Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-18
BANNER YEAR IN
COAST TENNIS
RESUME SHOWS GOOD WORK
BY WESTERNERS
TEAMS TO BE SENT EAST HAVE
GOOD CHANCE
Work of Miss Hazel Hotchkiss and
Maurice Mclaughlin, Coast Cham
plon, Has Aroused General In.
terest Among Players

This is unquestionably the banner
year for tennis, at least so far as the
Pacific coast is concerned. Not since
the early nlneties, when William Gay
lor was the undefeated champion and
the game was socletys favorite pas
time, has the sport been so popular.
The presence of Miss May Sutton of
Pasadena at San Rafael, the success
of Miss Hazel Hotckkiss, the Berkeley
girl, at Philadelphia, where she won
the national women's singles title, and
the prospective invasion of the east by
the six cleverest players on the coast
in quest of the highest honors. are the
reasons for the games wonderful
strides this year.
Several of the best players of the
Pacific contest have departed for the
east to participate in the tournaments
for the western and national cham
pionships Thomas Bundy and Simp-
son Sinsabaugh of Los Angeles, Maui
rice Mclaughlin, George James, Mel
vile Long and Carl Gardner of San
Francisco are in the list.
On q number of occasions in the past
players from this state have gone east
singly and in pairs, but none of them
did anything except the Nell brothers.
who won the western championship
dl 1HltdSO dDOUl 10 ytdIS dbOs
The Hardy brothers, Sam and Sum-
mer, Alfonso Bell and Reuben Hunt
have all had a try in the east but failed
to land any of the big titles. All four
made ereditable showlngs, Summer.
Hardy and Hunt coming within an
ace of landing the western champion
ships on different occasions.
Former Work Good
Bell made good showing in the
New York state championship tour
nament, but failed to take the title.
When the Hardys. Bell and Hunt
played in the east the game was un-
doubtedly much harder than it is at
present.
Whitman, Davis, Wright and Ward
were in their prime at that time and
were much stronger players than the
present champions and members OF the
champion class.
The chances of the players who have
left for the east certainly look good
and the Los Angeles enthusiasts will
be disappointed If they fail to bring
back at least one of the titles. The
array of talent the Pacific coast Is
sending certainly looks formidable, but
ii is to be regretted that they are not
all of the best. Particularly is this the
case with coast champion Melville
Long. The latter has done nothing
year ago. The champions game proved
more effective against the visiting
easterners year ago, but unless he
shows sudden Improvement there is
no reason to expect much OF him in
the east.
Long, when in form. is undoubtedly
the best player on the coast, barring
Mclaughlin. The latter will be the
tower of strength of the invaders, both
in the singles and in the doubles, and
has chance against anybody who
plays In the game.
Mclaughlin a Conner
Most people lose sight of the fact
that Mclaughlin Is hardly more than
an interscholastic player and is still in
his teens. His rise was phenomenal,
and 1t is safe to say he has not reached
his limit. He has a beautiful style
and a variety of strokes probably the
equal Of any player on the Pacific
coast.
BY successfully defending their title
at the Long Beach tournament Nc
Laughlin and James earned the right
to represent the Pacific coast in the
national preliminary doubles which
will be played August 3 and at On
wentsia, near Chicago.
According to Miss Hotchkiss, who
has just returned from the east, Long
and Gardner would stand an excel
lent chance of winning laurels. and
she is of the opinion the Pacific coast
players are stronger than the eastern
delegation.
While 1t is not expected that the
players of the Pacific coast viii win
either the national singles or double
championship, great disappointment
will prevail among the Los Angeles
tennis players if they do not bring
home some Of the excellent trophies
that will be played for on the east
ern courts,