Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
RAISING A RACQUET.
The Pittsburg Lawn Tennis Club
Gaily Urges on the Flying Ball.
pITTSBURG THRASHEs ALTOONA.
ALI the Matches HOtly Contested in Pres
ence of Big Crowd.
THE MINOR GAMES WERE WE'LL PLAYED

The Pittsburg Lawn Tennis Clubs tour
nament began yesterday. on the Center
avenue grou nds, in the presence of quite a
crowd of spectators. The play was uniform
ly good, and some of the games highly in
teresting.
The most notable contest was that between
the Pittsburg champions, s. A. Moorhead
and R. R. Reed, and the chosen of Altoona,
Messrs. Buch and WheIan. The first
set was fiercely contested, and for time
wavered between the combatants. At one
moment it seemed as though Whelan's deft
backhand volleys and Busl's mighty nerve
were about to carry off the victory; at an
other the Lawford-like, if somewhat
acknowledging, play of Moorhead and the
steady strokes of Reed appeared to compel
success Each side carried off five games
and started in to decide the SET Both won
vantage games in turn, and in the excite
ment the play became bit loose. However,
it soon picked up, and after rally worthy
of Renshaw, between Whelan and Moor
head, the games stood toS.
The next game was sharply played
throughout, and finally ended in favor of
Reed and Moorhead, as also did the final
game, giving the first set to the Pitts
burgers.
A TRIUMPH FOR ALTOONA.
The second set, from start to finish, was a
triumph for the Altoona men. Game after
game was won, until, at 1-5, Moorhead be-
gan to serve, and raised the score to 25.
However, Buch's slashing service in the
next game destroyed the rising hopes of
Pittsburg, and won the set. Score one set
all Dead silence now fell over the field,
and even the gaily apparalled youths who,
all the afternoon, could not resist the tempta-
tiOn of displaying their grace and skill be-
fore the admiring eyes OF attentive beauty,
now threw aside their racquets and hastened
to witness the exciting struggle. Although
the majority of the spectators appeared to
be partisans of the Pittsburg pair, yet they
were very generous in bestowing merited
applause upon their heroes rivals.
Reed opened the service. and the first
game fell to Pittsburg. On the principle of
'turn about" being "tair play, Altoona won
the next; and so the fight ragged until the
one expected another case of deuce games,
but the chances of war decided otherwise
Suddenly the Pittsburgers summoned up all
their remaining strength, and won all be-
fore them. A fatal miss of Whelan decided
the battle, and the home team were declared
victors by 2 sets to 1. Loud applause
greeted the conclusion of the, game, which
decides the superiority of the Pittsburg
club over that of Altoona.
A GOOD MINOR GAME.
Another really good game was played be-
tween NJ Christy and G. Woods, of Sc
wickley and two other Pittsburg racqueteers,
Messrs Barr and Painter. The Pittsburg-
ers got ''whopping" in this case.
The score of tournaments for doubles ran
as follows:
In the preliminary round there were two
matches Painter and Barr defeated Coster
and Hall 90, S-6, 7-5, and Reed and Moorhead
defeated Porter and Childs 6-3. 81
This left eight pairs of contestants for the
first round.
Christy and Woods defeated Osborn and
Fainter and Barr defeated Reed and Matson,
i63, 63
! Reed and Moorhead defeated Landsdale and
Buch and Whelen defeated Kelley and
The two matches of the second round were
won as follows:
Christy and Woods defeared Barr and
Painter-6-1, SO 64.
Reed and Moorhead defeated Buch and
Whelan-10-S, 2-G, Ga.
The surviving pairs are now ChristY and
Woods, of Sewickley, and Reed and Moor
head, of Pittsburg. The championship
game between them will come off first thing
to day.
One single game was played yesterday,
between Baird Reed and Wray. the latter
winning by 6-3 and Ga. The day was e1-
tremely fine, and the courts in splendid
order. Great things are expected for to-day.