New-York tribune., 1908-08-17
COMMENT on SPORTS
NFU D4FLS cup Plans.
S Soortsmanlike fiction Of England an
Sending Team to 1mcrlca.

American athletes who have at various times
and in various sports met British opponents.
Therefore il IS most pleasant to nave to write
of the thoroughly sportspaanlike attitude OF the
English lawn tennis authorities who have are
ranged with tie United States Lawn Tennis
Association that the preliminary matches i"r
the Davis Cup shall be played here The ae-
tion would be a graceful one in any event. but
there are circumstances which make Il the
more so EngIan.i as compelled TO send team
which does not include either Of the DohertEs
A w. Gore or Mr Eoper-B2rTett. and the team
that viii be sent can hardly hope to make more
than creditahle showing against either Amer
lea or Australia. match for the Davis cup
became a certainty some time ago when bo'n
England and America decided to enter the
,o,o,,atition hut The prospects of American sue
cess are greatly increased by the decision 70
rlsv for the right to challenge the Australasi-
ens here although it must not be forgotten
that the Antipodes may shelter players OF
calibre equal to that shown by Messrs Br"okes
and E5ldiag. who have not Vet been able to
take part in international matches.
The ewes of the lawn tennis world turn this
week TO Newport. where the national tourha-
rnent will hold the Casino courts II viii be
begun tomorrow with the challenge r'uhd oI
re doubles competition. in which Beals c.
x~rest from Frederick r Alexander and Harold
Hackett the title won a year ago. Wright and
little have shown brilliant form all season.
They had to play hard and well 10 win the
Eastern championship at Longwood. and there
was more hard work on the courts OF the
Crescent A c last week when they won the
right 10 challenge the present champions py
beating Whitehead and Winston, the Southern
title holders and Waidner and Emerson the
best pair Of the West. in excellent matches
There should be a match worth going tar To
see tomorrow. and if a prediction were vent
ured it would indicate The success Of the chai-
lengers after hard fight
With the doubles title out Of the way. the
fight for the American championship in singles
win begin. II is years since there has been so
good an entry and splendid lawn tennis should
mark the play every day Beals c NrlshI
and William J. Clothier. former national cham
pions. viii certainly figure in the play Wright
has played brilliantly all summer and no one
takes his defeat by Little at Longwood very
seriously Clothier has not played up to the
top of his very good form. and his victory IN
The usuallv important Meadow Club tourna-
ulent at Southampton last week must be dis
counted by the fact that the field was not
bv anv means up TO the Southampton average.
He was lucky 10 WIN his semi-final match, and
Robert LEROY. the runner ur is not player
o. championship calibre. Probably Raymond
d Little and T r. Alexander stand a better
chance Of coming through 70 the final than
Clothier Waiting for the challenger, when ne
shall have been determined. viii he William
A Iarned the three-time champion Larned
ofsposed of Little with ridiculous ease at Long
wood and this seems to be one OF his good
seasons, although he has had his erratlc mo-
ynen+s as usual If the champion is on his
fc 1l,a91I
man who stands much chance Of beating him,
snd there IS q strong probability that the vet
eran will become champion for the fourth time
The tournament viii probably enable the United
States Lawn Tennis Association TO pick Davis
Cup team without further delay. and perhaps
a prediction that il viii consist Of Wright,
little Alexander and. if he can make the trip.
Iarned. may be hazarded.
II is cheering 10 note that the Philadelphia
cricket eleven which Is now in England is
finding no occasion TO complain Of British
craftsmanship even if it is not winning many
games At that. il has made a creditable rec
ord. for il followed up two Irish victories by
defeating a strong and wei balanced NJ. c. c.
eleven last week The members Of the team
were entertained at dinner a couple Of weeks
ago by the Surrey Cricket Club, and among the
many pleasant things said hy the hosts was
remark by that splendid sportsman Lord Dal-
renv, the Surrey captain. He said he hoped
and believed that the time would soon come
when America might send an eleven to Eng
land strong enough to meet all England in test
matches. as Australia and South Africa have
mustered the strength to do although their
beginnings We're by no means a promising as IS
the present condition of cricket in America.
TT rUHi III v-0D he
Ne-y York TO Paris is hack in New York with
fts piucky crew, and was greeted cordially
es il deserved to be The cars in the race met
every sort Of test successfully as did the men
who drove them. and the value and resources
of The automobile have again been splendidly
demonstrated
The annual cruise of the New York Yacht
Club was brought TO a fitting climax al Marble
head on Saturday. when the Queen and the
Avenger added new victories TO the long list
they had obtained in the ten days trip. The
cruise this year was the most ambitious, as it
was the most successful Of all in recent years,
and there could probably be no healthier sign
OF the revival of confidence Commodore Van
derbilt is entitled 70 the heartiest praise and
the warnest congratulations for his successful
con Iuct of the cruise despite the many predic-
tions OF failure
Travers island viii be the Mecca u track
and neld athletes on September 1S and 10. when
the 5unior ard senior national championships
viii be decided Many a record should go. and
the sport is sure TO be os the best There are
new stars TO be recokoaed with since last year
and they will be watched with interest Smith
son it IS "a be hoped. viii stay in the East
and repeat his amazing feat in the Olympic
hurdle race: Rector VA have a chance TO prove