Seesaw

To Southern Californians, the first 8,000 miles of barnstorming by Bobby Riggs and Big Jake Kramer didn't count. The real test was how well they did at home (both come from the Los Angeles area). Last week in Los Angeles, 6,529 jurors, including Donald Budge, Bill Tilden, the Bogarts and the Durochers, watched cocky little Bobby Riggs tear into Big Jake.

He slammed back Kramer's seemingly unretrievable smashes. Though he once declined all invitations to the net, he now rushed it incessantly. He had found that Kramer's weakest spot was his backhand. When Riggs won the match in straight sets (6-3, 6-3), there was little doubt in 6,529 minds about which was the better player. But next night everything was different. Riggs did not have the same zip; Big Jake won the first set at love and the second one 7-5. As the crowd milled out, there was considerable mumbling & grumbling. What was going on here?

The tour was going swimmingly: the lead was seesawing, and the money was rolling in. There was talk of extending the present schedule of 70-odd matches. Kramer, who gets the bigger percentage of the gate, stands to earn $115,000 or more.

Said one old tennis star: "I've been watching these matches, and I'm convinced that Riggs can win any match he damn pleases." Pancho Segura, who once swore that Big Jake could trample over any tennis player, admits that he has changed his mind: "Until now I never saw Riggs play his best . . . Riggs is a great arteesian." But Australia's Dinny Pails, the fourth member of the touring tennists, thinks that Kramer will come out on top.

At week's end, Kramer had the record in his favor: he had 20 victories to Riggs's 15. As proof that everything was on the up & up, Promoter Jack Harris pointed to the heavy side-betting between Riggs and Kramer.

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