known as "cross bows," and this is one of the prettiest of all, for the
whole of the lawn is occupied, and when done by practised riders and
rather quickly, it is charming to watch and most fascinating to do.
Again four riders are required, and they mount in line. The five clubs
are in the same position as for Centre Circles. In this ride, however,
there are two leaders, No. 1 being followed by rider No. 3, and No. 2
by rider No. 4. As in Figure 3, leader No. 1 will follow the _dotted_
lines, while leader No. 2 will go over the heavy lines indicated; rider
No. 3 following leader No. 1, and rider No. 4 following leader No. 2.
It is imperative that the original distances be kept exactly, or in
crossing at points F and G there will surely be a collision otherwise.
This being a complicated ride to do well, it will require practice,
but I think that by following the lines of the diagram there will be
no difficulty in learning it. Leader No. 1 (having led the ride all
round the lawn) on reaching club B will ride straight across to club
D, keeping to the right of centre club A, and turning round club D
will then ride straight back to club B again, followed by rider 3. At
the same time leader 2, in starting the ride, will turn short to her
left, going outside club E, where she begins the "cross bow," by riding
straight across the lawn to club C. Leaders 1 and 2 should reach clubs
D and E simultaneously and turn them together, and leader No. 1 making
her curve closer to the club than No. 2, should pass the point F on
the diagram just as No. 2 reaches it on her way to club C. In this
way rider 3 will pass point F immediately after No. 2, and rider 4,
following No. 2 will pass F a second after No. 3. Reaching B, leader
1 will now make the double curve round clubs B and E, as shown, and
leader 2 will do the same between C and D, and on reaching B and C
again, they will do once more the "cross bow" as described, only this
time leader 1 will pass over point G first, and leader 2 will follow,
as was done before in passing F. The greatest exactitude should be
kept in crossing each other, for not only does safety demand it, but
when done with indecision and over zig-zag lines, the figure loses
its beauty, and like all the other rides, becomes difficult to follow.
It is fatal to any ride to do it in a wavering way, which will impress
people with the idea that you are not sure of it yourself. The best
riders I have ever seen doing these figures, have always emphasized
the straight lines, thus making their curves seem more sweeping by
contrast, and adding greatly to the effect.
Another thing figure riders invariably advocate, is to ride very high,
and certainly once any one has ridden with both handle-bars and seat
well up, they never can go back to the lower saddle. Some people indeed
say it is more difficult to ride high, but I do not think when you
have become used to it, that you will find it so. Of all things to be
avoided I would mention the mistake of putting up the handle bars,
without heightening the saddle. I heard this position once described
as that of "begging," and it has always seemed to me irresistibly
ludicrous ever since. If you will watch the ankle play of two riders,
one with the saddle high and the other with it low, you will not
hesitate an instant as to which position is preferable.
There is no limit to the number of rides you can do. Almost any book
of army drills, especially for cavalry, will give you ideas for a
hundred new figures, and you can vary these, not the least amusing part
being in creating, adapting and arranging figures to add to the old
repertoire.
[Illustration: _Fig. IV_
_American Circle ride._]
But to go back to the well-known figures, with which one is never
tired, and which always hold their own as to prettiness.
Let us continue with the "American Circle Ride." This can be ridden by
any number and is a great favourite when introduced at garden-parties.
With eight riders, three rows of three clubs each are needed, and these
rows should be about three bicycle lengths from each other, while two
bicycle lengths should separate the clubs in the rows. All the riders
start in a line. On reaching line B, leader 1 goes to the left of Club
3, and No. 2 will keep to its right so that they ride side by side,
divided by the clubs. The others divide in the same way and at the
bottom they will turn to their respective sides, leader No. 1 following
line A, and leader No. 2 line C. To begin with, they will _both_ do the
circles to the left as drawn down line C, and meeting at the top they
again come down the centre on either side of Clubs B, side by side. The
second time they both do the ride as shewn through line A, doing the
middle club the reverse way to the first and last, and for the third
round, reverting to the ride as shown through Clubs C, only of course,
where those following leader 2 turn to the left, those following No.
1 will turn and circle to the right. In coming down the centre the
leaders can join hands, and the others naturally will do the same,
but this is generally called by another name, and is often worked as
another figure.
