man- ner. As I have already indicated, any further development of the forehand drive will come from this stroke. I have not seen more than two or three players use this stroke. Plate 45. — Forehand Drive. This is the same stroke as shown in the preceding plate, but it is being played on a low ball. The racket will travel up the line A B, and the ball flies away down the line C D. The racket is turned over at the mo- ment of impact with a snap of the wrist. This turn or wrist flick does not roll the ball over as many think. It simply causes the racket to Brush across the ball more quickly, and so imparts to it excessive lift. For quick-dropping passing shots on either hand this shot is very valuable. Plate 46, — Forehand Drive. Finish. This is the natural finish of the forehand drive explained in the two preceeding plates. The body lifts as the stroke is played. This also is the natural finish for the forehand horizontal drive if the racket be kept about a foot lower. Spalding's Athletic Library. THE BACKHAND STROKE. Very many players who ought to know better continually make this stroke in the wrong position. The right foot should be in front ; in fact, the instructions for the forehand stroke are practically reversed. The ball is met further from the player's body than is the case in the forehand drive. The reason for this will be apparent from a study of the photographs in this section. No words can possibly explain the correct manner of producing this stroke so well as the photographs, so I shall deal with the peculiar points of the different shots as they appear in the pictures. Plate 48. — Backhand Stroke, this is a front view of the stroke in the preceding plate, and serves to show clearly the position of the ball laterally with relation to the striker. The ball being so much nearer the camera than the player, is slightly out of focus. Plate 49. — Backhand Stroke. Impact. This is a front view of the plain face backhand stroke shown in the two preceding plates. Note position of feet, hold of racket, and position of arm in relation to racket handle. Plate 50. — Backhand Stroke. Impact. This is a side view of the preceding plate showing relative position of ball and player longitudinally. This stroke is being played naturally without any lift, and the racket head travels as shown by dotted line A B. Plate si. — Backhand Drive. This is easily the most im- portant stroke on the backhand. Played in all other respects like the plain backhand, the racket is drawn sharply np across the ball as shewn by the line A B. At the same time the elbow is curving up in the line E F and the body is straightening. The result of all these motions is that this stroke can be made to take a large amount of lift. It is a most useful and telling shot, and not, like the English backhand stroke, merely a de- fensive shot. The cut up across the ball is generally, if any- thing, a little more sudden than I have shown it in the diagram- photograph. Plate 52. — Backhand Drive. The follow through from the last stroke shown brings one into this constrained position, so that a free and natural finish is impossible unless one turns the thumb round so that it goes up on top of the racket as shown in the next plate. Plate 53. — Backhand Drive. Finish. Here it will be seen that the thumb has come round on top of the racket, and thus a free and natural finish has been obtained. The hold of the racket is not relaxed in any way. The wrist simply turns and the finish becomes easy and natural. Plate 54. — Horizontal Backhand Drive. The racket is swung round in the dotted line and meets the ball squarely as shown in the next plate. Note the position of the feet. Plate 55. — Horizontal Backhand Drive. Impact. The racket here has come round at the same distance from the ground all the way. Note racket and arm in same straight line as regards force to be produced, although not so otherwise. See position of feet and balance of body. Plate 57. — English Backhand Stroke. Note the angle be- tween arm and racket, and that the racket is coming in under- neath the ball to undercut it. This action produces back spin which is not advisable for a staple stroke. Plate 58. — English Backhand Stroke. Finish. The finish here is got from a semicircular mowing action which has a marked tendency to throw the player into a cross-legged posi- tion. This is not by any means an exaggerated position. If any one thinks it is, a glance at plates 112 and 113, Great Lawn- tennis Players, will soon undeceive him. It is a weak, defensive shot, instead of as it should be, a strong, natural winner. Plate 59. — Forehand Lob. The lob is a most important stroke, and to play it consistently well requires great skill and delicacy of touch. As the staple of one's game it is contemptible. In its proper place it is an admirable and indispensable stroke. The best and most accurate way to lob is to let the ball fall as shown in the plate and then to come in under it and toss it up with a straight stroke as shown. This gives a perfect direction and also more command of length than the round-arm lob so commonly played in England. It is a defensive shot, and when in serious trouble, unless you can be sure of outlobbing your opponent, you should lob high. It gives you more time to get into position, and is, moreover, harder for him to smash, as it comes down fast and requires accurate timing. Plate 60. — Backhand Lob. This strode may be played with the plain face or with cut from A to B. Both strokes are good. Personally. I like the cut lob, as one can get a very accurate shot with it, but if the wind is blowing from the right-hand side of your court you must lob well towards the middle of the court, as otherwise the twist on your ball will make it swerve out over the side line. A good back-hand drive can be played with this stroke, and the forehand drive with the reverse cut from B to A is a good stroke for those who cannot play the forehand lifting drive. Notice the position of feet and that here l am using the old backhand grip with the leather inside my hand ; also observe arm in line with racket Plate 6i. — The Chop. Swing Back. The chop is a most useful stroke. There are few, if any, more effective returns off a high-bounding ball such as shown in the plate. The ball flies low, skims the net, and on striking the ground shoots low and fast on account of the backward rotation or spin. A good length chop on your opponent's backhand is always good to go up on. It is a very tricky stroke to play, and the man at the net generally gets a chance to deal with the return. Plate 62. — The Chop. Impact. This view shows very clear- ly how the chop is played from the position in the preceding plate. The racket travels down the line A B, cutting across the ball at C, and producing the flight C D. As the racket cuts across the intended line of flight C D, it causes the ball to re- volve rapidly backwards as shown by the arrow under the ball. This is called back spin or backward vertical rotation, and is the natural result of every pure chop stroke. The chop should not be used as a staple ground stroke, although many fine players do so. The forehand lifting drive is a superior stroke. Plate 63. — Backhand Chop. This is a stroke never seen, in England. 1 he racket comes from above the left ear at A, and is chopped smartly down the line A B. The action viewed from the side at the moment of contact is, so far as regards the face of the racket and the ball, in all respects similar to that shown in plate 62. It is a very useful shot, particularly for dropping short returns off high balls. This, of course, could be done by backhand cut, but in that case one has to wait for the ball to drop a little lower, and the stroke is not rendered any more certain when it has to be lifted; also time is wasted, and this is important. Plate 64. — Forehand Half-Volley. The great secret of the half-voile}' is smothering the bound. This is especially so in fast balls. Most plavers hold the face of the racket too vertically when making this stroke, consequently the ball flies too high. The art in playing this beautiful stroke consists in timing it ac- curately on to the racket at A, and then covering its natural tendency to bound upwards with a forwardly inclined racket face, so that it is forced to compromise and come out from under the racket at the angle shown by the line A B. It is essential to watch the ball almost on to your racket — in fact, on to it if you Can — for this stroke. Plate 65. — Backhand Half-Volley. The same principle must be observed on the backhand as in the forehand half-volley, and where practicable the "covering" of the ball should be done as much as possible in a line with the spot where one intends to place the ball. The half-volley is a beautiful and useful stroke, but against a player who uses much rotation it is a very risky one to try, for it is so hard, against a man who chops, for instance, to time the ball on to the centre of the racket. Plate 66. — Backhand TTai.f-Vou.ey. This plate shows a half- volley played wide from the body. Here again it will be seen that the racket is covering the bound of the ball. Notice the position of the feet and the grip of the racket. The old method of gripping the racket with the leather or button in the handle will quite likely come into favor again. No hold gives such freedom for wrist action, and without wrist work lawn tennis is a very unattractive game. Plate 67.— Snapping Backhand Half- Volley. Here the ball has nearly passed the player, but by a quick half-turn he has succeeded in covering it. Note that the right foot is still to- wards the net and the back nearly turned to the net. Had the ball been a yard further away, it would have been necessary to swing the right leg out beyond the left, and to play the "ball actually with the back forwards the net. Some players are wonderfully expert in thus snapping backhand half-volleys that look almost impossible. .Plate 68. — The Overhead Volley. Waiting for a Smash. This is a stroke of the utmost importance. To be a first-class player one must be good overhead, although certain notable exceptions have proved the rule. This position will be seen to be similar to that shown for the overhead service. Every service is practically an overhead volley, which when played hard is often called a smash. Note position of feet, distribution of weight, drooped shoulder, body and head well back, and balance of left arm. The left arm is as useful to an expert tennis player for balance as it is to the weight-lifter. The side of the racket furthest from the net is the side that will hit the ball. The reverse overhead cut service and the forehand cut service, par- ticularly the latter, make very fine overhead volleys or smashes. Plate 69. — Overhead Volley or -Smash. Impact. Here it will be seen that the weight has been transferred to the left foot, and in the act of passing into his stride the player has struck the blow with all his weight. This matter of weight transfer- ence is of the utmost importance. You could not throw a cricket-ball far unless you put your weight on to your right leg and then hurled it forward on to your left. Neither can you smash a ball at lawn tamis very well unless you do the same thing. Plate 70. — Low Forehand Volley. Notice the position of the feet, which are practically at right angles to each other. The ball is caught fairly in the middle of the racket — it is not yet in contact with it in the plate — and lifted over the net. The face of the racket must naturally be inclined backwardly away from the net. Some writers advise playing all low volleys with the head of the racket above the wrist. That is not advisable, in fact it is not practicable in many cases. It would certainly be very hard to do it in this case. Of course, nobody should ever play a volley underhand that can be dealt with overhead. Plate 71. — Low Backhand Volley. This stroke is played in a corresponding- manner to the low forehand volley. It may be played either as a plain ball shot with clean follow through, or it may be very accurately played by means of the cut shown by the dotted line A B. The forehand low volley may also be quite advantageously played with cut. In each case' the racket travels down the line A B and glances across the ball, causing it to spin at an angle of, about forty degrees as it goes over the net. This is not pure chop, of course, but approximates more to the forehand or other cut service. In fact, a very good serv- ice is frequently used by ladies, which is produced by the cut A B shown in plate 70. Plate 72. — Short Hold for Volleying. Many volleys, par- ticularly near the net and above the level thereof, can be verv efficiently dealt with by shortening the hold of the racket. Tt is not advised by writers and is not done by many players, but in many cases is unquestionably a great aid. Some of the best volleying Mr. N. E. Brookes, the Australian champion, ever did, was done with his hand half way up the handle. It should not, of course, be carried to excess, but when cramped for room there is no objection to trying it. I have no hesitation in say- ing that for net play in doubles it will be found very useful. The hall can be placed and cut with great accuracy with this stroke. The line A B shows how the cut which drops a volley very short may be played. Plate 7.3. — The Lob Volley. This is a most useful stroke if oth your opponents are close up to the net. You do not wait or the hall to hit the ground, hut play it in the air, as shown 1 plate 7$, and toss it up as shown by the dotted line A B, so hat it is well clear of the other side's rackets yet is low and ast enough to prevent either of them getting it by running ack. Note position of feet, balance by extended arm, flat face f racket so as to i?et right under the ball, and arm in line with acket handle. Spalding's Athletic Lib}-ary. THE SINGLE GAME. I have already warned the player wHo wishes to become proficient that he must first of all aim at being accurate. When he can return and place with a reasonable degree of certainty he may start to improve his pace. Many a player in endeavouring to bring off electrifying drives sacrifices the point, whereas by a well-placed good-length ball of medium pace he might have scored outright, or at least have obtained such a position at the net as would have enabled him to kill the return. One must not be too anxious to win off every stroke. It may be that the ball is of such a nature that you cannot possibly, without undue risk, convert it into a winning stroke. In that case always go for length and position, and look to making your winning shot on the next return. Strive always to make your opponent play the ball so that he is at a dis- advantage in making his shot. Do not think it is necessary that your returns should just skim over the net. If you play for this you will see quite a large proportion of them going into the net. Remember that, especially with the forehand lifting drive, you may drive quite two feet above the net and yet get a good-length fair-paced return. Moreover, there is no object in playing too close to the net Spalding's Athletic Library. 103 unless your opponent is there waiting for your return and you cannot out-lob him. In dealing with singles some writers separate the base-line game from the proper game, which is a judicious mixture of base-line play with volleying at or as close as possible to the net. I shall herein deal only with the proper game, as I would sooner recognise as a game playing the whole time from the service court than from the base line. The one is the complement of the other. Taken together they may make a perfect whole ; separate, they are merely halves, or portions of the game. There may, of course, be certain great exceptions, but even they only prove the soundness of this statement when they meet a really first-class man who plays the modern game. A player should run in on every service that is good enough, and, I am almost inclined to add, on many that are not. Theoretically it is as wrong to go in on a short, badly placed service as it is to follow up a return of a similar nature, but in actual practice it frequently pays to take risks and bustle your opponent. One should get right up to the net as quickly as he can, unless it looks as though he may be out-lobbed. In that case he may risk having to play a dropping volley a little inside the service line, and not rush up quite so fast nor so far as he would on a good ball. I shall deal with the various portions of the single game under different headings. The service must, of course, be considered first. Service. — The various kinds of services have been fully illustrated and described. It remains here to deal with them from a practical point of view. Do not consistently run in on the service unless it is paying you very well to do so. Your 104 Spalding's Athletic Library. opponent gets used to it, and it does not worry him so much as it will if you come running in on odd occasions, so that he does not know when to expect you. When you have discovered your opponent's weak spot, which is generally his backhand, give him every opportunity to practise it, and keep away from his strong point. You must not overdo this, however, and when you have edged him across the court to cover up his weakness whip a sharp one across to his forehand. Have a fixed idea or intention in your mind with regard to every service. Know that you mean it to deceive or place your opponent at a disadvantage on account of something that you will make it do beyond the mere fact of hitting it hard into the service court, although this in itself and so far as it goes is good — and many can't do even that. Let your mind be working all the time. Notice how your opponent stands. Coax him in on to the centre line, then whip one across suddenly. Hit the side line a few times, then smash one down the middle. Give him a forehand cut on his backhand, a reverse overhead cut on his forehand ; reverse the process, and throw in an American or two, or perhaps a solid chop. This sounds almost cannibalistic, but with natural holds it is not too much to think that the player of the future will have a command of these deliveries. Mr. Brookes has them all, and other players can get them if they set themselves to learn. The prevalent hold quite "rots" the service of most English players. I was'inuch amused by a prominent player telling me, before I had fully explained in The Field and elsewhere how the American service is produced, that it was "no use trying," that no Englishman could get the service like the Americans. Certainly they cannot until they alter their grip, but what an American or any other man can do Spalding's Athletic Library. 