Show rian V apice dw WHEN golf contributed to the red cross from its wykagyl gyl 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 hills when ghosts of the past haunted the famous turf of the tennis capital by ghosts of the past I 1 am referring in the main to big bill tilden the greatest t tennis ennis player of all time and d dont ont let people tell you anything dif different feren bill tilden must take his place as one of the most remarkable stars of them all no matter what the game when els big bill first came along bill tilden babe ruth was a pitcher not a home run hitter jack dempsey was at least two years away from his willard knockout ty cobb was still in his prime rogers hornsby started his star career no one had ever heard of man ot 0 war red grange was still years away bobby jones was only 15 years old at that time jean and lanky bill tilden was just getting under full steam he quite at the top but he was heading in that general direction the top of them all at various times in the last 10 or 15 15 years ive asked any number of lamous amous tennis players to pick the he all time top in this list I 1 can give you such names as vinnie richards frank hunter george church on and on the vote was solid for big bill the lean lanky galloping hard hit ling star with the best of all tennis brains tilden comb combined ineil power and speed with the finest type of court generalship there were times even brough a championship final when ie was still practicing strokes no ne ever knew in his bis prime just low ow good he was heres an example years ago ji one of the kinsey brothers filden had won the first set of a championship match at 62 6 2 he had bost lost the second set at 64 6 4 A an old timer took all the bets he could get on tilden for the third set the bettor was eddie conlin he told big biu bill about his 12 bets the bet tilden asked im betting you to win the third set 60 6 0 eddie said tilden won 60 6 0 he could have won most of his sets at 60 6 0 except for his desire to practice and try out various strokes against opponents who were completely outclassed ill never forget the final match it tie he had with little bill johnston johnsto n at forest hills for the title little bill as usual had given big biu bill a hard and hot afternoon in the final set dark clouds swept across the sultry scene accompanied by thunder and lightning there were only a few minutes or perhaps seconds left before the storm was due tiddens Til dens answer was quite simple he delivered four service aces that practically blasted little biu bill off the court he might as well have used a rifle another tilden story years ago eusworth ellsworth vines was touring the country with tilden and at that time winning most of the matches youth against age therell never be anyone like tilden vines told me later A short while back we played in upper new york I 1 finally won after five tough sets and I 1 was many many years younger than tilden I 1 was completely exhausted after the match later that night I 1 happened to glance up and saw tilden hurrying out of the hotel lobby 11 the idea I 1 asked ive got a golf date at 10 tomorrow morning with a pro in cincinnati biu bill said IU ill have to drive all night but I 1 can still htiu make it tilden made it vines continued and then carried me to five sets late that afternoon tilden had more stamina and vitality than any two athletes I 1 ever saw it was tilden who introduced the phrase tournament tough tournament tough applies to every game played 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 no tennis lover should have missed |