Speaking of circling to left and right brings up another very pretty
figure for a number of riders. Set your Clubs as for "Centre Circles"
and begin (all following one leader) by circling Club B, going right
round it as shown in Figure 2, and going on to E, then D, and finally
to C, then describe the double curve as shown in 'cross bows' (between
Clubs B and E of Figure 3) only ride straight round Club D--Figure 2.
The Club marked E in the former, is D in Figure 2. Having gone round
Club D, go on to Club E, and circle that to the right, and then on to
B, and so circle every club as you come to it. Having circled D again,
to finish the ride, go to Club C passing outside it, and then straight
round the lawn. This can be done by two parties at the same time, one
starting from Club B, the other from Club D, and each doing the same
thing at opposite corner Clubs throughout the ride. I have seen as many
as twenty riding in this figure together.
The "Maypole" is of course very pretty and when care is taken to ensure
the riders having ribbons to match the colour they wear, or in which
they have decked their bicycles, it is lovely. It is simple to execute,
too, and can be done by almost any number, though I think eight or
ten quite enough. Half the riders will go to the left, the other half
to the right. Supposing the pole to be in the centre of the lawn, the
four who are going to the right will mount at the four points of the
compass, holding their ribbons high above them, in their right hands.
The other four will mount, a little farther from the pole, as they will
make a larger circle to begin with, and hold their ribbons in their
left hands as they go to the left. In order to weave a regular pattern,
those going to the left and right must pass each other in and out, as
they meet. It is easier to learn the ride if Clubs are put up, where
the riders should meet and pass each other, as they go in and out.
There should be an even number of riders and a club for each. If eight
were riding, four would pass the first club on the left and the next
on their right, and so on, while the other half would pass their first
Club on the right and the second club to the left. It will be found
easier to keep your balance if you hold your arm high, and there is no
doubt that it looks better.
The idea of passing clubs first on the right and then on the left
alternately has been the foundation of a number of rides. A pretty
sight is to have a circle of clubs, with a rider to each. One rider
will begin by going outside the circle, from inside, and passing
between the clubs at the same time that the next rider will pass from
outside into the circle, and so picking their way to the left of one
club and the right of the next, all the way round the ring. However,
all depends on the riders passing the clubs at the same moment on their
several ways, and as this requires no little practice to do well, one
rarely sees this figure to advantage.
Fancy Figure Riding may sound tame to those who have never tried it,
but I venture to think that those who once take to it will very quickly
become fascinated, and my own belief is, that as figures become better
known, and more hostesses introduce them at their gatherings, this
branch of cycling will increase in popularity.
Evelyn Van Wart.
[Illustration: _J. Weston and Son_ _Folkestone._
_MISS MAUD MARSHALL._
(_Figure B. Overhand Service._)]
LAWN-TENNIS.
Lawn-tennis, though still in its youth, may with some justice lay claim
through its prototypes, Longue paume, Pallone, Tennis, etc., to an
illustrious ancestry; the connection between the modern and the older
games being sufficient to establish a relationship. It is not necessary
here to trace this connection step by step, beginning perchance with
the game which Louis X. of France played in the forest of Vincennes
to the championship fought out on the Wimbledon Club grounds in 1897.
The greater part of such a history would of necessity belong to tennis
proper, which, as we know, has been a popular English game for many
ages. So in the 15th century we hear of a tennis court at Windsor
Castle, and the present one at Hampton Court was originally built
by Henry VIII., in whose reign it was that Sir Thomas More, in his
"Utopia," stigmatised tennis along with "dice, cards, tables, bowls
and quoits" as "a naughty and unlawful game."