105 an Englishman should go very near to accomplishing ; and as English players have now seen an Australian player with a better American service than any American, they will perhaps take heart of grace and make it their business to acquire this valuable means of attack. After a series of cut services, a fast straight service right at your man sometimes puts him at a disadvantage. The Return of the Service. — The two returns generally used are a side-line drive or a cross-court shot. Your opponent will generally be running in, so you must try to make your side-line drive .clean enough to get by him or else to drop your cross-court stroke sharp across to the side line. The fore- hand drive with lift helps you very much here, for it makes the ball di op quickly after it has passed the net, and renders it very difficult for the player, even if he reaches ii, to play an effective shot. Both in serving and returning, especially in doubles, the value of serving down the centre of the court is not generally realised. In doubles it practically cuts off the telling side-line shot and enables the man at the net to wander nearer the middle, while in singles its importance is very great. Fig. 3 will explain the value of centring a return of the ser- vice. Let us suppose a player drives a ball from six or nine feet outside the base line — say at C to A or B. The return is almost covered by the man at the net M. Of course it is unnecessary that the return should only go to the extreme corner. It might pitch near the service line, but the lines taken will show the principle. If, however, the player is returning the ball from D, it is never really over the court until it strikes at A. The striker can also play the quick-dropping cross-court shot D E, which is B K ..M„J/„„ / i CO w as 6'o oc Spalding's Athletic Library. w? such a formidable pass, particularly on the backhand, for it can be made to drop so close to the net. It will thus be seen that on a ball pitched at D the striker has both sides of the court open to him. If at any time you are caught out of position, do not hesi- tate, but get up to the net with all convenient speed. Of two evils it is the less. How to Receive the Service. — Generally speaking keep as nearly as may be diagonally opposite the server. This may not do in some of the cut services, but you must then exer- cise your own judgment, always remembering to let the service, American or otherwise, break in to you and play it on the hand it comes naturally to ; in other words, do not let it break across you and play it after it has crossed your body. This cannot always be done, but when it can, as in the American service, it is the best way to deal with it. The American service swerves from the server to your right and then breaks back to your left directly it hits the ground. If you know that it is an American, don't mind it swerving away out to the right. Stand well clear of it on the left, and when it comes to you on the forehand deal with it vigorously. Don't pat it, or the work on it will kill your stroke. Hit it hard, preferably with a little lift, for that will kill the lift which is already on the service. You will remember that all American services are obtained by lift or top. Sometimes, of course, you will get a service that is only forehand cut and not American. Then you will be left lamenting, but that won't happen very often for years to come, for it is a rare thing here to see a player with three services, or indeed for the matter of that with two. When you have played your stroke always make for that part of the court which is most exposed. Don't wait to see what your ro8 Spalding's Athletic Library. opponent is going to do, but make for the open spot without hesitation. This is the soundest of sound advice. I know one tine active young player who is always racing about the court like a mountain goat because he waits too long after he has played his shot before he starts for the other place. The odds are at least ten to one in favour of it going as far from you as it can be put. Very few players consistently return the ball to the same spot, although it is a good thing to do now and again. It is, however, important to give your man all the exercise you can and to make him play his shots on the run. Never be fixed during a rest. Always be moving, or at least standing with knees flexed and weight thrown forward so that you can start at once. Do not consider it necessary, because your opponent is running in at you, to drive at him. In these circumstances soft-, quick- dropping cross-court shots are the deadliest passes. They may be used on both backhand and forehand, and are most difficult to get to, and if indeed they are reached they are very hard to treat with any approach to severity, for the attacking player has to lift them up at the end of his run, and he cannot do much with them. When in position at the net you should volley sharply across court, so as to get away from your opponent as much as possible. The Lob. — The lob has been very fully explained by photo- diagram and letterpress. Both the lob and the lob volley are most useful strokes, and they will get you out of difficulties frequently when no other stroke is available. You should always endeavour to anticipate the nature of your opponent's return. It is not enough merely to knov^ what he has done after he has hit the ball if you can do more. You should study his play and the manner in which he makes his shots, so that you know what he is going to do. Tf you can do this — and Spalding's Athletic Library. 100 with most players it is possible — you will save much valuable time and also be able to economise your strength considerably. THE DOUBLE GAME. In the double game there are four methods of returning the service in general use : — The Side-line Drive. — This consists of playing your stroke so that the ball travels nearly parallel with the side line. It requires clean and cool execution, for generally the man at the net does not leave one too much room in which to pass him. It is quite useful to prevent the man opposite you from getting over too much to the centre of the net and so cutting off your return. With a well-centred service the side-line shot is practically cut out and the man at the net may stand much nearer in to the centre of the court. I have seen some players go even beyond this. One well-known pair sometimes places the server's partner in the same half of the court as the server, and the latter, after serving down the centre of the court, runs in across the court to the place usually occupied by the server's partner. This is a very puzzling formation for the striker-out. The value of the central service or return has never been fully recognised by lawn- tennis writers, but that famous tactician, Mr. E. G. Meers, is strongly of opinion that it is a most valuable form of attack. In his able and interesting chapter on the advanced tactics of the single game contributed to my second work, Great Lawn-tennis Players, he clearly shows its value. The Cross-court Drive. — This is the stroke where the value of the lifting drive is seen. No other stroke will give you the command of such an acute angle or so quick-dropping a shot 110 Spalding's Athletic Library. as will the drive with lift, whether on the forehand or the back- hand. It may be played quite slowly, and is then a most trying return to deal satisfactorily with ; or, if a short, high-bounding ball, it can be driven "out of sight" with plenty of "top" on the stroke. A good slow chop also makes a fine cross-court passing shot, but it never gets to the ground so quickly as a lightly played forehand stroke with lift. The Centre Drive. — This is perhaps the best and safest return in a double. Frequently there will be some doubt as to who will take it, and it is thus allowed a free passage ; frequently also that same momentary hesitation, even when it is played, causes the stroke to be imperfect. Quite often when there is plenty of lift on the ball your opponent lets it go, and has the mortification of seeing the forward spin bring it down well within the court. Then he won't take any more risks, and "goes for everything," so that very often you get the benefit of the doubt so far as regards your length, and as you are running no risks with side lines, you have quite a good chance of scoring. The centre drive, especially if the man at the net allows you plenty of room, as he not infrequently does by standing too near his side line, is a very paying shot, and quite the safest return, particularly for a fast drive. The Lob. — The lob is, generally speaking, a defensive stroke, but if your opponents have the sun in their eyes it is not a bad idea to treat them to a few lobs. If when you get into the "sunny" court they retaliate, and you find the sun troublesome, let the lobs bound and kill them when at the top of their bound or at a suitable elevation for the purpose. In lobbing, as in nearly every other stroke, except when merely lobbing quickly to pass your opponents, you must try to get a good length and Spalding's Athletic Library. in keep away from the side lines. A good lob on the side line would probably be a good lob six feet inside the court, so don't run any unnecessary risks. Each player should, unless otherwise arranged, attend to his own lobs. If he cannot smash them well he should try to get them back with good enough length to go in on, unless his opponents are up, as they should be if the lob is " deep" or well back to the base line. If they are in position there are two ways of playing it. He must either smash it vigorously or reply with another lob. In volleying or smashing any lob it is of importance that the player should get well under the ball, as shown in the plate illustrating the forehand service. If he hits it when it is away out in front of him he will almost certainly put it in the net. The service should be so delivered that the server is practi- cally thrown into his stride for the net by the follow through. He should lose no time in getting to the net. He must not trot up. He must gallop, so that he is in position to play the ball downwards instead of having to hit it upwards from about the service line. The server's partner should stand up quite close to the net for the first service, and perhaps for the second ; if there appears to be danger of a lob he may retreat a yard or two, but not other- wise, for unless you are going to be lobbed the nearer you are to the net the better. Always move, or appear to be moving, towards the centre of the court, so as to cut off your opponent's return. It makes him pull his return more across the court and into your partner's hands than he might otherwise do. When you are the striker-out try a straight drive at the man at the net occasionally. Try to hit him in the middle low down. He is ri2 Spalding's Athletic Library. often caught out of position, for it is an awkward stroke for him to make, either forehand ot backhand. I now have to deal with a very important question of tactics in the double game, and that is the position of the striker-out's partner. Quite two years ago I indicated that the formation adopted in England was the chief blot on English double-play. An English player generally stands in the service-court when his partner is receiving. I have always condemned this practice. Messrs. R. F. and H. L. Doherty were in the habit of doing it. I pointed out repeatedly in The Field and elsewhere that when one man is striking-out and the other is at or near the net any imperfect return by the striker-out either leaves his partner absolutely at the mercy of the opposing net player, as he will get the ball banged at his feet or it will be placed in the great cross- court gap that this formation opens up. Messrs. R. F. and H. L. Doherty tried this faulty formation when they met the Australian pair, A. W. Dunlop and N. E. Brookes, at Queen's Club. Dunlop at the net banged everything at R. F. Doherty's feet, and made him look as helpless as a kitten. In the end the English champions lost a hard-fought match of five sets. As I had always so heartily condemned their formation, I drew attention to this marked instance of its weakness, and stated that no pair which adopted that position could hope to win against the American players, Ward and Wright. In that match, when one of the brothers was receiving the other stood on the base line also. This is the proper position. Once or twice they tried the old formation, promptly paid the inevitable penalty and returned to the proper formation. In a hard five-set match they just managed to win. On their old formation they would have been hopelessly beaten. Spa /ding's Athletic Library. 113 It may therefore be taken as settled tactics that the proper position for the striker-out's partner is on or near the base line in his own half-court and nearly in a line with the striker-out. When the return of the striker-out justifies it they must both go in together, still in line and still the same distance apart from each other, so as to cover as much of the court as possible. This is quite an important point. I never had any doubt o f the faultiness of the formation, and until I came to England I »are!\ saw it used by first-class players. MIXED DOUBLES. Lady players are improving so much in their volleying that before long it may be unnecessary to devote a special chapter to this game, for when they have reached a certain state of expert- riess the rules laid down for men's doubles will govern the play in this class of matches. This is what every lady should aim at. She should, if her strength and activity are equal to the strain, try to play the game like a man. She probably won't quite succeed, but she will play better than if she sets out with the idea that she is a mere woman and that the man has to do all the work and make the winning strokes. As the game is now played the lady nearly always plays in the forehand court and on the base line, and the man at the net. This is the accepted formation, but it has often seemed to me that it is open to improvement. I have frequently put my partner, if she is not too bad on the backhand, on the left side of the court. She can always stand wide, and so to a great extent cover her backhand. In a mixed, the man always thinks before he has played his stroke that he can win that particular rest. Of course he cannot count on it, but that doesn't matter. The ii4 Spalding's Athletic Library. opposing lady frequently has something of the same idea in her mind, and not infrequently the man does win his' shot. His partner is then playing her shot knowing if she does miss it that it will only bring them level again, and she does not feel the responsibility so greatly as she will if she knows that missing her shot will give the other side the lead. For instance, at deuce, when she is playing from the forehand corner, she knows that if she misses her shot her opponents have secured a great advantage. On the other hand, if she is in the left court and her partner has won the last point, she will go for her shot with much greater nerve, knowing that it means a win or simply bringing it back to the man again to secure the lead. I do not really say that there is any particular advantage to be gained in changing from the present method, but the idea is quite worthy of consideration. In favour of the present formation it must be borne in mind that the lady has three good shots open to her, namely, the side-line drive, the cross-court drive, or slow-pass ; and all of them on the forehand. There will have to be solid practical advantages in the suggested position to counteract these, but for some pairs those advantages do exist, and if the lady is very good on the backhand the formation is well worth trying. While the man is serving, his partner, unless she is a good volleyer, must stand a little outside the base line and not very far from her corner of the court. The man should always follow up his service unless it is quite too bad to go in on, and this, of course, occasionally happens with the best of players. In a mixed double the man should hit everything he can reach on the volley, and he should try to reach everything on the volley. In that sentence is summed up practically the whole of man's Spalding's Athletic Library. 