Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 February 1917 — ASK LONGER TENNIS SEASON [ARTICLE]

ASK LONGER TENNIS SEASON

Only Trifle Over Three Months of Competition Out of Doors—Players Want More Time. Lawn tennis has gradually attracted such an army of devotees that there has followed the real desires on The part of the players to prolong the season out of doors. So far as' the records of several years show for anything, there is at best only a trifle more than three months of competition on turf and clay er causes the wielders of the racquet to seek the enjoyment of the indoor game on the board courts of the armories. This immediately limits tlio amount of playing time, and the number of players. It has- not been the most satisfactory arrangement for those ardently devoted to the sport, so that gradually there has been some experimenting as to ways and means by which the outdoor season might be lengthened so as to offer fair sport for the followers of the courts. It has been realized for some time that earth courts, even when in perfect condition, do not solve the problem. The frost and the rains of the autumn soon cause the clay surfaces to be unsatisfactory. What the frost and rain leave undone the brisk autumnal breezes accomplish, especially when the playing surfaces have tyeen liberally sanded. The result has been to turn the attention of some of the players to court playing surfaces of boards and of concrete.