Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-18
Annual Matches of the Southern
Tennis Association.
LARGE LIST OF ENTRIES Is EXPECTED
Post and Davidson Among the
Cracks to Take Part.
YEARS FIRST BIG EVENT


Southern Lawn Tennis Association begins
tomorrow afternoon at o'clock, and prom
ises to be one of the best ever held by the
association. The entries are expected to be
larger than ever before, including a larger
number of players from the north and east
than at any previous event. The entries
are not scheduled to close until tonight, and
large number of additional applications
are expected before the closing time ar
riveS
The drawings for the matches will be
held this evening at o'clock. In addition
to assigning the various players, the COM
mittee in charge Of the tournament will
also close up all minor details, leaving
nothing undone that will tend to make the
event one of the most notable in the his
tory of the Southern Lawn Tennis Associa-
ton. A gross Of excellent tennis balls have
been received. the donation of Wright &
Ditson of Boston.
Last year the tournament of the associa-
tion was held at Baltimore but this year
washington Is honored with the presence
VI the celebrated tennis cracks of the coun-
Try. large delegation of Baltimore play
ers can De expected, some to participate in
the tournament and others to cheer them.
another important factor in the tourna-
ment this year will be the advent of ths
tennis players of Georgetown University
Inc presence of the students Is expected TO
nave a material effect upon the general
paying OF the tournament. For some time
the young men Of the university have been
IN daily practice preparing for the coming
games. About ten persons will be placed to
compete in the match-Driscoll, McMahony
Cover, Egan, Dugan and Tobin being the
most promising. The Georgetown players
VIII nave some advantage, inasmuch as they
have dirt courts of their own upon which
10 practice, and this will count for some
thing III the tournament.
II mas been only of late years that the
association permitted other than residents
OF the south to participate in the champion
snip games, but this has been done to give
larger list Of entries, which would virtually
Insure better playing. This has had a good
erect and the tournaments since the
change have been attended by he best
players In the country. The New York
ana Now England representation in the
tournament. which begins tomorrow, is
expected to be larger than ever.
Inc tile OF champion of the south is
row held by A. H. S. Post of Baltimore
association. He is a comparatively Young
man, being about twentyseven years Of
age. bur cracking good player. He is
what is known as ret player, standing
altogether close to the net. He can make
some phenomenal returns of the tremen-
dous drives of his opponents and his
sn ashing Is about near perfect as it Is
possible to be: On ground strokes, how
ever, his playing Is orly fair. He cannot
handle the ball when swerved below the
waist Anything above the shoulder he
can get at with remarkable quickness,
and his work in this direction is excel
lent. His style of playing is we'll suited
to grass court, but is somewhat different
on dirt court. Post will not defend the
honor in the tournament this year. and it
may lie that he Is slightly afraid to play
on the dirt courts Of the Bachelors Club
Outside of winning the championship
this year he has held the honor several
times before He first became the cham
pion of the south in 1889, when he was
only nineteen years of age. He won it in
1880. and in 1891 he defended the title sue
cessfully. For the following four years he
did not ehter, and last year he only joined
In to fill out the list of entries there being
fifteen smes on the list necessitating
either al other man or the dropping out
Of one of the entrants. He played in good
style and finally won out defeating John
Davidson, the local champion. only by one
point.
John Davidson, the local champion, stands
excellent chance of winning the cham
picnship this year. and should he play in
the form he did last year he will walk
away with the championship trophy. He
has met most of the players in the tourney
ard defeated most of the prominent men.
Last year he was badly Handicapped when
he played for the championship. The
weather was extremely warm, and he had
played four sets, which fatigued him great
ly. Post was fresh and yet had a hard tus-
sic to win the honor.
Mr.. Davidson was born in Maryland lust
outside the District line, and is but little
over thirty years Of age. He has been play
Ing tennis for the past fifteen years, from
the time he was a boy at college. He was
actively engaged in helping to organize the
Southern Lawn Tennis Association and
helped to arrange for the first tournament
which was held in this city on the courts
at the marine barracks. He has played In
all Of the championship events, and, while
he has never won the championship he al
Ia
or the semi-fnals
For the past five years Mr.. Davidson has
of the District. He has won one prize by
holding the championship for three con-
secutive years, and should he secure the
championship again this year he will be
entitled to the beautiful loving cup which
Is the championship trophy.
The characteristics of Mr.. Davidson's
playing are the long sweeps Of the racquet
upper stroke. He handles his racquet more
at arms length than any other local player
His accuracy In scoring points by his side
line playing Is phenomenal. Though he has
been practicing good deal of late, his
playing Is not quite up to standard. though
Mr.. Davidson says he feels better than he
ever did for tennis playing.
According to the official ranking of the
fifty-sx American experts. Davidson is
placed away down in class eight, while A.
H. s. Post is placed in class six, two
grades higher. Their rating is regarded as
ject Of much criticism. According to an
II terview published recently in New York
newspaper, over the unjustness of the rat
Ing. tennis expert of that city is credited
with saying: In my opinion Davidson
would prove the strongest man of the
whole f1fty-six ranked. If a handicap tour
rament were held at the beginning Of the
season at the odds assigned in the official
ranking"
AS the tournament tomorrow is the first
big tennis event OF the season in the coun-
try, 1t will be an extra inducement for the
tennis players who will endeavor to get on
their tennis legs" for the events which
come Immediately after, the next great
tournament being the playing for the cham
pionship of the middle states, which will be
held at Orange. N. j.. June TO-
Fort Myer-Chevy Chase Polo Game.
The Fort Myer and the Chevy Chase polo
teams played close and exciting game
Saturday at Chevy Chase, the original five
innings resulting in q tie, each team having