115 duty to woman — in a mixed double. He must dart across and cut off the lady's return every time he can. This makes her seek for the side lines, and frequently she goes over them, especially if just as she is making her stroke she sees the man darting across to intercept her return. Unless the lady tries a side-line pass, which she will only do now and again, or a lob which she considers infra dig. as a regulation shot, she has practically nothing left but the cross-court shot. Now as the man at the net is always hunting her returns as wide across court as he can make her«put them, it follows that generally after her service the lady, if she is still playing from the base line, may " spread out " to at least the corner of the court, and probably beyond, for the man at the net can cover a very wide angle and force the opposing lady to play so sharply across court that her return will frequently drop somewhere near the service line. If the server gives her some well-centred good-length services it will increase her difficulty in avoiding the man at the net. The man must stand in near the net while the lady is serving. He must always be so close as to enable him by one or two steps to get near enough to the net to play the ball on the volley before it has begun to drop, and he must be equally ready to chase the lob if it is played over his head, unless he has any arrangement with his partner that she shall take the lobs and that they shall change sides until the end of the rest or until another lob comes along. While her partner is receiving the service the lady must always stand back with him, on or behind the base line. No matter how well she volleys, it would be perfectly futile for her to take up the position generally assumed by an English player in men's double while his partner is receiving. This for iik Spalding's Athletic Library. either men or ladies is, against those who know the game, only the position to lose from. The man should take great risks in a mixed. The lady dearly loves to pass him, and gets more satisfaction out of doing that once than she does from winning legitimately off the opposing lady five times ; but she has the fear of him all the time in her mind, so that generally she wisely tries to keep well away from him and get to the lady. Knowing this, he should run in well to the lady's side of the court, and on every occasion during a rest when he has seen the shot decided on and the racket half-way through the stroke he should charge across even unto the single side lines and cut off the return. The moral effect of his continued activity and ubiquitous interference is a very great factor in determining the level of the opposing lady's play. A good man can in a mixed double quite unsettle a lady player's game unless she is very cool and skilful. Of course, now and again the interfering man will get passed on his exposed side, but it is a question of average, and he must work it out for himself, and see how many rests he wins for those he throws away by bearing to one side of the court ; also, of course, he must not do it all the time, as any tactics that become stereotyped lose a great deal of their value. More than half the art in playing lawn tennis lies in concealing your intention and the nature of your stroke. One of the best shots a lady can play to escape the man's attentions is a diagonal or cross-court lob. I say cross-court because a low cross-court lob will be much more out of his reach than if you try to put a lob of the same height straight over him, for he has to run across and get under it before he can reach it. This is what makes a low lob down the side line Spalding's Athletic Library. n? such a fine passing shot. If it were at the height of your oppo- nent's shoulder he would perhaps be able to step out and reach it, but if it were a low lob over exactly the same place he would have to come across right under it and strike up for it. There is a wonderful difference, too little appreciated by players, between these two things. Some services nearly always worry ladies very much. They never seem able to understand which way they will jump. In all ordinary cut services such as the fore underhand cut, the overhead forehand cut, and the reverse overhead cut, the ball breaks the opposite way to that in which the racket passes across it, so that in the underhand cut, for instance, the racket cuts across the ball from right to left, and the ball breaks from left to right ; but in the American services which are produced by lift or upward cut the ball always breaks the same way as the racket goes through the air. These are infallible rules, and should be of assistance to those players who are puzzled, and few are not, by the bound of the American service. LADIES' SINGLES. This is not a game by itself. The highest development of it must naturally be the nearest approximation to the standard set by the men. There are practically no general rules that can be laid down for lady players who desire to excel at singles that are not already stated in the chapter on the single game. Many will find running in on their service all the time much too tiring. They must therefore choose their occasions all the mote dis- creetly. This remark also applies with equal force in regard to attacking at the net. The lady player must choose her opportunity for going up with judgment so as to spare herself n8 Spalding's Athletic Library. as much as possible, and above everything she must not be discouraged at losing the shot, particularly if she is convinced she was right in going up. For a long time, if necessary, she must be satisfied to say, " Well, it certainly was my rest if I had played that shot right. I ought to have won it, but I didn't play the stroke properly. Never mind ; / was in the right place, and I'll have another try at it directly I get a chance." If volleying is taken on in this spirit any lady with a good eye will soon improve wonderfully, but she must always remember to hold her racket firmly and io hit the ball with it, not to wait for the ball to hit the racket. It is important for all players to try to get a good idea of the angles of the court. A player should be able to tell when he sees a ball coming at him exactly where it will pitch if he leaves it alone. Few are very good at this, and the consequence is that many a ball that is going out is played, and many a ball is not played that afterwards drops well within the boundaries of the court. This is a matter worthy of the most careful study on the part of any one who desires to play a really scientific game of lawn tennis. LADIES' DOUBLES. There is practically nothing in connection with the ladies' double game that may not be found in the chapter on " The Double Game.'' It will be observed that in neither case have I labelled the games " Men's," for, as a matter of fact, the men have no special monopoly of them. A lady's double as it is sometimes pla) r ed, where all four players wander round the base line and indulge in interminable rests of semi-lobs, to the distraction of the unfortunate umpire and the clearance of the pavilion seats, is fortunately almost a Spalding's Athletic Library. n 9 thing of the past. Nearly always there will be one or two of the ladies who are able to volley, and this enlivens matters very much. If both of the ladies can volley, then a ladies' double must be played as much like the double game as they can play it. If only one of a pair can volley, that pair must play a mixed double game. If neither of the players can volley, my advice is to go and learn without delay, for in that case she is only toying with a portion of the game and missing the most beautiful part of it. TOURNAMENT PLAY. Equanimity is one of the most important qualities for a tourna- ment player to possess. There is nearly always trouble in getting umpires, and many who volunteer are more willing than able. Consequently the player frequently has to put up with the most annoying and foolish decisions both as to law and fact, and if he allows these to annoy and upset him he is taking upon himself an extra handicap. It is advisable before any match to have a " knock up " for five or ten minutes, so that you do not start until your limbs are easy and you have "got your eye in." Never ease up in a match. It is very often quite difficult to recover yourself. No matter how poor your opponent is, if you want to win beat him while you can, and as well as you can. The effect of easing up is twofold. Firstly, you go off your game, and probably cannot get going again just when you want to, and your opponent gets "heartened up" and comes at you with renewed vigour and hope ; moreover, you may have to play another and stiffer match soon after, and you will perhaps find that you are suffering from the effects of your slack play. Particularly at lawn tennis the game is to win while you can. 120 Spalding's Athletic Library. Some very marvellous recoveries have been made at lawn tennis. Men who wanted but one stroke to win the champion- ship of England have lost that stroke — and the championship. Remember this. It may come into your mind when you want comfort. Remember, the game is never won so long as there is a rest to be played. Always keep in mind the fact that if you are feeling absolutely done it is very probable that the other fellow is as bad, if not worse. Always get a look at the play of the man you are going to meet unless you know his game. This will often save' you valuable time on the court, for you have been able in cold blood to consider his play and form certain conclusions which you go into court prepared to experiment with. If they are not right, you must find others. Weigh carefully anything any one of experience may say to you between sets, as it is very true that the onlooker sees most of the game. If you want any stimulant, take a little coca wine, some whisky and water, or any other thing of a similar nature that you are in the habit of using. Do not however drink during a match unless you are very thirsty, and then take as little as you can. You should always endeavour to regulate your meals so that you have not to play for half an hour to an hour afterwards. If you are playing a very protracted match long after a meal, it is not unwise to take a little chocolate or a biscuit. It is frequently worth more than alcohol. PRACTICE AND TRAINING. My own opinion about training for lawn tennis is that a player should live much the same life as he generally does. I do not think there is any necessity for any special dieting. Some men win on Spalding's Athletic Library. 121 vegetables and patent biscuits, and bore your life out telling you about it ; others win on half-raw steaks and plenty of ale with a copious supply of eggs thrown in. A judicious blend of these two " systems " is probably what will be found to answer best. If you are inclined to put on flesh, avoid all fatty and sugary substances and do not drink too much, especially at your meals. If it agrees with you, a glass of ale at luncheon is good food. I use the word " food " advisedly. At last championship I was particularly struck by the want of snap and life in the work of some members of the American team. There was a quite unaccountable listlessness in their play. I was horrified when I heard that "John Barleycorn" had been shut off completely. Training as they do, I think a glass of ale every day, and " when they feel like it " a good bottle of wine, would do them far more good than otherwise — but one must not "feel like it" too often. It is important when training for big matches to get all the work possible against good men. The amount to be taken depends very much on the man. Some men would get " stale " on what would be gentle exercise for others. So much depends on a man's habit of body and his constitution that it is impossible to lay down any general rules. Each case must be taken on its own circumstances and with due consideration for the idiosyn- crasies of the subject both as to work and diet if one would do the best with his men. Training a body of men as one man is in many cases simply courting failure. Soda-water may suit one man perfectly, but to most men in training it would be as bad as medicine. I am not a brewer's advocate, but my own experience and that of many others is that in moderation ale is beneficial. So with work, where one man will play five sets every day and 122 Spa/ding's Athletic Library. revel in it another will find three sets three or four times a week quite enough. If you find your wind is not good I should advise sharp, fast walks of two or three miles, finishing up nearing home with a quarter-mile spin, then a rub down and a shower. For a man who is in fairly good fettle much training will not be required for the ordinary best-of-three-sets match, but it is another thing if he has to contest a hard five-set championship match on a trying day. Then he wants to be as fit as hands and ale and wine and anything else that suits him can make him. If possible he should have a trainer to look after him, for there is no more severe task in the world of games than that I have just referred to, and unless a man is perfectly fit he runs great risk of overstraining himself. I do not think you should smoke much while training. It does not seem to trouble some men, but generally speaking it is, I think, bad, especially if you inhale the smoke. You should, of course, avoid late hours and all undue excitement. Generally speaking a man will do quite well in training who leads a moderate, healthy life and takes all the work he can without inducing slackness. I have no time for the fanatics who measure out the proteids and carbo-hydrates, and the number of bacilli a man should assimilate every seventy-six and three-quarter minutes. Moderation and natural conditions, fresh air and plenty of work and sleep, are of practical importance. When practising, stop playing directly you lose interest in the game. Do not go on playing slackly. When you cease to be keen it is time to stop and take a walk or a rest, as you feel inclined. I do not necessarily mean mentally inclined, for you may be lazy, but if you feel that you need the rest and not the walk, the rest's the thing, and vice versa. Spalding'' s Athletic Library. «o Practise your strokes assiduously, particularly those you are most deficient in. If you can get any one to toss you up some lobs, smash thirty or forty every day from all parts of the court. Get right under them and fling yourself at them. Don't leave your arm to do the work, for by itself it cannot do it properly. Step on to your smash, so that you may put it away to the best advantage. Practise all the services — forehand cut, reverse cut, and both Americans — always so that you may have these for a change from the plain fast service or the ordinary lifting service, which I shall refer to hereafter. Then try some half-volleys, always remembering to cover the bound of the ball. Let the ball pass you, swing round, and see how far past you it is possible to snap a backhand half-volley. You should rarely, if ever, play a half-volley if by getting to it you can convert it into a volley. Two sound maxims, in play or in practice, are : " Never let a ball hit the ground if you can play a fair stroke off it on the volley," and " Never play a ball underhand if you can treat it as an overhead volley." The soundness of these maxims is obvious. In both cases you save time. This is " of the essence of the contract," as the lawyers say, in volleying ; also in each case the stroke mentioned as preferable is more certain than its rival. These two points are much neglected^ particularly by English players, who constantly return weak half-volleys because they will not go up and make them into volleys, and who in many cases deliberately wait and play the ball as a low volley instead of jumping in under it and killing it. Play as many different styles of players, particularly as regards service, as you can. This is very important, as you thus become accustomed to all classes of deliveries. Most men run in a lot 124 Spalding's Athletic Library. nowadays. Always have one good steady old base-liner once a week if you can get him. This is quite an important matter, and I must tell you the reason. You will find that the persistent rusher ruins your length. You have nothing to think of but passing him, and most of your shots, as a matter of fact, are quick-dropping cross-court strokes, or side-line shots, without any length. If you then take on a good player who mixes his game well — that is, combines base-line play with judicious attacking at the net — you will find, to your great disgust, that your length is entirely gone. The length of the English players, except one or two fine base-line players, is from this cause very poor indeed. As a matter of fact, the ladies who have to rely on their length to a great extent, and are not, generally speaking, worried by being attacked at the net in singles, particularly on the return of service, are infinitely better than the men in this important branch of the game. Their good length is as remarkable as is the men's bad length. THE IMPORTANCE OF LAWN TENNIS. Few people realise the high place that lawn tennis already occupies in the games of the world. It may already quite fairly be styled the most international of games. I give here by courtesy of the proprietors of that famous sporting paper, The Field, an article which it was my privilege to contribute to its columns, and which has since been reprinted in almost every place where lawn tennis is played. From The Field of January 21, 1905 : — The Importance of Lawn Tennis. " There are many who thoroughly appreciate the value of lawn tennis both as mental and physical training, but these, I am Spalding's Athletic Library. 