The San Francisco call., 1904-06-20
CROWD CREETS
NEW CHAMPION
MurdOck Takes the Tennis
Laurels From J. D. Mac
Gavin in a Great Match
EXCITEMENT RUNS HIGH
Spectators ThrOng Courts
and Cheer Wildly as the
Game Wakes Interesting

A new tennis champion took his place
yesterday at the head Of the list OF
the racket wielders. Before the largest
crowd Of spectators ever gathered on
the California Club courts, Percy Muir
dock Of Alameda, the challenger,
wrested the championship from J.
Drummond MacGavin, the holder of
the trophy and title for the past year.
Murdock won decisively and on his
merits, taking three sets out of four.
The spectators saw some good tennis,
though both players were somewhat
OvercaUtious. This detracted from
MacGavin's game, as he is spectacular
when at his best at driving and smash
ing The match was closer than the
figures Of the score indicate, as every
point was stubbornly contested, many
OF the games seesawing from deuce TO
vantage and back again repeatedly be-
fore either player could win. The spec
Iators followed the play with great in
terest. Excitement ran high and con-
/ tlnued throughout the match, and the
applause was frequent and impartial.
Murdock proved his right TO the
championship by strong, consistent
skillful play throughout the tourna-
ment. he was not fortunate in the
drawing. having TO fight his way from
The preliminaries TO the position of
challenger against a succession of the
strongest players Of the California and
the Park clubs He won all the way
on his merits. losing but one set in the
tournament, and but one against the
champion. He played the net game
persistently yesterday, invariably fol-
lowing UP his service. Few players
have shown more brilliantly at the net
than he did. His volleying of Mac
Gavin's lightning drives and his cross
court strokes have seldom been excel
led
MacGavin. on the other hand. affect
ed the back court, seldom going up to
the net. and probably his defeat was
largely due 10 this, though few men
could have beaten Murdocks net play.
Murdock started out 10 make d run
away match of il. running the score
up 10 81 before MacGavin shook OF
the listless style of play with which
he started. When his opponent needed
but one point TO win the first set he
seemed 10 awake to the situation, and
by eXerting himself retrieved that
game and took the next, making the
score 5-3, and arOusing the hopes of his
friends. Murdoch put an end to this
brief rally by taking the next game
handily, and with il the set. The fol-
lowing is tAe complete score: 6-3, 6-S,
Ga. 6-3
Thus ended the second annual COM
petition for the handsome silver trophy
presented 10 the California Tennis Club
by J. D. Grant as an emblem of the
championship of San Francisco. 1t has
10 be won three times by the same
player before becoming his permanent
ly. MacGavin was the first winner
and now he hands il over TO Murdock
70 retain for one year, and longer if
he can
Outside Of the championship match
there was but little play yesterday
Following are the scores of the prac-
tice matches Of the day: c. J. Smith
and c. g. Kuehn beat Clarence Griffin
and James A Code g. Ga 81; H
Spring beat r. p Robbins 6-3: H
Haight beat NJ. Long 6-3. Ga, 7-5; NJ.
Johnson beat G. G. Kuehn rs. 60.