Jack Kramer Says There Is No Real Money In Amateur Tennis
By GEORGE
WHITING
America's Jack Kramer, the world's greatest lawn tennis player since the war, tapped a brogue-shod toe on one of Wimbledon's immaculate lawns, sipped his lemonade, and admitted with just the right amount of dißdence that he was there to talk £30,000 worth of business with the winner of the Men's Singles on the Centre Court, on Friday, July 4.
Always provided, said the hefty, pleasantly puglistic Mr Kramer that the said winner turns out to be Frank Sedgman or Ken McGregor of Australia, or Dick Savitt, the American holder, or Jaroslav Drobny, whom the crazy-quilt of post-war politics has turned from a Czech into an Egyptian,
}:
J
"NO
APPROACHES'
for.
:
AFTER 1953,
inust on no account be; and finish up at Wembley in a match I'd like to be around taken for granted however, that September. this quartet, or any other of the gentlemen playing upon the lawns of the All-England Club, Wimbledon, are interested In turning their tennis talents Into they are It says so in the
currency.
aruteur.
rules.,
For
Kramer, who bas earned £100,000 as a professional since he won, the Men's Singles in 1947, permitted himself Tip- service to the holler-than-thou
In
"Third, I am looking for a who might be couple of boys
opponents
my possible American professional tour that follows the Davis Cup match be- States and tween the United Australia next December. Here's Wimbledon winner will be around it the time. buplug the
conventloris of amateurism before 1 am making
getting down to dollur talk.
"I am in Europe for three reasons," Kramer told me. "First
on
"There's another thing," cóne tinued Kramer. "I am 31, and- after my 1953 tour I aim to quit
and
concentrate playing promoting. That means there will be room for some other guy to be No. 1. professional. If it turned out to be Sedgman there to what he could is, no limit earn,
THE CHINA MAIL," "SATURDAY, JULY 5, 1952,
A WIN FOR MOTTRAM
Britain's Tony Moliram, healing, the Italian Davis Cup Player, Glanni Cucelli, on the Centre Court at Wlinbiedón của the third day of the 'All-England Championships, — Central ́*
Press Photo.
pronches to any of these Wimble contacts on the way, admitted Denis Compton's Column
"I've no quarrel with the "But please make it plain that players who want to stoy pick up business no definite ap- amateur and
Mr Moneybags of Iawn don bays. I guess it would be the in bad taste,
and als most tennis. "But if these boys want unfale, ta burden a guy with the to be really smart they'll do and foremost, I wanted to see
knowledge that n win means what I did and cash in on the Wimbledon again and meet ullillars and a defeat means good-one thing they can do well- those grand folk who make up bye." the greatest tennis show in the world.
with
"Second, I am getting in shape for my European tour Donald Budge, Pancho Segura and Richard Gonzales, We start in Paris this week. play right ueross the Continent all summer.
Knit two — siz-jour ; sta-two; take on three Oh, bother I've knitted in the score!
London Express Service,
GEVARAN
play tennis.
"That's businers. That's being me five years smart, I took to think it out-while I was in the Pocife with the U.S. Coastguards."
The Lord's Hoodoo Ends For Hutton
I agreed that such an approach j would indeed be rank bad form. Thereupon Kramer pushed bronzed hand through the stubble
Almost without exception, cricketers talk of their of his crew-cut, offered me an
lucky and unlucky grounds. I imagine England's cap- other cup of tea, and briskly changed gears from let's-all-be-
At this point, 1 posed my 64 lain, Len, Hutton..is gind he has broken his Lord's gentlemen to let's-get-down-to-r Kramer be interested in
dollar questions. First, wouldhoodoo.” -
• business.
doing. business with "unknown" who happened to wins Wimbledon In the teeth of Messrs. Sedeman, Savitt, Drobmy and McGregor?
WHAT THEY EARN
•
my
any
"Any boy who joins American tour next year can
"We...., maybe not quite so earn himself 30 per cent of gross interested.. I guess folks would seerfuls of up to £88,000 in thinks the guy had had a little months," said, Kramer. . "With
fuck on the way. I doubt; it that as a klek-off, he can make a minimum of £30,000 in his are they would contribute quite so
much for a one-day worider." year as a protessiotul. I got as much, and a whole sight more, is 1048.
"Of course, it depends on who the boy is, but the ulgures 1 have quoted relate to pinyers the people back home want to see guys like Sedgman, Savitt, Drebay and McGregor, In that order.
On his Lord's. Test debut in 1937 he made 0 and 1 against New Zealand,
In the same season, in his first match for Players against Gentlemen, again at Lord's, he was struck on the wrist by Ken Farnes, forced to retire, and kept out of cricket for a time.