125 afraid, form but a small minority. Lawn tennis is a game which calls for many of the highest qualities which a man should possess. To excel at it one must have courage, stamina, strength tempered with restraint, equanimity under adverse circum- stances, quickness of eye and mind to see and decide, and of body and limbs to execute. " In this game there is required considerable strength to drive, serve, and smash, but this must be accompanied with sufficient restraint to keep the ball within proper limits. At golf the player has a stationary ball to think about and settle himself down to comfortably, ere he plays his stroke, and his opponent does not stand in front of him, with extended club and doing his best to intercept and ruin his shot ; but at lawn tennis the player not only has to put up with this, but he must frequently play his ball on the run ; as he runs he must rapidly pass in review in his mind how that ball left his opponent's racket, what it is doing in the air, what it will do when it hits the ground, and he must also from his opponent's actions make up his mind what the latter is going to do to try to spoil the effectiveness of his return, for in lawn tennis it is the duty of every self-respecting player, directly he has made a good stroke, to get into such a position at the net or elsewhere as to be able to cover as much of the court as possible, and so spoil his opponent's return. In this respeci lawn-tennis singles differ materially from most games, for the players are in direct personal and individual conflict, with the same ball as the medium of strife. In golf the player's good or bad play does not in any way affect the position of his opponent's ball, except now and again by a stymie. " It differs also from tennis, fives, and similar games in that the ball is continually bounding beyond the court, and 126 Spa/ding's Athletic Library. thereby causing much running, whereas in the other games the ball bounds off the walls into the court ; and on account of this I think the game calls for more refinement of strength than do the indoor games. To have a severe drive a man must put some strength into his work, but he must know how to regulate that strength, or it will be useless to him. " At cricket a player knows that to be dangerous a ball has to pitch within a very limited area as to length and width, and he is always ready and waiting in the best place to meet the delivery. It is not so in lawn tennis. The player has a wide area wherein he may place the ball, and he naturally endeavours to put it as far away from the opposing player as he can. The ball must thus be played while the striker-out is running, and it stands to reason that this cannot be so accurately done as when one is standing still and waiting for the ball. " It must be apparent to the ordinary observer that the tendency of British sport is to make for solidity and soundness, instead of brilliancy. I always think there should be a greater leaven of brilliancy in our sport than there is. Other nations have it, and we should. No impartial critic will attempt to deny that much of our cricket is of such a nature that it scarcely serves to keep one awake on a warm afternoon after a good lunch. On the other hand, I have seen matches, such as the last Gentlemen and Players, which made one sit up and look round. " I have followed sport in many countries, and everywhere the same thing has been borne in upon me. The tendency of British sport is not to encourage prompt thought and dashing execution, yet it should be. What the boy is in play he frequently is in work. Make him quick and alert in his play, and it is quite a chance the characteristic will enter into his Spalding's Athletic Library. 127 everyday life. Lawn tennis, I have been told, is actually forbidden in some schools, lest it should interfere with cricket. I cannot believe that it is so, but if it is I say without hesitation that it is ill-considered and unsportsmanlike to do such a thing. Cricket should require no such pampering. It is good enough in itself if played with a little more dash and a little more intellect in the bowling ; but I am afraid that much of our bowling is sadly mechanical, even as is the service in lawn tennis. " There is no game where a man's individuality has such scope as in lawn tennis. He enters the court on a broiling summer's day, faces his opponent, and knows that he may be in for three or four hours of the most gruelling work in athletics, for there is no game which makes such a call on one's endurance as a hard five-set match on a hot day. He may be playing a man personally distasteful to him ; he is in personal conflict with him all the time ; his best shots are snapped up at the net and spoiled ; he has no sense of divided responsibility as in a double, or when he is a member of a team of cricketers. He must call up all his resources and realise that it is he, and he alone, who must by his quickness of thought and action strive to come out on the winning side. Then again there is the great scope which is open to the scientific player who understands what can be done by rotation of the ball. The full comprehension of this and the ability, by means of it, to play on an opponent's weaknesses or neutralise his strength, will open u^) a new era in the game. " I cannot truthfully say that lawn tennis as played in England now inculcates all (his, but I know it will do so before many years, when it has taken its proper place amongst games, and 128 Spa/ding's Athletic Library. few apparently even amongst lawn-tennis players have ever given a thought as to what that place is. I venture to predict that it is of the highest, for not only will the proper game of modern lawn tennis develop in the youth of the nation many desirable qualities of physical and mental dash, for which as a nation we are not at present famous, steadiness and solidity being more our pride, but it will be found that it will take a very high place amongst the nations of the world. "Already the game, as played in England, is played in Russia, Germany, Norway and Sweden, France, America, India, Austra- lasia, and all British colonies, besides many lands which I have not mentioned. Of what other game can this be said ? Lawn tennis is even now perhaps the ' most international game.' I want lawn-tennis players to realise the dignity of the game, the beauty that is in it when played as they can play it an they will, and then they will see to it that lawn tennis takes its proper place. " Some years ago at the Antipodes I inaugurated a boys' and a girls' championship. I was much surprised and pleased to see what great interest was taken in the event. I think if the same were- done here, and the event confined to singles for those in their teens, the effect on the game could not be other than good. It might be held immediately after the men's championship, and the intense rivalry which would exist to be boy or girl champion of England would carry interest in the game into the family, and lead to the tennis lawn being seen in private grounds more often than it is, and to one who knows how to use and appreciate it there is no more charming or healthful adjunct to a home than the tennis lawn. Many years ago there was something done in the way of a boys' championship, but I cannot remember that Spalding's Athletic Library. 129 the two events were attended to, nor do I think any serious effort was made to render the event a permanent fixture. "One of the chief causes of our gracious King's great popularity is the fact that he is an ardent sportsman, and I feel sure, were the facts of the case as regards lawn tennis put before him by the proper authorities, that it would not be long before our delightful meetings at Wimbledon would be graced by the presence of Royalty, and the patronage thus accorded would do much to make the game speedily more popular and remove some of the disabilities under which it suffers now. There is no finer game for Young England, and in these days, when the cry of physical deterioration is resounding throughout the land, every park and common should have its lawn-tennis courts, and the game should be encouraged as much as possible. So should we make of our growing youth healthier and more active and alert men and women in every way. The Prince of Wales is the President of the Hockey Association. I think we can at least claim that lawn tennis is as worthy of encouragement as hockey. " I commend this matter to those who should move in it, and if I or my pen can be of any assistance I shall be always ready. This is with me no fad, for although I love lawn tennis as it deserves to be loved, I have played nearly every game that is to be played, and do not, as do so many, think there is only one game." * * * There can be no doubt that as a game for the English people lawn tennis, or even baseball, is preferable to cricket as at present played. If I were to go out and play a man lawn tennis for three days under such conditions as made it impossible for me at the end of this awful period to say definitely who was the T 3o Spalding's Athletic Library. better man, I should know my proper place was — well, let us say elsewhere. The conditions under which cricket is now played are dull, antediluvian, and soporific. They are not calculated to exercise either the mind or the body overmuch, and what with boundary hits, short overs, long adjournments, and the theory of bowling at anything rather than the wicket, the game is degenerating into a rather mournful farce. This should not be. It is a grand game, and if taken in hand and modernised — and this can be done without interfering with its hoary old traditions — it will regain its hold on the public ; but it is drifting now, and unless something is done to enliven the game the day is not far distant when it will cease to be our national sport. Last year there was formed in London an association which is, I believe, destined to have an important influence on the future of lawn tennis. It is called The South London School- girls' Lawn-tennis Association. I was present at the first championship of this Association, and hope to be present at many more, for this is a move in the right direction. Soon, I have no doubt, there will spring up other associations of a similar kind, and they will not be confined to the girls. These will in due course have their governing body, and they will be a valuable recruiting-ground from which we may replenish the attenuated ranks of our first-class players. While on the subject of the importance of lawn tennis I cannot pass without mention the attitude of the public schools towards this grand game, the game of all outdoor games that gives greatest scope for individuality, resourcefulness, and quickness of decision — all qualities not too strongly in evidence in the average public-school boy, Spa/ding's Athletic Library. 131 ft seems almost incredible, yet it is the fact, that in these schools lawn tennis is barred because the authorities are afraid it will oust cricket. They evidently, at least, have a fair- idea of the respective merits of the two games. Another way it is put is that lawn tennis is too much of a game where one goes " on his own," and does not therefore call for that spirit of comradeship that the cricket club does. How much there is in this any one who has ever played, or even seen played, a decent double game will know. It is merely another instance of that stupendously crass ignorance which dominates the education of England, an ignorance which prompts men to force down the youth's mental oesophagus stale pabulum that merely cumbers his cerebral digestion while at the same time they deny him access to much that would brighten and tune up his mind and make him in every way a better sportsman and a brighter fellow. Plain talking this, and I struggled hard to keep my metaphor unmixed, but the truth is that both on the mental and the physical sides in English public-school life there are some perfectly delightful festoons of mouldy cobwebs. "Dirty Dick's" fortune would be made if he could get them. I might perhaps draw the attention of those who are responsible for this unsportsmanlike treatment of a fine game to the fact that lawn tennis has not yet ruined university cricket. We now have the board schools playing lawn tennis, the universities are quife keen about it, it is most popular with the public, and it is barred by the public schools. I have always been surprised at the relatively small share of attention that the game gets from the press. This, I am pleased to say, has not been so bad of late years. It is quite a revelation to any one who thinks lawn-tennis players form l * 2 Spalding's Athletic Library. a small class to go round the manufactories of the great racket- making firms and see the tens of thousands of rackets that are being turned out. Secretaries of tournaments and all who have the interest of the game at heart should make it their business to see that all matters of interest in connection with the game are duly handed to the press, for that is the way that even a vigorously growing game like lawn tennis must be assisted if it is to take its proper place. ENGLISH, AMERICAN, AND AUSTRALASIAN LAWN TENNIS COMPARED. In Modern Lawn Tennis, published during the All England Championship meeting of 1904, I very clearly and forcibly drew attention to what I considered the defects in English play, and said plainly that I considered Australian lawn tennis quite equal, if not indeed superior, to English. I clearly stated that in my opinion Australia could produce players to beat the present holders of the doubles championship of the world, and that in singles they were fully equal. This, of course, was considered to be mere vapouring by those whose experience of the game was limited. Since then the Australian pair, A. W. Dunlop and N. E. Brookes, have in a genuine hard-fought match which ran into five sets defeated Messrs. R. F. and H. L. Doherty, and Mr. N. E. Brookes has defeated Mr. H. L. Doherty. I also in that book, unwarrantably some thought, dealt plainly with what I considered the defects in Mr. H. L. Doherty's game, and showed how he would be defeated by a man who "got down " to his weak points. Since then Mr. M. J. G. Ritchie, who by the way I said might, if possessed of greater equanimity, Spalding's Athletic Library. 