Book 3 — A Knock-Down Tennis-Court Backstop By EDWARD R. SMITH

Severe weather soon damages a tennis-court backstop that is built on posts set in the ground, and permitted to remain in place during the winter. The backstop shown in the illustration was designed to overcome this objection, and proved efficient on this score, as well as economical to build and maintain. Instead of setting the supports in the ground, they are set on the ground, and guyed by a system of wire braces. The wire netting is also held taut by wire braces, and the entire rigging is quickly taken down for storage, and easily set up when needed again. The lower edge of the wire is held down by hooks pinned to the ground with tent stakes, making it convenient to unhook the netting when the grass is to be cut around the backstop. The towers are 50 ft. apart, about 14 ft. high, and built up of 4 by 4-in. and 2 by 4-in. pieces of sound yellow-pine timber.

The Backstop is Taken Down between Seasons, and can be Raised Quickly by Means of the Supporting Cables

Foundations of brick, anchored into the ground, were made for the towers. End braces of heavy wire, fastened to the top, and guyed to the sunken anchors at the ground, support the towers against the weight of the netting and wire rigging. This is convenient in setting up the arrangement, as a ladder can be leaned against the end of the tower, guyed securely. To withstand side motion at the top edge of the netting, the supporting wires are carried on crossarms of 1 by 1-in. pieces of wood, 2 ft. long. This rigging is suspended between the towers and wired to the netting. When this is drawn up tightly, the netting is fairly taut. Additional supporting wires, with vertical leaders to the netting, are used to draw up the entire length of the netting tautly, as desired.

The netting extends under the towers, and is supported there by wires. As the netting extends nearly to the end guy wires, players cannot be harmed easily by running into the wires particularly if a white flag is attached to the guy wires, about 6 ft. from the ground. Number 20 gauge wire was used for the supporting cables, and No. 9 for the end braces extending to the anchored fastenings.