Next year. In the Middlesex- Place" had been" available, Cyril Yorkshire Lord's Battle, ten would have taken a fortnight's
Maurice and
Leyland
each rest.
For weeks he has been play- broke a finger:
In the same fixture in 1930 1ng with the base of his right
cracked on the nose thumb
...nastily Len was.co
bruised and in trying to catch a mighty hit swollen
drives have from big Jim Smith and had to dash inside for first aldeadowvirtually with one hand,...
| He's even been "smiling," opos Add to these, the nasty handed G's. of amateur tennis that it would | knock just above the knee hardly pay them to turn pro-
from fessional?
Next came the question that is likely to get you thrown, neck and crap out, of, Wimbledon anybody hears you ask it is, it 1 a fact that players do so well out
The answer came as pat as an overhead smash. "If amateurs "Sedgman and his pal, make dough I can only say I McGregor, won the Men's never saw any of it when I was
circuits Doubles at Wimbledon last year, juround the amateur Suppose they turned professional, said Kramer. "As a professional you can mure how much folka | I've got me a bank balance and
In the USA would pay to see a nice new house above Beverly them as partners against two of Hills, Los Angeles, for my wife, our own top pros, Boy, that is] Gloría, and my three boys-
David, John and Robert..
Gevaer
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POP
TOP MONEY "You can say that I have made £,00,000 out of pro- Iessional tennis-more than any buds since Bill Tilden and it took him 18 years. Tell me any
amateur who can rustle up that kind of money;"
Alan Moss in the county game at Lord's immediately preceding the second Test with India, his. loss of the Test toss, and the fact that of his 15 hundreds for England only two have been hit there, as against four at the Oval.
No wonder that, in the Test of nutmegs in his trousers poc- with India, Len carried a pair ket. Or, were they protection against muscle trouble? COINCIDENCE-
Allhia
been
Good news for Sussex folk is that David Sheppard, the pre- sent Cambridge- captain and one of the 12 pleked for the Lord's Test, has told the coun ty that he will be available to play regularly next season.
His future otherwise is un- certain. For some time David Church as a vocation. has been considering the
he
FIGHTING SPIRIT Next time Desmond Earar the Hampshire captain, wins Another injury coincidence the toss against Northants
the Middlesex¬
may think twice before pulting occurred in. Yorkshire game.
them In
Derbyshire.
When Harry Elliott,
--and wicket-keeper and now on ught pire, saw Sid Brown caught
Brian Close' in the by
gully after the ball had struck allp feldsman Harry Halliday
former England
In successive visits to Hamp- shire Northants have been sent bowler's pitch but have won dismissed cheaply on #1
cofafortably.
When were out for 07 redently they must fight back..
skipper Freddie Brown- instilled into all his men that
they
•
His team, containing several young players,
battled every
That's added
of
1 could not, for course. Nor the head, he recalled his Pre could anybody else. But not every tennis player has a Kramer vlous, umpiring visit to Lord's
in 1940. contract in the offing. For the not-quite-su-hot it must be That year Sid crashed a ball
of the way. The Inch tolerably pleasant to play a game the head of Cyril Turner
Eills Robinson against proof of the fighting spirit from whose rule; permit amateurs to
ut the present Northants side. receive travelling and reason-
short leg.
The skipper himself sels a able hotel expenses" the whole
Fortunately, Cyril was wear- fine example. Northants sup- cap, which took most of porters are convinced he should ing a your round.
the force, but the ball soared lead them for several seasons Even some of those on the high and fell into the
vale yet! DANCING SECRET outer fringes of top-class can hands of Frank. Smaltes. potter along in a moderate do- Strange that Harry Elliott Fighter as he is, Freddie is. gree of comfort by the simple umpireg both
ilmas,
because
quick to appreciate the quall- incans, say, of collecting for the five years between
he ties of his opponents., separate alr-fares from each of went the umpiring Hot. three Continental
for
tournaments,
When Alan Royment, Hamp. Ishire's youngest batsman, hit
and then buying a round ticket If anyone still believes that hire for a superb to square- the trip. And there is always cricket is not a dangerous, legs, with feet, hands, and eye the odd commission on sports game, remember the hit from co-ordinated exactly. Freddie equipment; insurance, nylon Cuan McCarthy, South Africa's went down the plich specially underwear, and assorted side-fast bowler
which sentimony to give Alan a
now at
lines.