133 easily be classed " Ai at Lloyd's," nearly defeated the champion in a desperate five-set match, and subsequently in another hard five-set match, wherein I saw some of the most brilliant lawn tennis I have ever seen, he did fairly and squarely defeat him. I am mentioning these matters here as many who read this book will not have seen my other works on the game, and it will save many such the pain of thinking that I am merely. a ruthless iconoclast whose mission it is to smash up national idols. My mission in this little matter is to spread a knowledge of the strokes and science of lawn tennis, and it is of importance that those whom I now address should know that one year after I had dealt with these matters and enunciated the, at that time, revolu- tionary doctrine of the value of rotation of the ball, practically everything that I had foretold was demonstrated in a remarkable and conclusive manner. It was not remarkable that it should be demonstrated. That I knew to be inevitable, for I was only expounding the game as it had come to me from its home, England, and as I had played it and loved it for a score of years ; as it was played and improved in America, Australia, and New Zealand, while here in its home it has gone back, its standard has deteriorated, its strokes become feeble by comparison with the natural strong shots of old. The very remarkable, and for lawn tennis in England beneficial, thing was that my doctrine should have been proved sound so quickly and so conclusively, for this happened at the very next meeting. Then it was seen that not a single visiting player of any importance used the English hold which I have always so severely condemned. There also was demonstrated the fact I have always insisted on, that the most important strokes in modern lawn tennis are played with cut, as for instance that king of ground strokes 134 Spalding's Athletic Library. the forehand lifting drive, the American services, the reverse overhead service, and the useful chop so freely — perhaps too freely — used by the American players. There also was conclusively demonstrated the fallacy of the striker-out's partner standing in at the net in doubles, which I have always called the greatest blot in English doubles, and many minor points which yet have an important bearing on the game. Now you may call this a paean of self-glorification, or an exaggerated " I told you so," or anything you like. That won't trouble me. The line of demarcation between true modesty and colossal egotism is so very ill-defined that sometimes it is hard to tell where one's feet are, but for your information I may say that about one and three-quarters of my pedal extremities are on the sick- of modesty this time, for the personal element to me is nothing so long as I emphasise the facts in such a manner as to make you remember them, take notice of what I am saying now, and — this is for English readers — alter your game while yet there is time ; also you must remember that for a year I bore with equanimity — nay, indeed with urbanity — many futile jokes on the subject of the rotation of the ball, for I knew full well where the joke would be when it was all over ; and now jokes about the rotation of the ball are as extinct as the dodo, and in their place is with some a genuine thirst for knowledge, with others despair because they cannot, or think they cannot, alter their hold of the racket. The outstanding feature of the 1905 tournament was the success of Mr. N. E. Brookes, the Australian player. His progress through the week was a wonderful object-lesson to English players on the futility of the English game when opposed to a first-class man with modern methods. Such men as Escombe, Spalding's Athletic Library. Caridia, Riseley, Gore, and Hillyard went down to him without really extending the Australian. Then in the final of the All- comers' Plate he had to meet that sterling player S. H. Smith. Brookes' great service had no terrors for Smith, although he was bothered with it now and again ; neither, for the matter of that, had Holcombe Ward's. Many were surprised how well Smith negotiated the deliveries of these, two players, which proved so puzzling to other first-class men. The explanation is very simple. He played them as he does everything else. He stood off them and allowed them to break to him. They got up high. He hit them as he does nearly everything else, very hard. His racket was not very -tightly strung. Quite naturally he was doing everything right, and it nearly came off in both matches. In Great Lawn-tennis Players I have fully er\»lained this method of returning the American service. So far as I can remember the score was 2 sets all 4-2 in Smith's favour when Brookes made a great effort and pulled the match out of the fire. Since then he has amply demonstrated his superiority over this famous player. Smith then was the only English player to extend Brookes, and the Australian had every one except Smith in trouble all the time, yet Brookes did not win a single match against an American. As a matter of fact he should have beaten Beals Wright, who is now the American champion, twice, and but for his weak overhead work would have done so, but he didn't. The fact is that the Australian, New Zealand, and American game consists of practically the same strokes, or at least the strokes are produced on the same principles, so that in playing the Australian the Americans were not at such a disadvantage as the Englishmen were. Another important point which militated 136 Spalding's Athletic Library. against most of the English players was the fact that although Brookes' service has more spin on it than almost any American the English player almost invariably attempted to play it too softly. The spin thus had a chance to work on the very tightly strung English rackets, and the accuracy of the return was sufficiently affected for the dashing Australian player to reach it and score. Being a left-handed player made his service particularly awkward, for his ordinary American service is of course a right-handed player's reverse. His forehand cut service, for a similar reason, is equal to a very fine reverse overhead cut service. I have seen Mr. Brookes play Mr. H. L. Doherty three times. The first occasion was in practice, and the Australian did as he liked. He had the Er^lish champion running all the time, and won almost as he liked (6-2, 6-3, 5-7, if I remember rightly). The second time was for the championship, when Mr. Doherty was simply " thrashing the dead horse," as Escombe, Caridia, Gore, Riseley, Hillyard, and Smith had already won the champion- ship of England for him. I must speak plainly about this, as I have done before, and I cannot understand how people calling themselves sportsmen can tolerate such a custom and put their visitors and brother sportsmen at such a serious disadvantage. It is a cruel, inhospitable condition, a slur on the name of English fair play, and must in common decency be abolished, so that the champion has to play right through the draw. Who, may I ask, was entitled to stand out of the draw when the first championship was played ? Mr. Doherty won this match — if I may so insult a word — in three straight sets. He really played the greatest game I ever saw him put up. It was almost perfect. He was in to the net — not the service line— most of the time, and his anticipation Spalding's Athletic Library. 137 was splendid ; but poor Brookes had ricked his side as the result of his week's gruelling singles and a strain in the champion doubles a day or two before, so he was robbed of more than half his game — his service. He met Mr. Doherty later at Wimbledon in the Anglo- Australasian match, and defeated him easily in straight sets. In referring to this game, an English writer, in trying to excuse this defeat, called it a kind of garden-party tennis, and sought to show it was not a serious match. Nothing could be in worse form. Either the match was a serious match or some one was spoofing his guests, and at the other end of the world we have an ugly little word of three letters, which may all be found in the first four letters of the alphabet, which we use to describe such a person. It will not, however, be required here, for every one who knows the inner history of these matters is well aware that nothing was given away in these matches. So as between Messrs. Brookes and Doherty the matter now rests, and if they both meet again at any time under fair conditions, if Brookes is on his game, I cannot see how he is going to lose. I do not take much notice of collateral form at lawn tennis, but there were two matches that impressed me very much. S. H. Smith met Holcombe Ward in the championship and simply " blew him off the court " in straight sets. Smith's driving was simply wonderful. He hit everything, service and return, and drove with remarkable accuracy. I have sometimes seen the same thing done for a few games or a set, but to keep it going as Smith did for three sets was a very remarkable perform- ance. His placing was superb. He hit the side lines repeatedly, and some of his cross-cour* drives off the service and out of his backhand court were little short of miracles, In the inter- 138 Spalding's Athletic Library. nationals Ward met H. L. Doherty, and in the first two sets was a winner from the start, but then he had shot his bolt, and Doherty made a wonderful recovery, winning the last three sets with the loss of but two or three games. It was a great performance. Ward was completely done after the first two sets, and it was an astonishing thing to see the English champion, apparently much the weaker man, winning on condition. Looking at these two matches by the uncertain light of collateral form, I am inclined to think that on the game S. H. Smith showed he would have defeated the champion, who him- self admits that he cannot go in and volley him as Brookes does. For the purposes of the Dwight Davis international cup Australasia is a nation. Taking the best form of the three nations, Australasia, England, and America, 1 consider that it is' practically equal. In England there are a great number of good solid players ; but I think that twenty-five Americans would trouble a similar number of English players very badly. I should expect ten or twelve Australasians after a few months' tournament play here to hold their own quite comfortably. The first-class player in New Zealand is much nearer to first class in England than is generally known here — or there. All he wants is a few months of tournament play. Without any shadow of hesitation I can say that the finest smash and backhand drive I know are played by a New Zealand player, who himself has no idea how good these strokes are when judged by the highest standard in the world. Both in singles and doubles these three nations are very close together, and I am hoping to see the practice of the holders standing out abolished in this contest also. Then we shajl have some very interesting contests. Spalding's Athletic Library. 139 The captain of the last American team came to me a day or two before the internatiomds, and asked me what I thought should be their team. I said without hesitation, " Ward and Wright, singles and doubles. You can't very well do anything else." Neither should they have done anything else on form. Wright's performance against Brookes stamped him as being in great form, and since then he has amply demonstrated that the great opinion I had of his play was not unwarranted. He is as strong as a horse, as keen as a razor, as active as a kitten, a trier for every ball, and all the time he is racing about the court he is " cerebrating." He does nothing without thinking. His strokes are very accurate. To my mind both he and Holcombe Ward use the chop stroke too much ; but whereas Ward uses it more for dropping balls short, Wright to a great extent makes it his staple shot. How well he does it only those who have seen him play know ; but I must say that I think that the forehand drive with lift is neglected too much by these famous players. Neither of them, for instance, have as good a forehand drive as Miss Sutton. Ward does use the stroke occasionally, but it is rather a laboured and obvious shot. He gave me the distinct impression, although he said he felt perfectly well, of not being up to " concert pitch." He has a fine American service, which stood him in good stead. His volleying, especially his cross-court cut volleys, were sometimes quite wonderful. On the whole I was disappointed with the American team's play. Ward, Wright, Larned, and Clothier reads well on paper, but it always seemed to me that they were struggling to reproduce much better form than they showed. A visiting team is always at a disadvantage, and they on this occasion were, I think, not doing themselves justice. Their form, particularly in the singles, would seem to support my view. 140 Spalding's Athletic Library. \n the ladies' game the advantage, in my opinion, is distinctly with the English ladies, although wc do not hold the inter- national championship. No impartial person could possibly say that Miss Douglass was in anything like her championship form. Her accident had unquestionably interfered with her play. It would suit me quite well to say that Miss Sutton's play is superior to Miss Douglass's if I could conscientiously do so, for she uses the finest stroke in the game, the stroke I am always advocating, and on the day was without doubt the better player ; but the ladies of England can do much better than they did last time, and will, or I am mistaken. Miss Thomson was going quite well against Miss Sutton while she played her short drop shots, which to a great extent spoiled Miss Sutton's drive ; but after she abandoned these the game turned at once in favour of the American player. If Miss Sutton defends her title this year there should be much interest in the event. THE VALUE OF ROTATION. Very few lawn-tennis players in England realise the great im- portance of being able to make the flight and bound of the ball deceptive. The ability to do this in all strokes is of importance, but it is particularly in the service that its value will be most appreciated. The flight and bound of the ball can only be made deceptive by such strokes as impart spin to the ball. All plain ball strokes fly through the air and bound in a natural and easily anticipated manner, but it is not so with the cut or lifted ball. Its flight and bound are frequently most puzzling, especially for one who cannot tell the kind of ball to expect by the action of his opponent and the angle at which his racket crosses the ball in his service or other stroke. Spa/ding's Athletic Library. 141 This is shown in a marked degree Dy the difficulty the best English players have in anticipating and dealing with the American service. Soon after Modern Lawn Tennis, in which I fully explained the American service, was published, a prominent member of the All England Lawn-tennis Club said to me in quite a benevolent manner, as one who rather pitied the aberra- tions of a well-intentioned youth, " Don't you think this American service business is quite exploded, Mr. Vaile ? " I explained to him without unduly lacerating his feelings that in England it could not be exploded, because it was not under- stood nor played, and consequently had never had a trial, nor could it ever have a trial until the present defective hold of the racket is abandoned. He smiled gently. I read his thoughts, and internally I beamed back upon him with interest. It is " the only way." It is quite useless to get annoyed. If you cannot see the humour of ignorance considering your mind a trifle unhinged you would get grey in a week in England. Many people get angry about these things. They rant and rave about the Englishman's insular self- satisfaction. These persons are not even embi yotic philosophers. The probability is that in their own eyes are large beams which they disregard while attending to the English motes. They must also remember that the Englishman has been here a long time, and they must recognise the fact that they cannot recon- struct his lawn tennis, let alone him, in a few weeks. These two tasks will take time, but it is noble work to do, a game worth playing, so in the meantime if one does think the Englishman's outlook is insulant — this is a more expressive word than insular- let him not fret himself at such insulance, for all things are as they were meant to be, and there arc in England to-day signs of 142 Spa/ding's Athletic Library. « the awakening of a mighty nation to her needs, signs of a slow heaving of a vast power that will ere long burst the bonds of slavish adherence to obsolete and effete customs which are trammelling the expansion of a great empire. However, this is by the way, and getting perilously near to politics, so I must return to the value of the American service, which my venerable friend's remark had for the moment led me from. Within a few weeks after he saw Messrs. R. F. and H. L. Doherty defeated at Queen's Club by the Australian pair, and he was fain to admit that the American service played a very conspicuous part in their downfall, although A. W. Dunlop's fine volleying was equally valuable. Messrs. Doherty are perhaps the two safest players in the world so far as regards the return of the service. They so rarely endeavour to win off it, but are satisfied to get it back and get into position for the next shot, that they make very few mistakes, yet in this match it was no uncommon thing for them to utterly fail to get the service on their rackets. At Queen's Club in the covered-courts meeting in October, 1904, 1 saw H. L. Doherty repeatedly tied into knots with Anthony Wilding's reverse American service, and I dealt fully with that and other matters, which at that time were not so well recognised as established tactics as they are now, in the issue of The Field of October 15, 1904. The point I wish to make is that if Mr. Brookes can so clearly nonplus and score off two such reliable veterans as Messrs. Doherty as he undoubtedly did, and if. the young New Zealander with his reverse American service could so puzzle the champion of the world, surely it is futile nonsense to attempt to belittle a most valuable method of attack because a faulty grip of the Spalding's Athktic Library. 