The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-08-19
DAkoIANs CHAMPS

Championship and Brans0n Is
Defeated in Singles.
Sunday morning Ray L.. Branson,
of tlis city, played the championship
single match in the Tri-State tennis
tournament at Sioux City with Walter
T. nayes, of Chicago. Branson had.
made "a game fight up through the
and had defeated two of the
men who We're touted as being aspir-
ants for the championship round. His
coming up so grandly was a distinct
surprise to the Sioux City tennis fans,
who had little idea that Branson
would prove so strong, but the Mitch
ell man was in the game for all he
was worth and he played the game of
his life. After Branson had worked
up to tie championship round the
Sioux C5fvans commenced to take
notice the young South Dakota
playe1 accorded him some of the.
DELAYED credit for lis meritorious per
formances.
The championship round was play
ed Sunday morning, but it was prac-
tically conceded that Hayes would
win the match, which he did by
score of rs, rs, SO. Branson made
a magnificent showing against the
Chicago man, Notwithstanding he
allied to win a set.
The Doubles Match.
The championship doubles was
played Saturday afternoon between
Branson and Barton and Hayes and
Blatherwick, and here Is where the
South Dakota boys made a fine record
and carried of the highest honors in
that part of the tournament. Bran
son and Barton have played very lit
tie together, in fact, we doubt If they
played together before they went to
Sious City. Mitchell and Sioux Falls
are both entitled to distinction In the
winning Of the championship round.
The Sioux City Journal gives the fol-
lowing account of the doubles match:
After a gallant fight in which four
sets were necessary to decide the
title, John Barton. of Sioux Falls,
and Ray Branson of Mitchell, OF the
doubles play in the eleventh annual
stri-state tennis tournament on the
courts of the Sioux City Boat club
yesterday, defeating Walter Hayes,
present singles champion. and doc
Blatherwick OF Nashua.
The play was the most. spectacular
of the meeting. and although the
South Dakotans seemed to outclass
|their opponents in team work, Hayes
and Blatherwick put up q marvellous
game Of Individual playing and were
downed only after q struggle that will
long be remembered here.
Barton and Branson started out in
la manner that Indicated there would
Ibe little evenness of play, winning
the first four games in succession and
seeming to play all around their op-
|pcnents. Hayes and BlatherwicA
LANDED the fifth game of the set and
the South Dakotans took the next
making the score 81, but their op-
Iponents landed the next, playing q
much better game. They were unable
Ito stop the winning streak of the
South Dakotans, who carried OF the
set by a 6 to 8 CORE.
Opponents Are Outclassed.
still holding to their wonderful
playing and outclassing their oppon'
ents in ever department. Of the doub
lies game, Barton and Branson woI
the second set Of the match by ;
closer score Of 6 to 4. The Haye'
Blatherwick team seemed to hav,
struck the stride which carried 1t I.
the finals in last years tournament
but the others were playing a gam.
hard to beat. The set was lost ate
la hard uphill struggle.
The third set was an exact reverse
of the others, Barton and Branson be
ling unable to place their shots or Z
keep up with their opponents, beiri
'|outcsassed badly and losing the sc
by the one-sided score Of 6-1. Wit
a score In sets Of 2-1 and defeat star
ing them in the face Hayes and Blatf
erwick went Into the fourth set Of til
match with a Will, but the South Da
kota team was not tosbe downed an
captured the first three games, Will
their opponents seemed unable I
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