HEIR TO PERRY'S CROWN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 58, 24 March 1937, Page 12

HEIR TO PERRY'S CROWN

■Own Correspondent)

Frank Wilde Favoured by Tennis Critics GOOD DISPLAYS

(By Air Mail—

LONDON, Feb. 26. Ia Frank Wilde going to prove the rightful heir to the Perry crown" Among the young lions he is greatly favoured as the man to help Great Britain over the Davis Cup atile. This afternoon he fairly convincingly disposed of Laurie Shaffi in the first-of-the-season tournament by 6 — 2, 6—1. But he has to meet in the final young Murray Deloford, vrho mixes his shots with brains and is steadily advancing iD tOp honours. Deloford sent tall5 powerful E6nald Shayes back to-day to the tune of 6 — i, 6 — 3. Wilde gave Shaffi little chance by pressing him at close quarters most of the time, and lobbing was too risky a shot owing to the low roof. The most experienced and consistent man in court was not ony of these semi-finallsts, however. He was Major Hasler, the umpire. Major Hasler has now umpired — since 1929— about 8000 matches. At a rough calculation of nine games to a set and three sets to a match, six points to a game and five strokes for each point. he has critically watched the ball being hit six and a half million times, ready to give six and a half million judgments. ' He travels thousands of miles each year to and from tournaments, and is numerically the champion umpire of the world.