What Price Amateurs?

When lanky Frank Kovacs, a buffoon but also a first-rate tennis player, was kicked out of amateur tennis in 1941, he hollered over his shoulder: "Amateur tennis stinks--there's no money in it any more." He joined the ranks of the pros, then went into the army. In Miami Beach last week, a practising pro again, he gave his corrected version:

"I earned plenty as an amateur. You see poor boys come up without a dime, and in two or three years they are driving around from one tournament to another in big automobiles, with their pockets full of money. Tournament committees make no bones about paying . . . from $200 up for a tournament--that's over and above expenses. . . ."

Frank Kovacs seemed surprised at the commotion his statement raised in the nation's sport pages. Said he: "I thought everybody knew. The Pacific Southwest championships at Los Angeles put up the most . . . they paid Riggs $800 one time. It all depends on what country you're in. We do it with cash. It's wide open in Australia. They pay them off with checks there . . . if you're a good tennis player in Australia . . . they want to keep you for the Davis Cup team."

The U.S. Lawn Tennis Association, aware for years that many of its stars had been tennis bums, didn't quite know what to do about it. Kovacs had a suggestion: make all tournament players pros.

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