The first authentic record we have of lawn-tennis as we know it dates
back no further than 1874, when Major Wingfield patented a certain
pastime by him named "Sphairistike." It was not I believe claimed to
be an invention, but merely an adaptation of a sport almost as old as
the world itself. A sub-committee of the Marylebone Cricket Club was
asked in 1875 to bring order into chaos, everyone for the twelve months
of its existence having chosen to play "Sphairistike," or lawn-tennis,
as it was now called, as it best pleased them. A code was drawn up,
issued and quickly superseded, but at least there was a recognised
length and breadth of court and height of net, which prior to this,
as I have said, depended entirely upon the taste of the players. In
1875 lawn-tennis took up its headquarters at Wimbledon, being admitted
to form part of the "All England Croquet Club" there. The game was
introduced at Prince's Club in the same year. In 1876 tennis scoring
was adopted, and it was the general opinion that lawn-tennis had
come to stay. In the following year the "All England Croquet Club"
determined to include the name of the new game in its title, and it
became known as the "All England Croquet and Lawn-Tennis Club." In
another twelve or eighteen months the visitor had pushed the host
out of house and home, the club becoming henceforth headquarters of
lawn-tennis alone.
It was in the July of 1877 that the first lawn-tennis championship
meeting was held at Wimbledon, a silver challenge cup being offered for
competition by the proprietors of _The Field_. There were twenty-two
entries, Mr. Spencer-Gore carrying off the championship and the
all-comers prizes. The principal results of the first tournament was to
show up a serious defect, viz.: the great preponderance of games won
by the server against those gained by the striker-out; the proportion
being about five to three. This defect was remedied in 1878 by bringing
the service line four feet nearer the net, from twenty-six feet to
twenty-two feet. The net at the same time was lowered from five feet
at the posts to four feet nine inches, and from three feet three
inches at the centre to three feet. In 1879 two more championships
were instituted, those of the Oxford University Lawn-Tennis Club, and
of Ireland. The latter meeting was of particular importance to lady
players, owing to the fact that it was their first competition ground.
This pioneer of women's lawn-tennis championships was carried off
by Miss M. Langrishe, who was also successful in securing the Irish
prize in 1883 and 1886. The first occasion on which ladies competed
at Wimbledon was in the year 1884, when Miss M. Watson secured the
All England Championship, to which she joined the double victory of
Ireland, where she defeated Miss M. Langrishe.
In 1885 the manager of the Buxton Tournament instituted a ladies'
double championship, carried off by Mrs. Watts and Miss Bracewell. The
championship of England and Ireland was again held by Miss M. Watson.
It was during this year that Miss L. Dod first began to be known in
the front ranks of lady players, though it was not until 1887 that she
held the championship of England and Ireland, since when she has held
the English Championship four times. In 1886 Miss Bingley, now Mrs.
Hillyard, shot to the fore, defeating Miss Watson at Wimbledon. Her
victory, though coming as something of a surprise, was magnificently
earned, her extreme accuracy and power creating a good deal of
enthusiasm.
The next epoch of importance in ladies' tennis--and the last possible
variation of the game--was the institution, in 1888, of the "All
England Mixed Doubles Championship," won by Mr. E. Renshaw and Mrs.
Hillyard. During the same year the "Lawn-Tennis Association" came
into existence, the want having for long been felt of one recognised
authority, under whose rules all championship matches should be played.
In 1890, the Association made important alterations in some of the
previously recognised laws. The change of sides under the new _regime_
was fixed at the end of the first, third and every alternate game of
the set, instead of at the end of each game. Bisques were abolished,
and the quarter system of receiving odds was instituted, more of which
hereafter. Subsequently the distance of the service line from the net
was fixed at 21-ft., and the height of the net at 3-ft. 6-in. at the
posts, and 3-ft. at the centre.
The strides made in lawn-tennis since its first institution as a
game are remarkable indeed, when we consider that the first and only
tournament in the land was held in 1877, and that in 1897, the list
of tournament dates issued by the Lawn-Tennis Association comprised
sixty-two fixtures in the United Kingdom, and seven on the Continent.
I must not forget to add that in 1885, the first Covered Court
Championship was held, Mr. Lawford carrying off the prize. The Ladies'
Covered Court Championship was not inaugurated till 1890, when Miss
Jacks secured the coveted title, Miss Austin being the holder in 1897.
The Ladies' Championship of 1897, was very closely contested, Mrs.
Hillyard playing Miss C. Cooper (the holder). The first set was won
by the latter lady, but owing to the severity of Mrs. Hillyard's
returns, Miss Cooper was unable to maintain her advantage and was
finally beaten, the sets standing at 5-7, 7-5, 6-2. Mrs. Hillyard
also carried off the Ladies' Singles, defeating Mrs. Pickering by two
sets to love--6-2, 7-5. The Irish Championship was also gained by the
Wimbledon victor, who beat the Irish candidate, Miss Dyas, by two sets
to one--7-5, 2-6, 6-3,--thus proving herself the best lady player of
the year.
