Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-21
TENNIS TOURNAMENT OPENS
Kreigh Collins, Wizard Of the West, Leads
CT with Easy Victory.
scslsSLR. oMAHTs CRACK, IS OUT
Prom New Bampshire 90 Montana
Come the Patrons of the Game
at Field Cub This
Week.

Tennis has taken firm hold in Omaha
ana the efxth annual tournament of the
Middle wert was opened at the Field club
Monday morning under most favorabis
auspices with the largest number of en-
tries this classic has ever had and coming
from all parts of the United states. While
most of the forenoon and afternoon was
used in cutting out some of the lesser
lights by means of the first and second
rounds, still some good tennis was played
and was watched by a good sized gallery
from the club house porches.
BY far the most interesting match of
the first day was that between Scribner
end DIR. Blatherwick. Each had won in
the frst round by default and the match
was in the second round. Scribner started
out like a three-time winner and put the
doctor out fast In the first set, the score of
which was 6 to 2, Scribner won the
nrst three games of the second set when
the doctor braced at the same time when
Scribner seemed to tire and won the set
s-9. Scribner was all in on the third set
and could not rally so the doctor with his
double cross action won with ease. The
double. hand work OF the doctor is most
bewildering, When he changes hands TO
return some hard drive his opponent is
led to think, the ball will be cross fire
whereas 1t shoots straight back.
~ Collins Opens II. -.
The FIRST match was called at just IL
o'clock and was between Kreigh Collins
and A. Sherman. Considerable delay was
experienced in marking of the courts, but
when this was done the games were played
% fast. The entries from out of the
city were most encouraging TO the pro-
were sent in from ali over the country
than ever before.
Wind Checks Speed.
A strong wind from the southwest made
fast tennis impossible and also made 1t
hard for the laborers to mark out the
courts with the dry lime. The tennis COM
mittee had everything well in hand and the,
events were sent off according to schedule.
All the old fayorites spent the forenoon,
when not engaged in playing, in renew
ing, acquaintance, and all expressed them
selves as glad of opportunity to return
again to enjoy the hospitality of the Field
club.
Friends Of members are invited by the
directors Of the Field club to witness the
matches. and the wide porches of the club
house will be given to the use of spec
tators until they will hold no more, when
the lawns can be used. Plenty of tennis
enthusiasts In Omaha would like an OPP
portunity. to see Kreigh Collins and Hayes
and some of the other sharks in action,
and the Field club wishes all such to come.
Kreigh Collins has been here for two
days trying out the courts. As he has
not played at the time of writing the only
features noticeable to the naked eye and
which has attracted the most attention
TO. date are his London shoes. They have
air cushions on the bottom which give
him a bound in the. air IL the ball tries to
go over his head and are as effioacious as
the rubber arms that Home Hun Ifaggerty
tells about, He Is generally picked as the
winner Of the Middle West. Collins was
slightly ont OF form this spring and went
east to practice. He is player OF ma
tional reputation and was a member of the
International team which went to England
In June. He was matched for his first
bout against A Sherman OF Kansas City.
Collins did not have to exert himself to
cleanup Sherman. who was outclassed.
His First visit to West
This is Collins first try in the west, as
he has confined his operations heretofore
to the east and Chicago. where all tourna-
ment. courts are sod He has reached the
semi-fbals several times in the national
tournaments, has been western champion
for the last six years and has won in
numerous other tournaments at Cincinnati.
Pittsburg. Cleveland and other cities.
When he went to the court Monday morn
ing for his game with Sherman all eyes
were Immediately conferred upon him.
The busiest men on the whole $50 acres
OF the Field club grounds were Conrad
Young. chairman of the tournament com
NHrlta
meet. These had TO answer thousands of
questions. as well as assign all the players
to the proper. courts and lockers. The
matches will be two out of three to the
semi finals, and these and the finals will
be three out Of five
The drawings for the doubles were
made last evening at the Field club and
play will start on these Tuesday morning.
Walter T. Hayes, the present middle
west champion, is on hand to defend his
title. being compelled to play with the
winner of the tournament or forfeit
Hayes has been playing considerably this
spring and summer, last week winning the
title OF champion In the Trl-state singles
played at Sioux City. He and DR.. Blather-
wick. the ambidextrous player who always
attracts so much attention. won the dou-
bles last week at Sioux City. and they
made try i'm the Chicago Western tourn-
ament, but, not being used to the grass
courts he was put out by Byford. Hayes
Is playing much faster than he was last
year and is expected to be a surprise to
some of the eastern cracks. as he was
Last scar
Rerry of Crete, Nebraska.
A noted athlete In attendance at the
tournament is Charles B. Perry Of Crete,
Neb. Mr.. Perry has been engaged In all
sorts OF athletics since a mere child and
last year was left end and manager OF
Doane Colleges famous football team. He
has taken a week off from his arduous
labors to play a little tennis and the boys
of Saline county are looking for Mr.. Perry
togo well Down the line in the tournament
II he can play tennis as well as he car
play football and baseball some OF these
boys will have to look to their laurels
0alesbure is represented by Holland
sanderson and Fletcher. all OF whom have
been here before. They have all played in
both doubles and singles and all have taker
home trophies from the Middle West tour.
naments. sanderson is the oldest IN years
OF experience OF the trio and has been play.
ing the game for just twenty-seven years