第 17 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9298
  change in scoring by an overwhelming majority。
  Personally; I think there is some slight claim to consideration for the
  removal     of   the  word    〃love。〃   It  can  do  no   good;   and   there   are  many
  substitutes   for   it。   It   can   easily  be   eliminated   without   revolutionizing   the
  whole     scoring    system。   It  is  far  easier  to  substitute   the  words    〃zero;〃
  〃nothing;〃 for 〃love〃 than cause such an upheaval as was proposed。 In my
  opinion the best way to obviate the matter is to use the player's name in
  conjunction with the points won by him; when his opponent has none。 If
  64
  … Page 65…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  the first point is won by Williams; call the score 〃15; Williams〃 and; with
  his opponent scoring the next; the call would become 〃15…all。〃
  If   tennis   loses   one   adherent;   it   could   otherwise   gain;   simply   by   its
  retaining   the   word   〃love〃   in   the   score;   I   heartily   advocate   removing   it。
  This removal was successfully accomplished in Chicago in 1919; with no
  confusion to players; umpires; or public。
  However; returning from my little digression on the relative value of
  〃love〃 and 〃nothing;〃 let me continue my short history of the game。 The
  playing      of  tennis    sprang     into   public    favour    so   quickly     that   in  a
  comparatively   short   space   of   time   it   was   universally   played   in   England
  and   France。   The   game   was   brought   to America   in   the   latter   part   of   the
  nineteenth century。 Its growth there in the past twenty…five years has been
  phenomenal。 During the last half century tennis gained a firm foothold in
  all the colonies of the British Empire; and even found favour in the Orient;
  as is explained in another portion of this book。
  Tennis fills many needs of mankind。 It provides an outlet for physical
  energy; relaxation; mental stimulus; and healthful exercise。 The moral tone
  is aided by tennis because the first law of tennis is that every player must
  be a good sportsman and inherently a gentleman。
  Tennis was recognized by the Allied Governments as one of the most
  beneficial sports during the World War。 Not only were the men in service
  encouraged   to   play   whenever   possible;   but   the Allied   Governments   lent
  official aid to the various service tournaments held in France following the
  signing   of   the   Armistice。   The   importance   of   tennis   in   the   eyes   of   the
  American Government may be gleaned from the fact that great numbers of
  hard   courts   were   erected   at   the   various   big   cantonments;   and   organized
  play offered to the soldiers。
  Many  of   the   leading   players   who   were   in   training   in America   at   the
  time   of   the   National   Championship;   which   was   played   solely   to   raise
  money for the Red Cross; were granted leave from their various stations to
  take   part   in   the   competition。   Among   the   most   notable   were   Wallace   F。
  Johnson; Conrad B。 Doyle; Harold Throckmorton; S。 Howard Voshell; and
  myself; all of whom were granted leave of two weeks or a month。 Captain
  R。    N。   Williams     and    Ensigns     William     M。   Johnston     and    Maurice     E。
  65
  … Page 66…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  M'Loughlin; and many other stars; were overseas。 Official recognition at
  such a time puts a stamp of approval on the game which goes far to justify
  its world…wide popularity。
  The   tennis   world   lost   many   of   its   best   in   that   titanic   struggle。   The
  passing of so many from its ranks left gaps that will be hard to fill。
  The gallant death of Anthony F。 Wilding in Flanders cost the game one
  of its greatest players; and finest men。 I had not the pleasure of knowing
  Wilding   personally   yet   I;   like   all   the   tennis   world;   felt   a   sense   of   keen
  personal   loss   at   his   heroic   passing。   Wilding   was   a   man   whose   sterling
  qualities gave even more to the game than his play; and tennis is better for
  his all too brief career。
  America lost some of its finest manhood in the War; and tennis paid its
  toll。 No player was a more likeable personality nor popular figure among
  the rising stars than John Plaffman; the young Harvard man who gave his
  life   in   Flanders   fields。   I   cannot   touch   on   the   many   heroes   who   made
  everlasting   fame   in   a   bigger   game   than   that   which   they   loved   so   well。
  Time   is   too   short。   It   is   sufficient   to   know   that   the   tennis   players   of   the
  world dropped their sport at the call of War; and played as well with death
  as ever they did on the tennis court。
  The   War   is   over;   please   God   never   to   return;   and   the   men   are   back
  from their marvellous task。 The game of War is done; the games of Peace
  are again being played。 Tennis suffered the world over from war's blight;
  but    everywhere       the   game     sprang    up   in   renewed     life   at  the   close   of
  hostilities。     The    season    of   1919     was    one   of   reconstruction       after   the
  devastation。   New   figures   were   standing   in   prominence   where   old   stars
  were   accustomed   to   be   seen。   The   question   on   the   lips   of   all   the   tennis
  players was whether the stars of pre…War days would return to their former
  greatness。
  The Championship of the World for 1919 at Wimbledon was anxiously
  awaited。   Who   would   stand   forth   as   the   shining   light   of   that   meeting?
  Gerald   Patterson;       the   〃Australian      Hurricane;〃     as   the  press    called   him;
  came through a notable field and successfully challenged Norman Brookes
  for   the   title。   Gobert   and   Kingscote   fell   before   him;   and   the   press   hailed
  him as a player of transcendent powers。
  66
  … Page 67…
  THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
  The     Australian    team    of   Brookes;     Patterson;    R。   V。   Thomas;     and
  Randolph Lycett journeyed home to the Antipodes by way of America to
  compete in the American Championship。 Meanwhile R。 N。 Williams; W。
  M。   Johnston;   and   Maurice   E。   M'Loughlin   were   demobilized;   and   were
  again on the courts。 The American Championships assumed an importance
  equal to that of the Wimbledon event。
  The Australian team of Brookes and Patterson successfully challenged
  the American title…holders in doubles; Vincent Richards and myself; after
  defeating the best teams in America; including W。 M。 Johnston and C。 J。
  Griffin;    the   former    champions。     Speculation      was   rife  as  to   Patterson's
  ability   to   triumph   in   the   Singles   Championship;   and   public   interest   ran
  high。
  The    Singles    Championship        proved     a  notable    triumph     for  W。   M。
  Johnston; who won a decisive; clear…cut; and deserved victory from a field
  never   equalled   in   the   history  of   tennis。   Johnston   defeated   Patterson   in   a
  marvellous       5…set   struggle;    while    Brookes     lost   to   me    in  four   sets。
  M'Loughlin   went   down   to   Williams   in   a   match   that   showed   the   famous
  Comet   but   a   faint   shadow   of   his   former   self。   Williams   was   defeated   in
  sequence sets by me。 The final round found Johnston in miraculous form
  and complete master of the match from start to finish; and he defeated me
  in three sequence sets。
  Immediately       following     the  championship;       the   Australian…American
  team     match    took   place。   In  this  Brookes     went    down     to  defeat   before
  Johnston in four close sets; while I succeeded in scoring another point by
  nosing out Patterson by the same score。 Thus 1919 gave Johnston a clear
  claim to the title of the World's Premier Tennis Player。 The whole season
  saw marked increase in tennis interest throughout the entire world。
  I   have   gone   into   more   detail   concerning   the   season   of   1919   than   I
  otherwise would; to attempt to show the revival of the tennis game in the
  public interest; and why it is so。
  The evolution of the tennis game is a natural logical one。 There is a
  definite   cycle    of  events   that   can   be   traced。  The    picture   is  clearest  in
  America   as   the   steps   of   advancements   are   more   definitely   defined。   It   is
  from America that I am going to analyse the growth of modern tennis。
  67
  … Page 68…