With many lawn-tennis players the choice of a court is unfortunately
apt to exemplify the old saying that "the coat must be cut according
to the cloth," though in these days of plenty when every town in the
United Kingdom possesses at least one lawn-tennis club, it should
not be so difficult to secure the best advantages for practice. It is
a different matter of course with a private court, the formation of
which may, for many reasons be a difficult task; though the advantages
of a ground upon the premises is too obvious to need demonstration.
In the first place the court should be chosen lengthways from N. to
S., to provide for obtaining the best possible light; secondly, if the
process of levelling cannot be indulged in, let the ground chosen be at
least as level as possible; and thirdly, let my foregoing remark apply
equally to drainage. The absence of any obstacles such as overhanging
branches, or the too close proximity of shrubs, is also to be carefully
thought of, and avoided. An ample margin all round being allowed
for, according to the first "recommendation" in the handbook of the
Lawn-Tennis Association. "There should be, if possible, a clear margin
of at least 12-ft. on each side, and 21-ft. at each end of the court."
The preparation of the court should be, as far as possible, the
player's individual care. Even when the turf is coarse or weed grown
to begin with, the careful application of a mowing machine, a roller
and a knife, will soon work wonders. Should plantains prevail, cut them
off close to the soil, whenever they appear--I have known a promising
court spoilt by an attempt to dig these weeds out, root and all, with
the result that when play commenced, the balls shot at obtuse and
unexpected angles. The mowing machine and the roller must be kept in
constant use, the former should do its work every day if necessary,
after the grass has finished growing, during the process once a week
will be sufficient--this, perhaps, is more applicable when grass has
been _sown_. Old turf should never be allowed to look even slightly
ragged. The energetic use of a roller helps the grass roots to spread
out and obtain the mastery over the decapitated weeds.
I quote from the Lawn-Tennis Association handbook for the dimensions of
the court.
_Law 1._ "For the single-handed game, the court is 27-ft. in
width, and 78-ft. in length. It is divided across the middle
with a net, the ends of which are attached to two posts,
which stand 3-ft. outside the court on each side. The height
of the net is 3-ft. 6-in. at the posts, and 3-ft. at the
centre. At each end of the court, parallel with the net, and
at a distance of 39-ft. from it, are drawn the _base-lines_,
the extremities of which are connected by the _side-lines_.
Half-way between the side-lines and parallel with them, is
drawn the _half-court-line_, dividing the space on each
side of the net into two equal parts, and called the _right
and left courts_. On each side of the net, at a distance
of 21-ft. from it, and parallel with it, are drawn the
_service-lines_."
[Illustration: _Single Court._
_78 feet._]
[Illustration: _Double Court._]
When a double court is required, the base-lines must be prolonged 4-ft.
6-in. in each direction, when by joining the four new points, the
side-lines of a double court are obtained; it will not now be necessary
to prolong the inner side-lines further than the service lines.
The measuring of a court is always apt to be tedious work, but with a
little method, a measuring tape, a reel of stout string, some small
wooden pegs and a fair supply of patience, the difficulties are soon
overcome. The first necessity is to fix the posts in position--I have
always found it simplified matters to represent the net by a piece
of string from post to post--then measure off a distance of 3-ft.
from each, inwards of course. From the point now obtained, measure
the side-lines, 78-ft. which gives us 39-ft. each way from the posts.
From the side-lines now measure 4-1/2-ft. inwards, and 21-ft. each
way from the net string for the service-lines. It now only remains
for these lines to be joined along their base by four others running
parallel with the net, two on each side of it, respectively termed the
base-lines and the service-lines. Half-way between the service-lines
and parallel with the side-lines, a line is next drawn to form the
half-court-line, which accomplishes the task. Each point as it is
measured should be marked off with a peg; then when all the dimensions
are taken, a piece of string should be pulled taut from peg to peg,
serving as guide to the marker. As a last word on the subject, I may
say that I have never heard a low price in markers, nets, posts, or
indeed in any implement of the game, recommended as being really
economical.