143 mckct makes it impossible for English players to cultivate it. To change one's grip is obviously the only thing for one who desires to use modern strokes and to become first class. There is a service that I did not illustrate. It is simply a lifting service. It is played in the same manner as the ordinary American service, with the exception that the cut is pure straight lift which gives vertical forwardly rotating motion to the ball similar to that which is imparted by the forehand drive, instead of the cut being slightly across the ball. The lifting service will not, of course, break either way, but it gets up rather suddenly and has a long bound. It is a good service, and presents no difficulty to any one who can cut a ball. It enables one to hit the ball very hard, and on account of the spin to obtain a fine length. Curiously enough, some English players put this lift on ; if they would only cut across the bail more at an angle instead of hitting straight upwards they would have the American service at once with but slight alteration of grip for the ordinary one. Similarly any one who uses forehand cut can easily get the American service by altering the angle of his cut in an upward direction. I have not dealt with the underhand-cut service. This forehand service is delivered by allowing the ball to drop until it is quite near the ground and then bringing the racket with a good swing from at least the height of your shoulder sharply across the ball from right to left. This imparts a lot of spin to the ball which skims the net and breaks from right to left of the receiver. A well-placed ball of this kind, which pitches near the side line in the backhand court and breaks out of court, keeping low all the time, is very hard to deal with effectively. Every budding champion must not only set himself to learn the American services and the forehand and reverse cut services, T 44 Spalding's Athletic Library. but he must have a command of the forehand drive with lift and the chop stroke. It was a popular fallacy in England for years — I hope that is exploded now — that cut detracts from accuracy in play, whereas exactly the opposite is the case, but cut must not be exaggerated for all ordinary work. Beals Wright, the American champion, and Norman E. Brookes, the Australian, rarely, if ever, hit a ball with a plain-face racket. H. L. Doherty undercuts nearly all his backhand shots, both volleys and ground strokes. DEFECTIVE HOLD OF THE RACKET. I have already dealt fairly fully with this matter, but it is of such great importance to the future of the game that I must refer to it a little more fully. At present there arc two schools of lawn tennis in the world, the English and the other. The other includes the whole of the rest of the tennis-playing world, except where here and there one finds a few players who have followed English methods. When England stands by herself against the opinion and practice of the world, as in what she vainly believes is free trade, she is always wrong. So she is in this case. Few players who use the English grip have any idea of the enormous amount of force they waste during a match. A curious fact, which I have never seen referred to, is that English ladies do not use the same grips as the men. The reason is not far to seek. They have not the strength to waste that the men have. The consequence is that they play natural strokes, and nearly always have the handles of their rackets in line with their forearms at the time of hitting the ball. The usual forehand with the ladies in England is the same stroke as the forehand-cut service described in the last Spalding's Athletic Library. 145 chapter. They let the ball drop till it is near the ground, then cut across it from right to left, and thus they get a very good drive, which is well played by many men, but has nothing to recommend it as a staple stroke in preference to the fore- hand lifting drive. The backhand is a natural stroke, and is frequently cut heavily. Some lady players are very reliable on the backhand ; some indeed are very good, and I do not know a man who has a better backhand than Miss Ethel Thomson, but she could not play it as the men do their stroke. These facts should make those who are playing the unnatural strokes reflect, and the ladies having in many cases already the proper natural grips should make a great effort to cultivate the forehand drive with lift, which really is not hard to get. It is now many years since England has produced even a promising young player. Anthony Wilding, the New Zealand player, is the most prominent example. It has been said that he learnt his lawn tennis in England, and many people think that he would now have the championship of New Zealand at his mercy. The statement and the supposition are both wrong. He learnt his lawn tennis in New Zealand, and has merely developed his strokes in England, and he would not be a certainty for the New Zealand championship, although I have no doubt that now he would give it a great shake ; but there are plenty in New Zealand who can do as well as, if not better than, Wilding, an they have his opportunities. I say this without in the slightest degree disparaging Wilding's ability, but in common justice to the standard of New Zealand play, even as I did of Australian play two years ago. The dearth of young players in England has to be accounted 146 Spa/ding 1 s Athletic Library. for. In my opinion it is simple to do it. The hold of the racket favoured by Messrs. Dohcrty is without <;he least shadow of doubt unnatural and from a mechanical standpoint defective. The lead of success has been blindly followed by many, if not most, of the rising players. They will never raise a great game on this foundation. One man's hold is another man's undoing. A hold which suits a man who lives at the game may not suit another who cannot spare the same or even a respectable fraction of the time for play that his more favoured fellow- player can devote to it. If one blindly follows a person who is doing a thing in a defective manner, it is probable that the pioneer of the defective method will have the advantage. These points must all be considered in dealing with this matter. It must also be remembered in support of my contention that the hold of Messrs. Doherty is quite unsuited to the great majority of players, that of the first-class players of the world they probably stand by themselves as exponents of that hold. It has been clearly demonstrated, both in singles and doubles, that there is no remarkable gap between them and the best of other nations. The question for the rising generation to settle is, then, " Are we going to play unnatural strokes and waste our strength in the air, or shall we put all our force on to the ball ?" I wish schoolmasters in my youthful days had known the English forehand stroke. Unfortunately the dull fellows knew only too well that the cane and the forearm must be in the same " plane of force " to be effective, and to my sorrow they generally put in good work on the forehand or whatever else it was. Of the leading players of the world I may take the following as illustrations. All our greatest forehand drivers, S. H. Smith, Spa/ding's Athletic Library. *47 G. W. Hillyard, A. W. Gore, and others, observe the cardinal rule, arm in line with racket handle for all drives, quite naturally. Smith is inclined at times to get off the line a little, but seven or eight instantaneous photographs of him in Great' Lawn-tennis Players show clearly that he carries out the great principle in practice. M. J. G. Ritchie, a strong, natural player, carries it out on both hands ; so does Wilding. G. A. Caridia is natural on his backhand, where he gets all his best shots, but not quite so on his forehand, where he is much less effective. Norman E. Brookes is a remarkable instance of the rule. His short stabbing volleys especially are always got this way, and his service, if he disregarded the rule, would be rendered useless at once. No Australasian players of any note consider the hold worthy of trial. Holcombe Ward, Beals C. Wright, W. A. Larned, and Clothier, the last American international team, all use the holds, and religiously observe the rule laid down by me, which indeed is so simple and obvious that it would seem to me an act of supererogation to. lay it down at all were its continued violation not "rotting" English lawn tennis. I cannot say any more plainly what I think of the influence of this very faulty hold. If I could I would, for it has robbed English lawn tennis of half the strokes and much of the beauty of the game, and has given us no adequate advantage to make up for the loss, unless we consider it an advantage to reduce a great and scientific game to pat-ball, and that is the only natural result for most players of retaining the present hold. The holds in themselves are bad, but when some players go further and suggest playing lawn tennis with one hold of the racket all the time, then the height of absurdity is reached, and with any who know the game argument is rendered unnecessary. 148 Spalding's Athletic Library. No man, unless his wrist is a universal joint, can ever play the game of lawn tennis with an unchanged grip. He may play a part of it. That is all he can hope for. That is all the young players of England are doing. That is why for year after year the same names remain at the head of the match results, and why young players are disgusted and disheartened with their lack of improvement in the game and with their small success in tournaments. It should be remembered that at last All England champion- ship tournament no player using this hold, and who had to play through the draw, acquitted himself even tolerably well. I give it not more than three years to live. Then it and big-handled, double-strung, glassy faced rackets, will all be things of the past, and we shall be back again to the game as we were originally taught it, with, of course, the few improvements that have been added ; we shall have natural handles that do not stiffen the wrist, single strung rackets of not unnatural tension, and we shall be playing the game as it is played everywhere in the world except in England, whence we got it. THE POSITION OF THE STRIKER-OUTS PARTNER. I have already referred to the position of the striker-out's partner, but the matter is of such importance to the double game that I shall illustrate it by diagram. I have taken the initials of the players who contested the match at Queen's Club, when the Australian pair beat the English champions, to illustrate my point, and I have used their initials as that carries it home more forcibly than calling them A and B. NEB + + RFD. A.W.D. + I A + H.L.D T 5o Spalding's Athletic Library. Here we have, let us say, N. E. Brookes, serving to H. L. Doherty. We see R. F. Doherty in his usual position. If any one doubts the accuracy of this let him look at plate clxxxviii. el seq., Great Lawn-tennis Players. We see A. W. Dunlop standing right up to the net, and well in, for he knows that, off Brookes' service, especially if it is centred, H. L. Doherty cannot possibly rely on an accurate side-line passing shot. Now, if H. L. Doherty can rely on playing a perfect return, so as to pass Dunlop, and can then follow it in and range alongside his brother, this position may be justified, but, as a matter of fact, he cannot. What is the result ? I shall let my comments on the match in a London daily, published next morning, speak as to this : — " Few who read the innocent announcement of this match had any idea of the treat that was in store for 'them. Very few thought that the Dohertys, fresh from their victory at Wimbledon, were in any danger of having the lustre of their achievement dimmed by the result of the meeting. Personally I looked forward to the match with great interest, for I know what a dangerous combination the Australians are. A year ago I wrote, ' Give me a good team of Australasians, such as I could pick, and let me acclimatise them here for a few months, with plenty of tournament play, and there are more unlikely things than that the Messrs. Doherty would have to go to the land of the Golden Fleece tennis ash-hunting.' Of course, the idea was scouted, but Saturday's game conclusively proved the accuracy of my estimate of English and Australian form. " The Dohertys' tactics were not good, and in my opinion they lost the match on the defective position of the striker-out's partner. They always have the striker-out's partner near the net. This position is only justifiable on the assumption that the striker- Spalding's Athletic Library. 151 out will make a practically perfect return, which he nearly always doesn't, particularly when he is dealing with the N. E. Brookes' service. Brookes was serving well, and won nearly all his service games with ridiculous ease, thus clearly demonstrating the immense value of the American service. Owing to R. F. Doherty standing in when his brother was receiving, the Australians pelted his feet mercilessly, and also drove at him. On account of his peculiar hold he cannot effectively take a ball very close to his forehand side. His return from this position is generally very soft, and this point was largely used against him. " Dunlop volleyed very well, both below the net and overhead, and generally played a fine game." Speaking of the mistakes made through the faulty position of the striker-out's partner, and which, by the way, were not entirely on the one side, I said : " I am nearly tired of referring to this, as it is such an obviously stupid position. The Americans will have none of it, and I do not think any pair using it throughout the match will win the international doubles." Luckily for Messrs. Doherty they did not repeat their error, and they just got through in another desperate five-set match. The match at Queen's Club, between the Australians and Messrs. Doherty, was very interesting, so I shall give a short description of the play, which I wrote at the time for the journal wherein the above remarks appeared. " The Australians won the first set ia good style, 6-3. The Dohertys responded by taking the next two sets, 5-7, 2-6. A gentleman sitting by me said they were obviously the better pair. ' Taihoa,' I said to him. 'What's that?' he asked. 'The Maori for " Wait a bit," ' I replied. The Australians won the next set amidst much excitement, at 6-4, and stood two sets all. They 152 Spalding's Athletic Library. got 2-love in the deciding set. The Dohertys equalised. The Australians then ran to 5-2, a commanding lead. The champions, who felt the match slipping away from them, now made a great effort. They won Dunlop's service, 5-3 was called. "Then my unknown friend spoke again : 'It's all right now. H. L. will win his service, and it will be all right,' he said. 'Don't worry,' I replied, 'that only* carries it to 5-4, with Brookes' service, and that will end it,' and so it did, for Brookes continuing to serve well, and Dunlop ably seconding his efforts, the Australians ran out the winners by three sets to two, and thus set the seal on the fame of Australian doubles play. It was unquestionably a very fine performance. The scores were 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4." Looking at Fig. 4 again, you will see that if Dunlop gets on to anything that H. L. Doherty miscalculates it is practically a certain score for him if he hits it at R. F. Doherty's feet or puts it away in the cross-court gap between the brothers, for H. L. Doherty cannot get up quickly enough to cover this. It must be remembered that he is used to slow lifting volleys, from near the service line. It is another thing if a man stands up " on " the net and hits everything downwards. This is what the Australians did, and I never saw R. F. Doherty so hopelessly at sea. I want to make it absolutely certain that this position must be considered wrong, so I shall give the several instances wherein the famous brothers have, to my knowledge, abandoned it to save defeat or used it and suffered defeat. It is a liberty that they have taken with the game, and it has come to be looked upon as good tactics, whereas in the modern game it is practically untenable. The proper position for R. F. Doherty while H. L. Spalding's Athletic Library. 153 Doherty is receiving is at A, Fig. 4, and this, subsequent to their defeat and my condemnation of their formation, is the position the brothers adopted against the Americans. Now for my instances. 1. In 1902 S. H. Smith and F. L. Riseley beat the champions. I was not then in England, but I have it at first-hand that it was on this position that the brothers went down. 2. At Queen's Club covered-court meeting in October, when Wilding and the late H. S. Mahony looked like beating theim Messrs. Doherty gave up the position and stood back together on the base line when one of them was receiving. 3. In the final for the Metropolitan doubles in the same year R. F. Doherty and W. V. Eaves, looked very like losing to Greville and Mann. R. F. Doherty, whenever he was receiving, made Eaves stand back, and did so himself when Eaves was receiving, and thus he saved the match. 4. R. F. and H. L. Doherty played this formation against the Australians, Dunlop and Brookes, and lost the match through it. 5. Against Holcombe Ward and Beals Wright they adopted the right position from the start. Several times H. L. Doherty tried the old formation, paid for it directly, wisely gave it up, and they just won in five hard sets. It will thus be seen that they have used the formation on each occasion that they have lost. In one case I am informed, in the other I am certain, that it cost them the match. I have seen them repeatedly when pressed abandon it. In an important match like the final of the international cup they started in the right position, experimented on their old formation, speedily returned to the proper one, and only just won. 154 Spalding's Athletic Library. 