New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-08
Defeats Walter M. Hall for
Middle States Trophy.
MATCH A GRUELLING ONE
Challenger in Great Form and
Plays the Best Game of
His Long Career.

Pluck and a tricky cut stroke carried
wallace r. Johnson through gruellins
nv. set match and into the holding Of the
Middle States singles lawn tennis cham
pionship title yesterday on the turf courts
Of the Orange Club, ct Mountain Station
~ J. In the challenge match, which
brousht m. twenty-sixth annual tourns-
ment 10 en- end, Johnson defeated Walter
Merrill Hall, the defending champion by
q score Of 1o-12, Ia, Is, 81, 6-s.
Nsve, IN Johnsons long career on the
courts has he displayed such masterfuI
control Of the ball, and he rose superior
TO Halls greatest flights of brtlliancy
The former University Of Pennsylvania
intercollegiate champion played g. game N
which court generalship and sslllul nan
ding OF the racquet were nicely plehoea'
n was necessary, tor the margin ct the
and was Of the closest, the games tally
standing at 80 TO ~, while the point totals
for the five sets was 10 to l62. BY one
Of those strange freaks Of the game john
son In the first set, In which he waged
terrific battle at the net. scored 81 points
to Halls Sc and yet lost the set
BY his victory Johnson. who has stood
as the challenger unsuccessfully before
Yesterday, takes the valuable cup. which
was first offered In 1908 and on which Ed
win P Larned has two legs and Nathaniel
w Niles and Walter 'errill Hall each one
The final round of the mixed doubles
was also decided. Mrs. B. c. Edgar and
Lindley Durham defeating Mrs r, B. Nef
and Spencer Miller, jr.. by score of S-3,
8-6, e..
The conditions were ideal for the great
match. There was no wind to speak or
and Ellis, the groundsman, had put the
turf In excellent condition, SO that there
were no bad bounds OF the ball, thing
which had been complained OF In the
matches earlier IN the week. Johnson
started of with the service. While II was
severe, Hall handled the ball easily. But
Johnson Jumped to the net for the returns
either volleying or smashing for q cross
court, never forgetting to administer an
undercut to the ball that compelled Hail
to be alert 10 the bounds.
BY pretty placing Hall led at "a. Then
Johnson worked an overwhelming net at
tack that carried three games. TO have
Hall check him and score the next, 80 that
the tally went to 6-alL By hard playing
Johnson FIVE times won the vantage game
several times at love, and was twice with
in a stroke of the set. Halls half volleys.
played with splendid freedom 70 the side
lines, always pulled the score back 70
deuce again, until on the twenty-frst game
OF the set Hall won the advantage for the
f,rst time. he took the next game on his
service and won the set
The pace had been so severe that John
son was compelled TO rest in the second.
Hail scored the first four games In row
before johnson got into the contest again
10 win the nth game That was all ne
got. for Hall was going strongly and COM
pletely outplayed his challenger as the set
ended
Al ths beginning Of the third set cham
pion and challenger began to make service
Of paramount Importance Hall stared
of with a love game, as he placed prettiiy
when Johnson sent the ball back across
the net BY careful manpuvring he man
aged 10 lead Johnson at IS and o.
when Johnson came UP TO the net reIus-
ing 70 be- dislodged, and ran on three
straight games for the set, allowing Han
only two points In the trio. That marked
the beginning OF the end. Johnson start
ed of by smothering his opponents SER
vice at the beginning Of the fourth set
Then he reeled of four games In row.
always making II impossible for the cham
MON 10 get safely to the not while he
came up and blocked of all OF Halls best
shots. The challenger IN this and the fifth
set was always in the lead, for from deep
court Hall could not handle the cut
strokes successfully and he could not get
Nd TO volley, Johnson always being In
command until the title and cup were HIS
The points by games and sets follows
yIRsT SET.
tiSIt7i4st 10
aIiittO i54aAo61 +-ss IL
SECOND SET.
w y. < i TsF $780,: ~ ~ 8
THIRD SET.
w y. Z. ' as1i'.s:: 2s:sS44GtiatS+sS !
FOURTH SET.
wy Z J G.%on....:. ) ! ! 81 +
FIFTH SET.
w I asl'.' I 9s2tss Es 8
Umpre-Robsrt Baird Ltnes-nen--J. Bmslis
Niles, Robert Miles, Graham y. Bremen, Frank
D Barlow, Stewart Brown, c. Frederick Wat
son. r.. SPENCER Miller, g., and George H.
Niles