Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-09

Tor the tournament, and it was at Ora feared
That il could not be held: but the ingenious
idea OF some brilliant mind saved the dsy. An
old negro farmer. with a small army of mules
AZ =; ms command lived near by, and both he and
ms mules were at once sent for. The old fellow
brought his fourteen mules to the club. and
they were turned loose upon the ouagmire of
clay and dirt They tramped and stamped over
u rom d.yhgnt until II O'Clock 81 night. and
at the end Of the third day of tramping the
Highland Country club had Is solid . piece of
ground ~ could be desired A few irregularities
on the surface were easily smoothed away and
four courts were laid out, good enough to be
used by the most exscting of lawn tennis ex-
perts.
THE TOURNAMENT
was held on Tuesday, September Is. and the
following days, and could hardly have been
greater success. Mr.. F. Mansfield. of the
Longwood cricket club, Boston; Messrs. +. v.
y. Hoppin and H. A Ditson. Of the same club;
Messrs- Ludington and Beach, of Yale univer-
sity; Mr.. Dean Miller, of New York; Mr.. F. W.
heliogg, OF New Haven; Mr.. A. W. Tones, OF
Brooklyn, and Mr. j. W. Smith were among the
entries from the north, and all of these gentle
men enjoyed the hospitality Of the club. The
most expert of their southern opponents were
Mr. A. II. 8. Post, the champion Of the South
sTn association, representing Baltimore. and
Messrs. Davidson, Woodward, McCawley, Rives,
Goodfellow, Metcalf, and Workman, all from
the District Of Columbia. There were in all
thlrty-slx contestants, making ii by far the
largest tournament ever held in the south. as
well as the greatest in interesting features. DIR.
Mclean had secured the presence Of Thomas
Pettitt, the professional champion Of the world
IN court tennis and also remarkably expert in
lawn tennis. Pettitt played two exhibition
games during the week, one with Mr. A. H. s.
Post, in which he successfully conceded odds of
nfteen, and the other with Mr.. Mansfield, to
whom he was unable to give the same odds. and
was defeated. Pettitt's game is a model Of
good form. and delighted the spectators.
SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN FORM
The play in the tournament proper demon
strated that southern form is not yet up TO
northern, for, as the contest approached the
nnal round, it was found that the four men
left to battle for the prize were all representa-
uves OF the north. They were Messrs. Mans
heid, Miller, Hoppin. and Smith The final
round was contested by Messrs. Mansfield and
Miller. aud was won easily by the former. who
thus became the second champion of the south
Tor the year 1888. In this connection a word
or TWO In praise OF young Mr.. Post is not out
OF place. Having already won the southern
championship at Baltimore. he might well have
refused to risk the loss of that honor by COM
petlng In the Country club tournament. Mr..
Post showed true spirit in preferring TO play.
and although beaten in one Of the early rounds
by Mr.. Hoppin, undoubtedly stands at the head
OF southern players.
THE SUCCESS OF Mr.. MANSFIELD
was particularly gratifying to those who have
been familiar with his undoubted skill in prac-
tee, and disappointed that he could not ex-
hIbit the same skill in tournament play. His
experience demonstrates plainly that conf
dence is most important factor i'm the sue
cess OF lawn-tennis player. Mr. Mafsfeld's
trouble has been a lack OF that factor. He has
one day played practice game Of unusual
strength and the next been beaten in a tourna-
ment by some player much his inferior in
skill. and only by reason of lack of confidence
IN his own ability. Sincere modesty such as
MIR. Mansfelds. will make a man extremely
popular among lawn-tennis players, but il NAV
De regarded as a settled fact. that when two
men, at all equal in skill, meet in a lawn tennis
contest the one who has the most thorough
confidence in his own ability to win will surely
be the victor
The double event was won BY Messrs. Mans
neid and Hoppin, but in the final round Messrs
Davidson and Metcaf, the crack Washington
team, gave good exhibition of double PLAYING
and won one set from the victors This brought
70 a close a most successful tournament and the
northern players returned to their homes with
very high opinion of southern hospitality.
A feature of the visit, which will be remem-
bered with much pleasure by all, was their call
on the President of the United States. One
morning about thirty of the players boarded a
hay-cart the property Of that .same old negro"
and drawn by two Of his mules were taken to
Washington, shown all points Of interest and.
nnally. invaded the White House where they
were presented to President Cleveland .
III. W. SLocuM JR in Otaiuo