The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-29
Local Tennis
Players'W
A Revelation
McLOughIfn and Long Should
Prove a Strong Team to
Send TO Australia
By GRANT SMITH

1oubles championship OF the United
states. their showing against the best
players in the east is something to be
proud Of. The high regard in which
hey are held by the fasteners was
proved when the announcement was
made Thursday that Maurice McLough-
lin and Melville Long both of San
Francisco. would represent the United
states in the international matches in
Australia should this country qualify
by putting the English experts out of
The running.
This certainly is heaping honors on
couple Of youngsters. neither one of
whom is old enough to vote. McLough-
lin is stfll in his teens and has not
graduated from high school yet Long.
who is a year or two older, is a student
at the University Of California. Their
gentlemanly conduct on the courts.
coupled with their remarkable speed
and cleverness. has made them prime
favorites in the east and has resulted
in their being invited TO stop over until
after the international preliminaries
between the American and British play
ers.
Had either Long or Mclaughlin won
the national singles he would have
played at Germantown on the 10th-
nth and 18th OF next month on the
American team. The Americans who
VIII oppose the British players are w.
A Larned. W. J. ClOthier, F. B. Alex
ander and H H. Hackett. The British
representatives are Gore, Estcombe and
Crawley. AS none of the four Amer
leans viii be able TO go to Australia
the national association decided that
Long and Mclaughlin would be the
strongest team that could be sent from
this country. This is certainly a high
triblte 10 the tennis played by the
two Californians.
While il is a great undertaking to
put up TO two youngsters with their
limited experience, Long and McLough-
lin can be relied upon to make q great
effort 10 bring back the Davis cup and
the worlds championship TO this
county.
Last year Beals Wright and F. B.
Alexander. after beating the British
champions. crossed the ocean and met
Brooks and Wilding. the Australian
champions and holders OF the Davis
cup The Americans made a great bid
Tor il. but fell short by q narrow mar
gin They split even in the singles,
and the doubles went to the Australians
after a five set match.
Il is expected the Australians viii be
taken OF their guard when they go up
against the terrific speed Of the Cali
fOrnians. OF course, this is counting
The British team out Of il, but there is
every reason TO believe that the Aneri
cans viii qualify with the team they
are entering The eastern champions
al rely more upon accuracy than upon
speed, and for this reason the hard
hitting. open game played by the Cali
fornians ought TO prove most effective.
While Long and Mclaughlin viii no
doubt lack team work when they hook
up in doubles, it is expected they will
-1,s~ lon
than James and Mclaughlin. James has
always been the weak sister Of the
team. and while he has at times per-
formed brilliantly. he has been erratic.
James service, particularly his second
service. has always been weak while
Longs service when il is working
right is rauch more effective. James
has also heen weak on ground strokes.
while Long is particularly strong in
the back court. AS Gardner. who has
been Longs partner in doubles for
ears is, now located in the east. il is
more than likely Long and Mclaughlin
will play together IN the future, par
ticuIarIy should they prove successful
Ia Australia James and Mclaughlin
have been strong enough TO hold the
coast championship for three years. but
they would hardly do in a worlds
cha mpionship match.
While the California players failed
to win the national singles tournament
they took two out Of the four seminal
places Bundy. the southerR Califor-
MIA champion. IS deserving of great
praise for his showing against Cloth
Ter. who had a most strenuous time
beating the Los Angeles player in the
semifnals-
McIIoughlin made a wonderful show
ing against Ciothier in the finals and
might have won out but for poor UNI
pirlng and lining. According TO press
dispatches he was given the worst Of
il in decisions repeatedly. and as the
match was an exceedingly tight fit a
few decisions would have decided
bearing on the outcome.
The match between Long and Nc
IOughlin last Saturday was pro-
nounced the best OF the tournament,
and one Of the best seen in the east
in years They had the spectators on
their feet yelling repeatedly. The two
Californisns were very much surprised
10 be invited TO play the champion
ship court This court. according 10 a
letter written by Mclaughlin to rela-
ffves here is cared for like a crown
prince. and used only on state occa-
sions The Californians showed that
they appreciated the honor conferred
upon them by putting up a most spec
tacular match Mclaughlin nosed his
teammate out. the fifth and deciding
set going to 1O-s. Mclaughlin simply
duplicated his performance in the finals
Of the northwestern championship,
when he beat Long out by just about
as narrow a margin
While the Californians failed 70 win
the national title they viii not return
empty handed. They won the north
western singles. the western singles
and doubles and also the national pre-
liulinary doubles. Besides all this Nc
T.oughlin reached the finals of the ma
sional singles and Bundy the semi
<nals. The Californians now in the
asst gained recognition for this part
II the country and put California on
ssie tennis map. Miss May Sutton. by
~ king the national and worlds cham
-tonship and Miss Hotchkiss, by win
.Ing the former title this year. proved
he superiority OF the California women
,,iavers While the men fell a little
short OF this they at least earned the
,ght 10 rank IN the first flight.
While the absence of Long and Nc
.,oughIin in the east will make it i'm
aossible for them TO play in the. coast
singles tournament at Del Monte next
.,onth the fans here viii forget their
disappointment in view Of the fact
fsat the Californians may participate
a the worlds championship tourna-
snent with Long and Mclaughlin
away a new champion will be devel-