1 think this should be enough to convince any one who has now any doubt that the right place for the striker-out's partner is in a line with the receiver. When they can they go up together, still relatively the same distance apart. When they can't they must wait until they can make the opening. This may now be regarded as absolutely settled tactics, and I am glad it is so, for from the first article I wrote on English lawn tennis up to the present time I have never ceased to point to this formation as the greatest blot on English doubles. With a pair like R. F. and H. L. Doherty playing an inferior combination if they can win on it, there is no objection to their taking the liberty, but when less skilful players follow the fault)' lead, and do much to spoil the double game, these tactics, in the interests of the game, must be plainly dealt with. HOW TO MAKE AND KEEP A COURT. I have laid out a good many grass courts in my time, and my advice to any one who wants to do the same thing is to get some person who makes it his business to do it for him if he can afford it. If he cannot, or if he wants the work and " fun," I must try to help him. I have already given general directions as to the size of the court, its aspect and so on, so I shall address myself here merely to the question of construction. These are general instructions, and must, of course, in many cases, be subject to local conditions. In laying out a court the first thing is to select your site. See that it is protected from the prevailing winds, if you can conveniently arrange it so by taking advantage of any natural shelter, but on no account have any trees, particularly deciduous trees, near it. Having selected your site, you must lay down your side line as Spalding's Athletic Library. 155 directed and measure out your court. Now comes the important matter of settling your levels, and I don't mind telling you that I always got a surveyor to do it for me. It saves a lot of trouble and prevents you having a court like the centre court at Wimble- don, with a drop of six inches from one side to the other. If you cannot get a surveyor you can manage it for yourself by driving in a stake or two with a straight-edge nailed on at a right angle, putting a spirit-level on that, and repeating the operation with the other stakes. You will have to level from stake to stake by another straight-edge and then along the tops of the attach- ments, still using the straight-edge and level, which I am afraid you will find rather tedious. Having got your levels, the next thing will be to reduce the ground. If you are adding the soil to make the lawn, you will simply have to straighten out the ground roughly and spread 3'our soil on top. You must be careful to get good soil free from weeds. If you are using the soil already there, you must, if your excavation would take you into poor soil, lay back the good soil on each side, level up the subsoil and spread the good soil again. You must then see that it is thoroughly pulverised and raked, and every sign of a weed must be taken out. When you have gone thoroughly over it, and raked it until there isn't a nut or a weed in it, you may sow it. Here I must leave you to the tender mercies of your seedsman with the warning to avoid clover as you would sin, and to use nothing but fine lawn grasses suitable for your district and climate. In sowing you must be careful to spread the seed well with a free circular sweep of the hand, which releases the seed equally at all portions of its passage ; in fact, unless you know how to do 156 Spalding's Athletic Library. it, again you had better get some one who does. Whatever you do, be generous with the seed. Put 50 per cent, more on than the seedsman tells you to rather than 10 per cent. less. You should sow when the ground is dry, then roll well with an ordinary roller. You can run a brush or bough over the lawn so as to sweep all seeds into the soil, or rake lightly again. Then roll once more, and Nature will do the rest. This is really a very general direction, but it is hard to be more specific, as the conditions in each case vary so much ; but what- ever you do take no notice of the local quidnunc who advises you to have clover because it is always so nice and green, like the balls will be and he is, or some other kind of grass because it is so soft, as he apparently thinks you are. You may, of course, want to turf your lawn. Good turf is in many places quite impossible to get. We will assume, however, that you can get it and that you have levelled out your lawn and the surrounding ground. You must be careful to see that it is well drained. In some cases it will be right without anything further. In others you will have to tile-drain it. Here again I am afraid you will want the tradesman, as so few amateurs can do this properly. . You should have at least ten inches of good soil above the sub- fsoil before you think of putting down your turf, and it stands to reason that this must be perfectly and equally consolidated all over, otherwise you will have trouble with your turf. See that all your turf is of an even thickness. After your turf is laid it has to be well trodden or rammed and then lightly rolled. You must now leave it alone for a while to settle, and then in a few weeks, when it has "gripped" the soil, you may put a heavier roller on to it. During the first two or three weeks, if there Spalding's Athletic Library. 157 is not much rain, you should have the sprayer going on the lawn. Always keep the grass closely mown. If you allow it to grow long it becomes rank and thick at the roots, and this spoils a lawn. You can hardly cut a tennis lawn too close. I can remember nearly getting into trouble with a very worthy secre- tary of my club, who thought half an inch of grass made it "nice and soft for the feet," by making him an offer for the "grazing" on the lawns. He could not understand that you cannot cut a lawn too close unless you scrape the earth up. Shortly after the end of your season it is well to give the base lines some attention. Possibly they will want top-dressing and re-sowing, or they will perhaps, in the case of the turfed lawn, want re-turfing. In the case of a lawn where the seed has been grown on it, especially in its first year, it is a good plan to give it a top-dressing of an inch or so of good soil similar to that which was used in putting it down and to treat this with a liberal application of some of the superphosphate or bone manures so liberally advertised nowadays. Water your court in the cool of the evening, never in the heat of the day. Keep the roller and the mower going. These are the three chief factors in obtaining and keeping a good surface after you have once got over the initial difficulties. Carefully remove all weeds as soon as they make their appearance. Hard Courts. — There are so many different kinds of hard courts that I cannot attempt to fully describe each one. I shall therefore give general directions which are really applicable to nearly all hard courts except such as asphalt, cement, or concrete. For nearly all hard courts the following directions will be found to answer : Excavate the soil over the area which you 158 Spalding's Athletic Library. intend to put down for a depth of eight inches. Level the surface. Lay down about five or six inches of large gravel, broken brick, or any other stone or cinder which you care to use as a foundation. Every stone in this should be of such a size that it will pass through a two-inch ring. Have this thoroughly raked and levelled. Then roll it with a heavy roller — the heavier the better. Two and a half tons is not too heavy if your subsoil will stand it. Roll it thoroughly, and do not water it. This will put it down nearly an inch. Now put down an inch and a half to two inches of gravel, cinder, burnt clay, or whatever you are using, that is about half the size of the foundation-stone. Have this spread by a shovelful at a time and sown with a good semicircular sweep of the shovel, so as to distribute it evenly. Sweep it well into the interstices between the foundation-stones. Do this thoroughly. Then have it raked and smoothed and dry-roll it heavily and well. Now you have a very solid bed, and you must start to put on your top. Let this consist of very small gravel, cinder, or stone chips. They must be small enough to readily sweep in between the interstices in the last layer and present a smooth surface. "Sow" this as before. Sweep it well in as it is put down. Give it a good dressing, and now put your water on. Don't flood it, but give it a good drenching all over, so as to wash the chips down between the larger stones. Now for the first time you wet-roll it, and you can hardly give it too much. You ought now to have a good surface, but if you are not thoroughly satisfied with it you must, when it has dried and set, give it another dressing of smaller chips that are almost dust. Sweep these well in and water them copiously. Then roll again as heavily as you like. If you are making a sand court, your last Spalding's Athletic Library. 159 layer would consist of, say, an inch and a half to two inches of sand, but it would then be well to have some lime or some similar substance to mix with it, otherwise it will probably not bind well unless it is fairly coarse. You must not make the mistake of putting down too much dust on the court. Your final dressing should be small chips in preference to dust, for if your last layer is too fine it merelv sinks between the larger stones or rubble and is in dry weather a cushion of dust and in wet a pad of mud, so that your court will not consolidate at all, and it will be as ghastly a failure -as a court as is the Thames Embankment as a road. In each layer you must see that you have your stones carefully graded. They should be as nearly as possible of uniform size. It is a good idea to have your court an inch or an inch and a half higher down the centre than at the sides. This allows the water to run off freely. Unless your site is naturally fairly well drained you should tile-drain it before you put down your foundations, or if you do not do that you can make your " floor " slope to some given point and put in a few pipes to carry off any soakage. These art necessarily very general directions, but the prin- ciples are sound and will be found to answer here if intelligently carried out, even as they do in road-making, for that is what they amount to. They are practically the scientific method of road- making which is so generally neglected throughout England, and particularly on the Thames Embankment. AFTERWORD. This is the third book on lawn tennis that I have written within the space of two years. Strangely enough in no case was the 160 Spalding's Athletic Library. undertaking of my seeking, yet I venture to hope that this latest effort will fill a vacant place and reach people who would never see or read my larger and more expensive works on the game. I have always thought that some fairly complete treatise on the modern game should be obtainable for two shillings or half a crown, and it was my intention, when I had time, to endeavour to publish a cheap book of that description. I was therefore very pleased to have the opportunity offered me of doing much more than I originally intended, and of producing a book which I hope will be the means of popularising the game and correcting those existing errors which are retarding its growth. I have in this book not hesitated to point out plainly what I consider wrong in connection with the game. It is useless to mince matters in such circumstances, and the higher the position of those I deal with the less need do I see for cloaking my opinions in honeyed phrases. Genuine and intelligent criticism must make for the ultimate advancement of the game. I have never hesitated to give it, or to receive it. A keen critic must himself be patient under criticism. No doubt I shall require to exercise the virtue of patience. I have done it before, and shall, I hope, manage to do it again. I am now engaged in revising the proofs of the second edition of Modern Lawn Tennis, which has stood the test of two seasons and goes again to the printer without alteration in so far as regards the game. It is perhaps needless to say that I am gratified at the manner in which it has been received. Any one who has the welfare of the game at heart, as I have, must feel his responsibility in condemning so plainly and severely as I do the existing English methods, but I always at least remember that lawn tennis is a game. I have steadfastly refused to make a tragedy of it, and I have consc- Spalding's Athletic Library. 161 quently, during my association with the game in England, been enabled to enjoy many a little comedy that has been enacted for ny special benefit or otherwise. No one is better aware than I that an instructor should not tell his pupils of their deficiencies too plainly, but in this place nothing can be gained by blinking the facts. I write the game as I played it — as I hope to play it again when I can spare time — to get the most enjoyment I can out of it, and to enable others to do the same. The next few years will show whether I am right in my prophecy that the English game will be entirely altered. I await the verdict with the utmost confidence — nay, with a con- viction amounting to certainty ; and I am sure that when this does come to pass lawn tennis will take a new lease of iife, for it will be a stronger, brighter, better thing in every way than that we have now. With this book I have, so far as I am able, brought lawn tennis and the lessons to be gained from our international meetings right up to the latest developments, and there I willingly leave it, for there is other and more serious work to be done ; but I shall never regret the time that I have devoted to what I consider the best interests of the game, for it is full of pleasant associations and memories, and not the least of these will be my privilege in being able to put this little work before a largely extended circle of readers to whom expensive books are not available. I have frequently been accused of having made a special study of games. If I were wise I should accept the statement and look and be as ponderous as I know how to. The plain fact is, however, that I have never specially studied games, for unless a man has much leisure and little intellect there is, I always think, 162 Spalding's Athletic Library. better work for the exercise of his talents awaiting him. Where, however, I have managed to obtain some small advantage over other men is that I never hit a ball without a very definite object be it a billiard-ball, a cricket-ball, a golf-ball, a tennis-ball or indeed any other kind of ball. After I have hit it that ball hasn't gone very far before I am analysing the result of my effort and its probable effect on the run, flight, or break of that ball. I am in communion with the ball until it is again at rest. It talks to me, if you care to put it so, and tells me where I topped it too much or undercut it too heavily, that I sliced it or pulled it when I shouldn't have, or any one of a hundred different things. This is all a matter of observation, and comes quite naturally — especially after twenty years of it — to any one who really has his heart in his game and wishes to get all the pleasure there is to be got out of it, for a game is recreation for the mind and body, and senseless, unin- tellectual smiting of a ball cannot give to any one the pleasure that another with a full knowledge of the possibilities of the flying or rolling sphere can get from an intelligent treatment of it. I am almost afraid to speak of the mind in connection with a game, for there is a large class of players who begin to look upon you with distrust directly you hint that there is such a thing as brain-work in a game. You immediately run great risks of being taken for a "fleshless dietist" or "some kind of an unholy crank," as I heard one gentleman not altogether inaccu- rately describe himself a short time ago. It is a peculiar but nevertheless well-known fact that a man who takes to " studying " any one game to the exclusion of others does develop into a crank, and he is generally a most insufferable Spa/ding's Athletic Library. 