CHAPTER XII
Style
There is a tendency in these days to cultivate in most games a brutal, effective style of play. Our forefathers used to play a gentler game, with more regard to grace and style and form. At cricket it used to be considered bad form and bad play to hit an of-side ball to the on; now it is done whenever there is an opportunity, but it is an ugly stroke. At tennis the railroad service was practically never attempted except when the server had to defend a hazard side chase or a very long one on the service side. The common service was the ordinary side wall pent-house and back wall service, giving the striker-out scope for that lovely and graceful cut stroke into the left or right-hand corner which was a joy to behold.
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