THE WEARY ROUND
What does It matter if the
the
congratulatory
pat on the shoulder. Sussex skipper, into hospital. The swift and certain foot-
Frank Chester, nno of
the work which stamps Alan at the umpires, declared this to becrease has not drrived acciden- the worst crack on the head he tally.. It is a product of hours had scen for moro than years.
20 spent on the dance floor.
Alan took up dancing to
himself give
poise and foot-
ONE-HAND SIKES,
►
so much that
tempo of tournament tenuls be- comes slower and slower as the big stars and the little stars grow wearler and wearier gallivanting
A One of aleket's fascinations work on The cricket Geid. He around the sun-spots in a hectic is that injured players so often enjoyed himself so chase for "reasonable expemes"? manage to
overcome their he studied seriously, became a After all, when they stop play-handicaps.ho have
qualified instructor. ing, they stop eating.
watched Now he and
be
his wife, him regularly, for instance, tell, similarly qualified, have
their mo that Cyli Washbrook (211) own dancing school not out against Somerset) has been batting better than ever.
C. B. FIX
In his 81st year, always advocated dancing Yet, if captain.. Nigelas beneficiat to batting. Howard and colleague Winston........., London Express: Service)
O little tawdry, you think?" "Of course
It Is. Give me Jack Kramer and his unashamed pro- fessionals. And Kis £100,000.
London Express Servicaj
Truce, falk'!
SAVE YOUR EYES
'In all cased' olʼaye trouble yous eyes should be thorough 'ly tested toʻdécide 11'wout osan te bad which calls for the |¦man bli glasons or BOU KEE
CHINESE OPTICAL CO.
"ÁZ, Queries scan, CHENAL, HONG KONG AN
THE MOST VICIOUS SHOT
IN GOLF HOW TO AVOID THE "SHANK"
By MAX FAULKNER
A slice, or a hook, or the occasional topped shot can be irritating. But a "shank," or "socket," can be devastating. I have seen it reduce scratch golfers to tears and turn normally placid players into something near nervous wrecks. I think, without any doubt at all, the socket is the most vicious fault in ali golf.
It is that frightening shot which makes the ball sizzle away off the neck of the club at an angle of between 45 and 90 degrees to the line you intend. One shot Hke that is something of an unpleasant surprise...But when the bug bites, it usual. ly makes you produce a whole series.
I remember seeing one man play six shanks in succession. At the end of the sixth he was further away from the hole than when he started at the tea and was in such a state of dithers that he was almost scared to take a shot at the ball. That is where the viciousness, day-the first thing to remem-, back with the wrists rolling the comes in. It
saps your con- ber is not to panic. The fault chihface so open that on fidence. It makes you scared of is a simple que, simply cured, arrival at the top of the awing the ball. You feel you are Unless you
very know it, its malding perfectly normal simplicity is the thing which the wrists are in a flat position strike at the ball and yet, time makes it difficult to detect and, (see photograph). From this after time, it starts this busi-
in practice, so easy, to repeat. position tho' roll back of the ness of shooting but to the right off the pipe of the club.
DIFFICULT TO, DETECT.. When it comes round to you It hasn't yet, it will one
Д
outalde
tho
So remember this agulist the Wrists on the downswing throws
clubhead. time you need it: the cause of the U out of every 100 shanks or normal are and the strike, on rockets is in the backswing. the ball-is then made with the Invariably, the club is taken stem of the club instead of the
blade.
Look out! Here comes a first class shank or sockett' This is what NOT TO DO. Note how my hands have rolled into the flat position at the top of the swing. It is the throw-out of the club head from here that causes the trouble. The hands should be under the shaft at the top.
Fly
TO THE
Olympics
By
The Choice
of the Hongkong' Olympic Toam i
As I have said earlier, this
is a deceptively easy fault to drop into-especially if you are Inside-to-out swinging from normanilý,
WRISTS MUST NOT FLOP
The answer to it, of course, is to check everything calmly normal grip, holding firmly with both hands, back on the swing In the usual way but making sure that your wrista do not flop flat but are property tinder the shaft at the top of the swing.
That is the key factor which ensures your normal downswing and brings the clubhead into the ball in the ordinary way: I could advise you to check on
details all kinds
of of other confuse this issue, awing but they woul
Ali I would add is that you should
you
1
swing well through the
shot
maintaining a firm grip all the time.
And that is Just about all there is to the socket. I know that. It sounds absurdly simple and that It 19. astonishing that no* *many good
playera get bitten by it. But there it is. Don't jetz at it. In fact don't think about it.
Only thing
do is to remember not to panic when you got it and to see that you check your movements to ibat vital "top-of-the-swing position.
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