163 bore. That is what any one who takes up a game must carefully avoid. It is after all only the usual result if one's outlook in life is narrowed. If ever you are tempted to study a game, study two, and let one of them he the game of life, for this is the only one worthy of the serious study of a man ; but unless you have it in you to study lawn tennis or some other game and to see its beauties or its defects, the probability is that you will be lacking in that observation and true sympathy which is the secret to success in a study of the greatest game there is — the only one worth studying. Do not, however, let this discourage you. There is perhaps no more neglected faculty than that of observation. You have a wide field before you and the hope of an immeasurably enlarged horizon to cheer you on, and as you go you will soon find that using your eyes for the purpose they are intended for is no trouble, but becomes in time habit. So many have not yet acquired the habit. Thus it will come to pass that in the end you will realise that the ultimate object of life is not games, nor the ultimate object of games — pots. You will see that the true enjoyment of games is obtained from social intercourse and the stimulus, both to body and mind, which you derive from them. Then you are beginning to learn and to enjoy — and if you can win a few championships there is no objection ! P. A. VAILE. su™e THE SPALDING TRADEMARK "SKf HE SUCCESS we have met with in put- ting out this racket accompanied by the broadest guarantee ever given on an article of this kind is the best evidence as to the truth of our assertions re- garding the great care which we exercise in watching every detail of its manufacture. The racket is sold upon its own reputation and the Spalding Guarantee is your assurance of satisfaction. The difference between Styles A and B is in the additional strings reinforcing the central portion of the latter. Handles 5 and 5*4 inches in circum- ference. Stringing of clearest and absolutely best quality lambs' gut. Tag attached to each racket, giving particulars of special in- spection. Each racket enclosed in special quality mackintosh cover. We use a dogwood insertion in shoulders, after proving to our satisfaction, by experience, that it is far superior to cane or other material for the purpose. No.GM. STYLE B STRINGING. Each, $8.00 Wlenn is Rackets /^jnf; for a period ol ?o /o5asH!ra*\ chase by the user. The \>lMy / lee Tag attached ^^?m^^ to each Spalding Lawn ^4-=^^ Tennis Racket reads as follows: If this Racket proves defects ship or material within 30 days from date of purchase, pie, transportation charges prepaid, to any Spalding Store, and the defect will be Imperfectly strung Rackets trung, and in the event of a me due to workmanship or 1, the_Rac,ket will be Guarantee weighing will be broken defectii replaced. Nollce. not apply to Racke tfia We urge ill 31 at the conciliate IToT play Ins K.i ket be r tbbed dry and whe t not in use be th a Wat "rproof Cover, placed i kacket Pres 1 al , and the gut occa ion- l/EEP YOUR RACKET IN A M DRY PLACE, otherwise the Guarantee la Void. A.G.SPALDING &. BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THIS BOOH "Bias in §/«( Januan/ 5,1910^ Subject to thanfc without nodtj. f of Canadian BiteuH jgaioi Canadian Catalogue. i K^Wid^ Spalding perfect ovai Haekett and Alexander Model Racket No.OGM &?j) A D E in the SPALDING "Perfect Oval" Model with walnut throat piece and dogwood rein- forcement. We claim that this is a scientifically perfect lawn tennis racket, and the experi- ence of two of the most success- ful of last season's players who used this racket in their most important matches goes far to prove the truth of our assertion. Handles 5 anil 5% inches in circumference. Stringing of clearest and absolutely best qual- ity lambs' jrut. Each racket is enclosed in a special quality mackintosh cover. i\r> Tim Spalding "Perfect Oval" /i»o AA NO. ObM. S*JL K . E £Lt™ ALEXA £ D i, R &9.UU Model Racket. Each, n : urge bat at the c mcl ision of play in- Ka ckct b e rubbed dry, a id when no use be CO vered with a VV: terproof Co\ 'T placed in a Racket Pre s. and the -;m KEEP YOIR RACKET IN A DRY PLACE, otherwise Ihe Guarantee is Void. GUARANTEE ■ ■ We guarantee Lawn Ten- nis Rackets for a period of 30 days from date of purchase by the user. The Guarantee Tag attached to each Spalding Lawn Tennis Racket reads as follows: If this Racket proves defect- ive in workmanship or material within 30 days from date of purchase, please return, transportation charges prepaid, to any Spald- ing Store, and the defect will be rectified. Imperfectly strung rackets will be restrung, and in the event of a broken frame due to workmanship or defective material, the Racket will be replaced. Notice This Guarantee does not apply to Rackets weigh- ing less than 13 ounces. PROMPT AFTENTiON GIVEN TO | ANT COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO US A.Q.SPALDING & BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES FOR COMPLETE LIST OF SJORESl SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER I OF THIS BOOK 'fiiiccJ m c//qf January 5, IVlU. Subject to change without notice, tot Canadian prices see special Canadian Ldtatpgu. THE SPALDING ITRADE-MARK g K T t E v ES Pat. Jan. 3, 1905 the spalding tennis Rackets "THE good points in the following rackets can be vouched for by some of the most successful of last season'9 players. In all of them quality of material and workmanship is superb and perfect balance assured. pach frame made of finest white ash. highly pol- shed; combed Spanish cedar handle, leather capped. Model CX. Gold Medal shape. Taped^houlders; strung with best lambs' gut. This racket is equal to the best of any other make. Each, S5.Q.O Model DH. Hand made throughout and strung with special quality lambs' gut. Modeled after style racket used exclusively by some of the greatest players in the world. Made with extra stringing in central portion of racket.. SB.OO No." 1 1 . The Tournament. Taped shoulders ; strung with good quality lambs' gut. A very popular model. Each, S4.00 Noi 8. The Slocum. Oval shape, good quality frame, strung with special Oriental gut. A very superior racket at a moderate price. Extra string- ingin central portion of racket. Each. S3.50 GUARANTEE (\PALD||Ol VVe guarantee Lawn Tennis Rackets for a period of V J >-- nt// 30 days from date of purchase by the user The Guar- 5, antee Tag attached to each Spalding Lawn Tennis ^SE^ Racket reads as follows : If this Racket proves de- fective in workmanship or material within 30 days from date of purchase, please return, transportation charges prepaid, to any Spalding Store, and the defect will be rectified Imperfectly strung Rackets will be restrung, and in the event of a broken frame due to workmanship or defective material, the Racket will be replaced NOTICE This Guarantee does not apply to Rackets weighing less than 13 We urge that at the conclusion ol play this Racket be rubbed dry, and when not in use be covered with a Water- proof Cover, placed in a Racket Press, and the gut occa- sionally varnished Keep Your Racket In a Dry Place. Otherwise The Guarantee Is Void. PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO | ANY COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO US A. G.SPALDING &. BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THIS BOOK effect January 5. 1^10, Subject Iv change without notice. For Canadian prices see special Canadian Catalvgw l^iiwiMltttl ^-,-^ 1prt >,. NO. A NO. 7 The Spalding Tennis Rackets GUARANTEE We guarantee Lawn Tennis Rackets ( (or a period of 30 days from date c' Purchase by the user. The Guarante ag attached to each Spalding Law Tennis Racket reads as follows: II this Racket proves defective in workmanship or material within 30 days from date of purchase, please return, transportation charges prepaid, toany Spalding Store, and the defect will be rectified. Im- perfectly strung Rackets will be restrung, and in the event of a broken frame due to workmanship or defective material, the Racket will be replaced. NOTICE This Guarantee does not apply to Rackets weigh- ing less than 13 ounces. We urge that at the conclusion of play this Racket he rubbed dry, and when not in use be covered with a Waterproof Cover, placed in a Racket Press.and the guloccasionally varnished. No. 7. The Oval. Oval shape, good quality white ash frame, strung with special Oriental gut. Made with extra stringing in central portion of racket. . Each, SS2.50 «=*=*> o s^s^s os==s=s THE following rackets are all excellent quality. Frames of the finest selected white ash, highly polished, with combed Spanish cedar handle, leather capped; stringing of good quality Oriental gut. No. 6. The Lakeside. . Each, $3.00 No. 4. The Greenwood. ... " 2.00 No. 3. The Geneva. ... "1 .50 Spalding Junior Champion Racket Made particularly for juvenile use, with small grip and in weights from 10 to 12 ounces inclusive, only. Frame of selected white ash, highly polished Oriental gut stringing. A good playing racket for boys and girls. No. OJ. Each, S2.00 PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO 1 ANT COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO US A. G.SPALDING & BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THIS BOOK r'nua in cj/c^l Januatu j, 19 / 0. J NO..CH NO. C NO. D No. CH. High cut, best white can- vas, fine quality white rubber flat sole. Hand sewed. Pair, S6.00 No. C. Low cut, best white can- vas, fine quality white rubber flat sole. . Per pair, $3. 50 No. D. Low cut, white canvas, red rubber flat sole. Per pair, $ 1 .60 Spalding Sweat Band Useful for players who are obliged to wear eye glasses and who are troubled in play with perspiration dropping on them and blurring the vision. Used by some of the most prominent players, No. I. Each, BOc. PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO | ANT COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO US A. G. SPALDING & BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES * FOR COMPLETE LIST Of STORES SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER Of THIS BOOH tjtcMI in g ri P wound with white B* * ^ s(-J kid ; best grade throughout. "Each, S5.00 No. S. Imported best quality l'Vie inch rubber balls; black. " .25 Spalding Superior Squash Shoe No. BG. Low cut, with special fine white buck uppers and pure Para rubber flat sole, hand sewed and superior quality throughout. Best and most satisfactory Squash Shoe made. Per pair, S7.50 Spalding Squash Tennis Shoe No. AG. Low cut, mauve buck leather uppers, reinforced with red leather, and pure Para rubber flat sole, provided with a suction arrangement on the bottom to secure a good footing. Absolutely high grade throughout. ' „Per pair, SO.OO A.G.SPALDING & BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES '£lta UisIfKt Janugrn5j L9IQ X Subject to cfiange vilbwf iwlies, » Fo£_Qjna&gn fnict&jssjgsual Cana£us. THE SPALDING^fe^TRADE-MARK GUARANTEES ISMbl ACCEPT NO ■-* QUALITY X£r 4F> i2r SUBSTITUTE — REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. Spalding Offieial National League" REG. U. S Ball OFFICIAL BALL OF THE GAME FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS Adopted by the National League in 1878, and the only ball used in Cham- pionship g a m e a since that time. Each ball wrapped in tinfoil, packed in a separate box, and sealed in accordance with the latest League regulations. Warranted to last a full game when used under ordinary conditions. No. 1. Each, $1.25 Per dozen, $15.00 London, England Birmingham, England Communications addressed to A. G. SPALDING & BROS. in any of the following cities will receive attention.. For sired numbers see inside front cover of this book. Edinburgh, Scotland Sydney, Australia New York Boston Syracuse Buffalo Philadelphia Pittsburg Baltimore Washington Atlanta New Orleans Montreal, Canada Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus St. Louis Kansas City Denver Detroit San Francisco Seattle Minneapolis St. Paul Prices in effect January 5, 1910'. Subject to change without notice. ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE THE SPALDING TRADEMARK pVSS^MF ■s^gs»c^^S" ^^SS> The Spalding Official Intercollegiate Foot Ball This is the ONLY OFFICIAL COLLEGE FOOT BALL, and is used in every important match played in this country. Guaranteed absolutely if seal of box is unbroken. We pack with leather case and guaranteed pure Para rubber bladder (no composition), an inflater, lacing needle and rawhide lace. - - = No. J5. - Complete, $5.00 ___ «9 WE GUARANTEE every Spalding Foot Ball to be perfect in material and workmanship and correct in shape and size when inspected at our factory. If any defect is discovered dur- ing the first game in which it is used, or during the first day's practice use, and if returned at once, we will replace same under this guarantee. We do not guarantee against ordinary wear nor against defect in shape or size that is not discovered immedi- ately after the first day's use. Owing to the superb quality of every Spalding Foot Ball, our customers have grown to expect a season's use of one ball, and at times make unreasonable claims under our guarantee which we will not allow. *f^/£*V n^E&eSS&am ■ff^i^ti PROMPT ATTENTION GIVEN TO | ANY COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO US A. G. SPALDING & BROS. STORES IN ALL LARGE CITIES FOR COMPLETE LIST OF STORES _ SEE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THIS BOM '£fices in ejfect January 5, 1910, Subject to change without notice. For Canadian prices see special Canadian Catalogue WE following selection ot items from their latest Catalogue will give an idea ol the great variety ot ATHLETIC GOODS manufactured by A. G. SPALDING & BROS. SEND FOR A FREE COPY. Archery Bags- Bat Cricket Striking Uniform Balls- Base Basket Cricket Field Hockey Foot, College Foot, Rugby Foot, Soccer Golf Hand Indoor Medicine Playground Squash Tennis Volley Water Polo Bandages, Elastic Bathing Suits Bats- Base Ball Cricket Belts Caps — Base Ball University Water Polo Chest Weights Circle, Seven-Foot Coats, Base Ball Collars, Swimming Corks, Running Covers, Racket Cricket Goods Croquet Goods Discus, Olympic Dumb Bells Emblems Equestrian Polo Exerciser, Home Felt Letters Fencing Sticks Field Hockey Flags- College Foul. Base Ball Marking, Golf Foils. Fencing Foot Balls- Association College Rugby Glasses, Base Ball Sun Automobile Gloves — Base Ball Boxing Cricket Fencing Foot Ball Golf Handball Hockey, Ice Glove Softener Goals — Basket Ball Foot Ball Hockey, Ice Golf Clubs Golf Counters Golfette Gymnasium, Home Gymnasium Board Hammers, Athletic Hats, University Head Harness Health Pull Hockey Sticks, Ice Hole Cutter, Golf Hole Rim, Golf Horse, Vaulting Hurdles, Safety Hurley Goods Indian Clubs Jackets — Fencing Foot Ball Javelins Jerseys Knee Protectors Iiacrosse Lanes for Sprints Lawn Bowls Leg Guards- Base Ball Crieket Foot Ball Markers, Tennis Masks- Base Ball Fencing Nose [inal Masseur, Abdom Mattresses Megaphones Mitts- Base Ball Handball Striking Bag Moccasins Nets- Cricket Golf Driving Tennis Volley Ball Numbers, Compet- Pads — [ i tors' Chamois, Fencing Foot Ball Sliding, Base Ball Pants- Base Ball Basket Ball Foot Ball, College Foot Ball, Rugby Hockey, Ice Running Pennants, College Plates — Base Ball Shoe Home Marking, Tennis Pitchers' Box Pitchers' Toe Teeing, Golf Platforms, Striking Bag Poles — Vaulting Polo, Roller. Goods Posts — Backstop, Tennis Lawn Tennis Protectors — Abdomen Base Ball Body Eye Glass Push Ball Quoits Rackets, Tennis Rings— Exercising Swinging Rowing Machines Roque Sacks, for Sack Racing Score Board, Golf Score Books- Score Tablets, Base Shirts- [Ball Athletic Base Ball Shoes — Base Ball Basket Ball Bowling Clog Cross Country Cricket Fencing [ation Foot Ball, Associ- Foot Ball, College Foot Ball, Rugby Foot Ball, Soccer Golf Gymnasium Shoes — Jumping Running Skating Squash Tennis Shot- Athletic Indoor Massage Skates — Ice Roller Skis Sleeve, Pitchers Snow Shoes Squash Goods Straps— Base Ball For Three- Legged Race Skate Stockings Striking Bags Suits — Basket Ball Gymnasium Gymnasium, Ladies' Running Soccer Swimming Union Foot Ball Supporters Ankle Wrist Suspensories Sweaters Tether Tennis Tights - Full W restling Knee Toboggans Trapeze Trunks- Bathing Velvet Worsted Umpire Indica- Uniforms [tor Wands, Calis- thenic Watches, Stop Water Wings Weights, 56-lb. Whitely Exer- cisers Wrestli n g Equipment JUL 23 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Standard 005 900 302 1 A Standard Quality must be inseparably linked to a Standard Policy ™™t£nTs^f^ St * ndard MerCantile PoIicy ' * i8 ™ P ossibie for a manufacturer to long we/aX^^ set a proportionately high lisfprice on his goods to the consumer manufacturer is obliged to iobbI^«^ rraIr d frl e ?he h reS faCtUrer *" ""»* * ^ L ™ the iA^SjSE^^TS re^S^iS^^&Z 5ifth^ P Ccy & £2? <° *" C °™' ^ *" "* «* * can by offering special discounts," which vary with local trade conditions S,tuatlon as best ne a «,,™H k ♦ .l yStelp ° f merchandising, the profits to both the manufacturer and the jobber are This demoralization always reacts on the manufacturer. The jobber insists on lower and ..till lower, prices. The manufacturer in his turn, meets this demand for the lowering ^oHrices bv the only way open to h.m, viz. : the cheapening and degrading of the quality of ^product. P * ^ the foregoing conditions became so intolerable that ten vears am in isqq a r c„„u- SnSSlMEZffl by W the Fetail dea,er is aSSUred a fair?le% a Seand protected f romtapoS. * ^ ^ ^ C ° nSUmer 1S aSSUFed a Standard « uali * and is and lets 'i'n S two wfy^"^" " decidedly for the intere3t and protection of the users of Athletic Goods. FiRST-The user is assured of genuine Official Standard Athletic Goods, and the same fixed prices to everybody Second-As manufacturers, we can proceed with confidence in purchasing at the proper time, the very best raw materials required in the manufacture of our various goods, well ahead of their respective seasons, and this enables Standa P rd°of Qual?t" eCeSSary quantity and absolutely maintain the Spalding r-nlarnH^i^T hand ! in S Spalding Athletic'Goods are required to supply consumers at our ^^ ?$$££££?$£££ nor less - the same prices that sLilar ««* « 5* ^S^^^SA'^^i?^^^ G °° dS ' m treat6d eXaCt ' y alike ' and " * Rr^ Slt nv e ^'„ n ^ b f°i dy - ; no t f ven officers ' ma pagers, salesmen or other employes of A. G. Spalding fromthe £3L ca^gSe priced PerS ° nal ^^ «*" bUy Spa ' ding Ath1 *" Goods at a dfscoun! V^^^^^'MSSlff^^^ has a, « a <* b <*» «■ -cessfu. operation for the In other words, " The Spalding Policy " is a "square deal " for everybody. A. G. SPALDING & BROS. By *f. PRESIDENT, \m*