Is this a good way to handle Web API UriTemplates?

I want to be able to do /contacts/Matt%20Phillips and /contacts/1 and have both of them return a contact. The way I did that was to try and parse an int from the captured parameter and call the Id method instead of the byName method like so:

[WebGet(UriTemplate="{param}"]
    public Contact SingleParam(string param)
    {
        int x;
        if (int.TryParse(param, out x))
        {
            return GetContactById(x);
        }
        else
        {
            return GetContactByName(param);
        }
    }

    private Contact GetContactByName(string param)
    {
        var contact = from c in contacts
                      where c.Name.Equals(param)
                      select c;
        if (!contact.Any())
        {
            return null;
        }
        return contact.Single();
    }

    public Contact GetContactById(int id)
    {
        var contact = from c in contacts
                      where c.ContactId == id
                      select c;
        if (!contact.Any())
        {
            return null;
        }
        return contact.Single();
    }

But it seems clunky to me. Anyone have suggestions for a better way to do this?

There is an easier way. You can use uri templates to help you by making both handling methods operations.

[ServiceContract]
public class ContactsApi
{
    [WebGet(UriTemplate="{id}")]
    public string GetById(int id)
    {
        //return by id
    }

    [WebGet(UriTemplate="{first} {last}")]
    public string GetByName(string first, string last)
    {
        //return by name
    }
}

If you do a GET on /contacts/Matt%20Phillips the second method will get invoked.

StackExchange Code Review Q#3117, answer score: 3