Even Wimbledon Suffers from Bad Decisions Every year at the Wimbledon Championships complaints of bad decisions by umpires and linesman are made by the players. These complaints are too frequently well founded. Imipeccability is impossible, but a higher standard should be the aim of the management. The phrase "Wimbledon umpire" should have a meaning equivalent to "Wimbledon player," instead of being used rather sarcastically to indicate a person of doubtful com-potence in a position of temporary importance, declares a correspondent of the "Field." The problem is not confined to Wimbledon alone; it is relative to every tournament and important match, and is complicated by the initial difficulty that the work is voluntary. No one, least of all the All-England Club and the ITA. would be averse to any practical suggestion pointing to a general improvement which would be reflected at Wimbledon, where, though officials are selected as carefully as possible, the old tendency to believe that an umpire's capacity is perennial is still noticeable. It is no more so than members would take up enthusiastlcally.such an opportunity of having a finger in the big pie, the scheme seems feasible. It includes ihe retention of the pure amateurism of the umpire, and the introduction of the valuable factor of competition to ensure competence. At the moment there is no recognised test of com-potence.
National Training School But.on the other hand, previous experience of organization in connection with lawn tennis shows that the clubs, with insufficiently numerous exceptions, would probably be pathetically parochial and unreliable on the training side. Granting this, the idea could still be developed along the lines of a national training school At present an empire is chosen by chance, neces sity, or membership of the Lawn "Tennis Umpires' Association, which endeavoured to establish a ranking but was unsuccessful A number of its members are experienced and competent, and when left alone, to deal with Davis Cup matches for example, it does well. The U.A. is officially recognized; it might in addition be given official rules and regulations governing efficiency and sufficient financial backing to support them. It is at present more or Jess at the mercy of its own members, not all of whom are competent umpires.
Training Grounds At a comparatively small initial cost central training grounds foi umpires might be set up, to be run by the L.T-U.A. under the control f] of the L.T.A. Through them every umpire should be required to pass and graduate. No person of confident ability would shrink from the test, nor any conscientious one think its renewal unnecessary; eyesight and health, both important factors, are variable. - Mistakes would still occur under any control except that of à perfect robot, but the existing ovoidable errors would be remedied. The grading of- professionals under the L.T.A. became essential; it has been done. The grading of umpires is a longer
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