The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-09-11
CUP PRE-.
L|M|NAR|ES

number of followers of lawn tennis
turned out at Germantown today
to watch the opening of the Davis
cup preliminary matches. The
matches, which will continue four
days, are to decide whether an Amer
lean or British team shall go to Aus
tralia to try for the trophy.
The English team is made up of j.
c. Parke, N. c. Crawley and c. P.
Dixon. The American contestants are
w. ]. Clothier, H. H. Hackett, W.
A. Larned and r. F. Little.
Since Dwight F. Davis of St. Louis
offered the trophy which bears his
name for an international lawn tennis
match in 1900 many countries have
interested themselves in the compe-
tition. The trophy passed from Amer
lea to England and from England 20
Australia. Besides these three Bel
quinn, France and Austria challenged
lOl lAC UOWl INC idoI iii &C w Ci 2
outclassed in the attempts, none Of
their players ever having won a
match against the teams they drew.
In the eight competitions held
since it was first offered England and
America have been contenders seven
times. Australia won the trophy on
the third attempt and successfully
defended it last year.
After Mr. Davis offered the trophy
the British sent over in 1900 team
made up of A. w. Gore, E. ID. Black
ana H. Roper-Barrett. Americas play
ers were Malcolm D. Whitman, HOl-
combe Ward and the donor, Dwight
F. Davis. The Americans were vic
torious.
The year following challenge was
made by the British, but at the last
moment notice was sent that team
could not be made up. However, the
year following, 1902, the English sent
across again after the trophy. DR..
]. PIN and the Dohertys were the
challengers Reginald Doherty took
three sets and beat Larned. PIN won
a set from Whitman, but the latter
responded by defeating the British
champion of 1898 and 1894 a love
set. The other singles were played
off the same day and the cup was
won again then and there. Larned
defeated PIN and Whitman defeated
Doherty, both in straight sets. The
doubles were played and the Dohertys
gave an exhibition of their quality by
defeating Ward and Davis, the Amer
lean champions.
The fatal lawn tennis year for the
United States was 1908. At Long
wood the English renewed the strug-
gle for the bowl. They were victor
ious and returned with the coveted
trophy to England.
America did not send a team in
1904. The Belgians did and were
beaten so. The next year, 1905, was
the banner year for the cup. Owing
to the entry of SO many teams play
had to be split up. America defeated
France SO and Australia did the
same for Austria. America beat the
Antipodeans SO. The Americans
were outclassed in the final with
England Ward had to withdraw be-
cause Of a death in his family, and
Clothier, who took his place, did not
do anything in the one match he
played.
The disaster to Wright and the
poor play of Kreigh Collins, the
westerner, before the American team
left in 1906 discounted in advance
the chances of the Americans. They
were successful in the preliminaries
however, but in the finals they were
beaten by the British five straight.
The matches of 1907 resulted in a
victory for the Australians, Norman
E. Brooks and Anthony F. Wilding
who carried the trophy away from
England defeated America in 1908
Last year, at Melbourne, Brooks and
Wilding easily defeated Wright and
Alexander, the American challengers
in doubles, and Wilding defeated
Alexander in singles.
Should the Americans defeat the
British in the matches now being
played on the courts of the German
town Cricket club an American team
will sail for Australia the first week
in October to meet the holding nation
in the challenge competition for the