Editors Note: We ran across this classic from dear Gardnar. We hope you enjoy it. We have a call into him to find out the date he sent this letter to the editor of Tennis Week, The amazing Eugene L.Scott.
—
The following was published in a past edition of Tennis Week Magazine as a “Beyond the Baseline” Letter to the Editor and written by International Tennis Hall of Famer Gardnar Mulloy.
People often ask me, “What’s the best tennis racquet to use?” The answer is moot but as complex as brain surgery if you listen to the manufacturers. A tennis racquet has a direct relationship to the user’s personality, mental and physical attributes. If you listen to the sales pitch, snowjob hype and advertising propaganda used by the tennis industry, you’ll find it confusing yet very amusing.
The experts who dream up these endearing descriptions are young “creatives” in ad agencies who compose brilliant but meaningless cliches to con the public, as well as the boss they work for. The executives, trying to outdo the competition, are not tennis players per se and are easily impressed as is the buying public. If you read the descriptive patter the racquet companies’ spew, you can find a racquet that not only plays for you, but can think as well! Of course, the racquet must be made of exotic materials such as Boron, stainless steel, aluminum, fiber glass, ceramic and graphite or a combination of all of these.
The racquet will have a wide body, unique hollow-core design to cup the ball, power-weight system to eliminate torque and increase top-spin, oval pressed shaft, shock absorption, maximum power with greater control, a high density string pattern and a ten-sided stabilized head shape, plus much, much more.
The racquet strings must be processed by irradiation that alters the molecular structure of the synthetic copolymers to optimize the resiliency and elasticity, and be treated with an advanced pearlized elasticized coating.
The handle grip should be cushioned over a super, dual-density foam pallet and ribbed overwrap, slip-absorbent for maximum resiliency and have finger shock-proof protection. Even then, the racquet is not complete unless it has a silicone grommet filled with a viscous fluid and a ball bearing that dissipates and dampens vibration.
Now you need a pair of bi-density polyurethane tennis shoes to do the running for you. They will have midsole and heel resilient tubes, with medial and lateral support straps, action, hinges, lace locks, breathable lining, lateral motion stabilizers, tempered super rubber outsoles with double toe pieces, a lite triple density rubber sole, optimum flexibility for rock-steady stability and superb court gripping characteristics ventilated with supple tricot-lined comfort.
Be sure you wear designer tennis clothes and you’ll be all set to win without playing, allowing the advertisers’ creative ability to do the playing for you. The more descriptive the racquet, the better it plays; and of course, the higher the cost. How else can they overpay pros to use a racquet and say nice things about it when actually they can play as well, with anything, including a frying pan.
Like detergents, pills and used cars, every year the racquet manufacturers come out with a new and improved line that is stronger, more resilient, thicker, lighter, bigger, faster, longer-lasting and better!
As for me, I’ll stick with my old Prince Woodie and hope for the best.
Topics: Gardnar Mulloy, Tennis News, Tennis Week Magazine
Gardnar Mulloy’s Letter To The Editor Of Tennis Week – http://t.co/gNKQSdPFJK #GardnarMulloy #letter #tennis