Show v G RICE WHEN WrT HEN golf gol contributed to the Red Cross from its Wykagyl N. N Y show which Byron Nelson won in a gallop the ancient game kicked in with its full share Tennis did the same thing at Forest Forest Forest For For- est Hills when ghosts of the past haunted the famous turf of the tennis tennis ten ten- nis capital By ghosts of the past I am referring referring referring re re- re- re ferring in the main to Big Bill Bm Tilden the greatest tennis player of all time and dont don't pi M let people tell you anything different Bill Tilden must take his place as 4 one of the most remarkable remarkable re re- re- re stars of them all no matter what the game I When Big Bill first came along Bill Tilden Babe Ruth was a pitcher not a run home-run hitter Jack Dempsey was wasat wasat wasat at least two years away from his Willard knockout Ty Cobb was still in his prime Rogers Hornsby hadn't started his star career No Noone Noone Noone one had bad ever heard of Man lan o 0 War Red Grange was still years away Bobby Jones was only 15 years old At that time lean and lanky Bill Tilden was just getting under full steam He wasn't quite at the top but he was heading in that general generalI direction I The Top of 0 Them All At various times in the last 10 or 15 5 years Ive I've asked any number of ramous famous amous tennis players to pick the time all-time top In this list I can give you vou such names as Vinnie Richards Richards Richards Rich Rich- ards Frank Hunter George Church on Church on and on The vote was solid for Big Bill the fue lean lanky galloping hard hit hard hiting hit hit- ing star with the best of all tennis brains rains Tilden combined power and speed with the finest type of court general general- ship There were times even through a championship final when ae Ie was still practicing strokes No Nome None None me ne ever knew in his prime just dust low good he was Heres Here's an example Years ago against one of the Kinsey brothers Tilden had won the first set of a championship match at 6 He had lost the second set at 6 An old timer took all the bets he could get geth geton oh on h Tilden for the third set The bettor was Eddie Conlin He told old Big Bill about his 12 bets the bet Tilden asked Im betting you to win win the third set 6 0 Eddie said Tilden won 6 He could have bave won most of his sets at 6 0 except for his hisIe desire Ie sire to practice and try out various various varius vari vari- ous us strokes against opponents who were completely outclassed Ill I'll never forget the final match he ne had with Little Bill Johnston at Forest Hills for the title Little Bill as usual had given Big Bill Billa a hard and hot afternoon In the final set dark clouds swept across the sultry scene accompanied accompanied accompanied by thunder and lightning I There were only a few minutes or orI I perhaps seconds left before the storm was due Tilden's answer was quite simple lie He delivered four service aces that practically blasted Little Bill off of the court He might as well have used a rifle Another Tilden Story Years ago Ellsworth Vines was touring the country with Tilden and at nt that time winning most of the matches Youth against age Therell There'll never be anyone like Tilden Tilden Tilden Til Til- Til- Til den Vines told me laterA laterA laterA later A short while back we played in upper New York I finally won after five tough sets and I was many many years younger than Tilden I was completely exhausted exhausted exhausted ex ex- hausted after the match Later that night I happened to glance gance up and saw Tilden hurrying out of the hotel lobby the idea I asked Ive got a golf date at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning with a pro in Cincinnati Bill said Ill have to drive all night but I can still make it Tilden made it Vines continued continued continued con con- and then carried me to five sets late that afternoon Tilden had more stamina and vitality than any two athletes I ever saw It was Tilden who introduced the tho phrase se tournament tough Tournament tough applies to every game pla played ed from war to any sport you know Big Bill has proved this for well over 20 years His return to Forest Hills for the Red Cross was something something something some some- thing no tennis lover should have missed The Old and the New Our army and navy is composes largely of younger fighters But we also have many older men These two sections seem to get into many arguments as to whether or not the past was better than the present The older ones take you back tc what has been known as sport sports Golden Age the twenties All we can say is that thul everything in sports that can be measured 01 OJ timed limed has shown a steady advance |