NOW MR. TILDEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 22, 10 February 1937, Page 10

NOW MR. TILDEN

NOT JUST PLAIN "BILL" PLANS FOFTHE FUTURE

HIGH OPINION OF VON CKAJIM William Tatem Tilden 2nd, his long head popping out of a big blue blanket, made plans on Christmas Eve for his seventh year as a tennis professional. He has a new cast of characters and limitless eonfidence in the future of professional tennis. "You know, professional tennis has progressed to the point where they introduce me . as Mr. Tilden now," he beamed. "They used to call me plain Bill." Most interesting newcomes in the Tilden troupe is Tyotaro Satoh, a sports writer from Tokyo. Satoh says he hopes to be another Tilden, a Japanese Tilden. He is 30 years olfl and admits that he should have Started earlier, but he has hopes nevertheless. Other members of the troupe will be Vinnie Richards, Martin Plaa of France, and A1 Chapin. "We've always taken only four players .before," Tilden explained. Also in the party will be a manager, a ball boy, 1000 pounds of canvas court and, a few new posts. After the tour is finished in the spring Tilden and Satoh will go to England to compete in the world's professional championship in May. Tilden has.no regrets about his professional ; venture and experience. "I wisl| I had turned pro long before I did," he says. He is still hoping that the amateur tennis authorities will one day sanction an open tournament between pros and amateurs, but he's not doing much crusading for it. "They'll have to do something, though. Von Cramm, Budge and Borotra are the only amateurs in the world to-day with any real colour," he said. He rates Baron von Cramm of Germany as the "world's best amateur, with Don Budge of Oakland, Calif., not far behind.