New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-18
NEWPORT THE MECCA
Many Favorites in AII-ComerS'
Lawn Tennis Tourney.
CALIF0RNIANS OFF FORM
Niles, Behr and Johnson Give
Promise of Showing Up
in Long Grind.

ih Lung vi iuu'
Not in many years has the national all
corners lawn tennis championship tour
nament which begins on the turf courts
Of the Casino. at Newport. tomorrow
morning presented the uncertainty which
surrounds the deciding Of The titles IN
both the singles and doubles this season.
The new rule which compels the cham
pion TO play through from tie opening
round marks the passing OF William 4.
Larncd seven times holder OF the ma
tonal honors. He failed even to enter
There arc $50 aspirants FOR the uuc q
less than there were last year.
II must be admitted that while q num-
Der OF promising players will be strong
contenders for the honors. at their best
they are hardly ny 90 the old Larncd
standard. Altogether IL has been aea-
son Of in and out performances. which is
likely TO continue with startling reversals
as the wielders OF the racque, work their
way through the rounds on the plciu-
rescue courts OF the Casino this week in
the thirty second annual deciding OF the
championships.
Up 20 this week there had been a prcva-
lent impression that this was 20 be the
year OF the Callfornlaus triumph The
matches at Southampton. however. re-
vealed both Maurice T. Mclaughlin and
Thomas G. Bundy rs being inclined TO go
c4a al ia A.
Club tournament they had an uubrokcn
line Of Victories. most wonderful per
Torrance, and one that was I'm keeping
with the form that each had shown ia
previous appearances IN the East Only
the great Malcolm u. Whitman j. known
10 have survived and held his own through
Two months Of continuous tournament
competition. That f. prac .ically what the
two leading Californians have passed
through on their way 10 Southampton.
Mclaughlin appears to have sacrificed the
tremendous smashing game. by which he
formerly swept his opponents before him.
for uncertain driving and volleying His
overhead strokes during his appearances
at Southampton possessed everything but
that all-important feature-certalnty OF
direction. Much OF the time Mclaughlin
hi, the ball as II no rcckOned littlc OF
where It was to land. Then in his final
Of the New York State against Richard
Norris williams the great Californian
failed utterly on position play. ana once
the youth had his game going McLough-
lin was outplayed In a sensational man
ncr.
These things have cause McLoughlin's
stock TO drop considerably. Then. too.
Nathaniel W. Niles in the last two weeks
IN a manner which makes his playing
ANYTHING but convincing as possibility
for the national championship. where the
grind of the tournament with large
.rtrv list wears down player In nerves
AS well az physically before he reaches
the finals. Whether the two as the Pa
ci0c Coast chalrngers for the national
doubles championship can surpass Ray
nnonJ - Little and Gustave +. Touchard,
the defending pair, Is extremely probe
,,,ticaI Internationally the champions
have not displayed the strength which
wonld make it appear that they were
ukolv TO retain their titles In nara
fought malCn. Suil iHe wv nav '''
practising diligently together for the last
uo.t and II Mclaughlin and Bundy fail
% imnroye over the form displayed AT
SOUTHAMPTON the invasion OF the Call
,orrians will be turned back a. it has
been before.
Johnson. though he was beaten by
Nues Yesterday, has come back into the
,o,u, which placed him as No. on the
rational ranking list three years ago. lie
has his game going strongly and should
ho q factor I'm the deciding Of the all-com-
o,s' singles. Then Little is formidable,
although his victory In the metropolitan
o,,ampionship was his best performance.
Karl n. Behr, who defeated Williams, at
Io,ewood; Nathaniel W. Niles, the Mas
s,cbusetts state champion, and several OF
The Westerners, notably Joseph j. Arm
a,rore of Minnesota, should finish near
the finals.
Now and commodlous grandstands, OF
Itch Newport was sadly in need: a large
corns of officials which has been gathered
,opether 10y Henry W. Slocum. and the
,romises Of rapidly running OF the tour
cement will be features OF the champion
sbin meeting The outlook for one OF the
,.o,erans winning the championship is not
nright. but a victory for one OF the
.youngsters. II is conceded, VIII have
most stimulating effect upon the game.