As to balls they can be obtained in many makes, but "Ayre's
Championship" stand first in the list of excellence. By the laws of
the Lawn Tennis Association the weight of a ball shall be not less
than 1-1/8-oz., or more than 2-oz. In 1877, the year of the first
Championship, the minimum weight was 1-1/4-oz., and the maximum
1-1/2-oz.
_The Racket._ On the fortunate choice of a racket, depends literally at
least half the success or failure of any battle fought with it. Writing
of rackets, Mr. C. A. Heathcote says: "The essential points are--a good
hoop, free from knots, with a well-marked and continuous grain, plain
wooden handle, round or slightly octagonal, fitting the hand of the
player, attached to the middle piece without any perceptible interval,
and good strong gut."[7] It is an essential point that the racket
should not be too heavy; on the other hand an over-light racket is far
from desirable, except perhaps for a volleying game. From 12 to 13-oz.
is usually considered a good weight range for a lady's racket, though I
have frequently met with ladies who never touched anything under 14-oz.
Indeed, in a matter of this sort, the choice must rest very much with
the player herself, who will soon find from experience what weight
suits her best. And so long as she confines her selection to the first
makes, she cannot go very far wrong.
_Scoring._ The only satisfactory manner in which lawn-tennis scoring
can be dealt with on paper, is by quoting once more from the laws of
the Lawn-Tennis Association, thus:
_Law 21._ On either player winning his first stroke, the score
is called 15 for that player, on either player winning his
second stroke, the score is called 30 for that player; on
either player winning his third stroke, the score is called
40 for that player; and the fourth stroke won by either
player is scored game for that player, except as below:
If both players have won three strokes, the score is called
deuce, and the next stroke won by either player is called
advantage for that player. If the same player win the next
stroke, he wins the game; if he lose the next stroke the score
is again called deuce, and so on until either player win the
two strokes immediately following the score at deuce, when the
game is scored for that player.
_Law 22._ The player who first wins six games wins a set,
except as below:
If both players win five games, the score is called games-all,
and the next game won by either player is scored advantage-game
for that player. If the same player win the next game, he wins
the set; if he lose the next game, the score is again called
games-all; and so on until either player wins the two games
immediately following the score of games-all, when he wins the
set.
_Note._ Players may agree not to play advantage sets, but to
decide the set by one game after arriving at the score of
games-all.
_Odds._ In the year 1888, bisques--which had been borrowed from
tennis--were abolished. A bisque is one stroke which may be claimed at
any time during a set. The principal disadvantage of this system lay in
the difficulty of employing it judiciously, thereby causing a certain
mental strain, possibly injurious to the player's form. The bisque gave
place to the "quarter" and the "perfect" systems, which in their turn
were superseded by the "sixth system" in 1894, now in universal use.
Roughly, the sixth system of handicapping is to receive odds of one,
two, three, four, or five strokes in every six games of a set; each
given stroke being respectively described as one-sixth, two-sixths,
three-sixths, four-sixths, five-sixths, fifteen. For complete and
detailed tables of the system of handicapping, the reader is referred
to the handbook of the Lawn-Tennis Association.
_On the subject of suitable clothing_ much might be written. For
any form of outdoor exercise, the two chief requisites of costume
are warmth and lightness. A thin flannel shirt is more useful than
anything, worn with a _short_ light skirt. I have seen such terrible
and distressing results arise from the wearing of skirts which,
though short in front, dropped at the back that I cannot too strongly
emphasise the need for _all-round_ shortness; loss of temper and
dignity being among the lesser evils accruing from neglect of this
particular. The shoes worn should be strong and serviceable,
usefulness never being allowed to give way to the merely ornamental;
but now-a-days it is an easy matter to combine the two qualities. For
play in damp weather it is permissible to wear shoes with a leather
sole into which short nails, known as steel points, are fitted. These
are allowed on all grounds. In the matter of hats a straw sailor with
a widish brim is the most workmanlike form of head gear possible. It
is perhaps scarcely necessary to add that perfect looseness of every
garment is a _sine quâ non_ for the freedom of movement necessary in
lawn-tennis.
[Illustration: _Figure A._
_UNDER-HAND SERVICE._]