New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-19
A LONG, LONG DAY
Of SNAPPY RACQUETS
Mccormick BIights Hopes OF
Sands in First Round
of Tourney.
PELL DOES SAME FOR CRANE
Defeat of Former Champion
Comes as Surprise
Thorne Humbles W.
P. Burden.
PELL DOES SAME FOR CRANE

Harold f.. Mccormick and George \.
Thornc came out OF the West and Won
imprcssively in the first round OF the na-
tional racquets championship tournament
in the court OF tne Racquet and TENNIS
Club. In West i3d street. yesterday. on
the other hand a pair of crstwhile title
holders-Joshua Crane. jr.. OF Boston, ana
Charles r.. Sands. Of the local club-were
brushed aside. Crane succumbing 10
Clarence T.. Pel who learned his game
while student at Harvard. and Sands
willing completely under the mssterful
attack of Mccormick
Other winners OF the first round were
stenley G. Mortimer, jr.. of Tuxedo. who
scored at the expense of j. ". Prentlss'
though the local man hung on stubbornly
for 1--WE games, and Hugh d. Scott, the
rotund Boston player, who was welding
a racquet before some OF the younger set
playing now had seen the light Of day
Because OF the large entry 1t was neces-
sary to call the first pair Mortimer and
Prentiss. to the court at $50 o'clock In the
morning and thereafter the ping OF the
little leather bail as It ricocheted from
wall 70 wall and the cry OF the marker
were heard without cessation until late
in the afternoon. In fact, had ii not been
FOR two unexpected defaults the commit
tee. Of which ". S. Patton IL chairman,
would have had trouble cleaning the slate
before dark.
Easily the shortest match OF the five
played resulted from the meeting OF Nc
Cormick and Sands There have been
times when the last named has furnished
racquets that compare favorably with the
best in amateur ranks. Sands, however,
as he SAYS each year rs not as young as
he used TO be-" and failed utterly 10 do
himself justice at any stage OF the match.
and as Mccormick played at the top OF
his game there could be only one result.
II mattered not whether the ball came
10 the fore or backhand. the winner OF
the recen. Gold Racquet tournament at
Tuxedo rarely failed TO drive IL back with
speed that sizzled. and as the match pro-
crossed McCorrnicks placing became even
more bewildcring.
After winning the first game, 10 10 s.
Mccormick rushed through the second.
showing his opponent no quarter. Only
I've hands were required for Mccormick
TO corral the necessary fifteen aces. his
opponent, being blanked the while. The
match was practically clinched when Nc
Cormick continued his hand TO start the
third game. running eight more consecu-
tive points, three OF which were gathered
a,,I aarxsisa There
after Sands fought desperately. scoring
slowly but steadily until. with run OF
in the sixth hand. he brought his total
TO . lie was then only three behind his
opponent. who ran ont the game In the
seventh hand.
Something OF a surprise wa. occasioned
by the defeat OF Crane az the hands OF
been a champion az both racquets and
court tennis. played his usual heady
game and after losing the first won the
second through banning cut service. The
same policy carried him successfully
through the third game. but he missed
his chance to dispose OF his opponent In
the next.
Scott was lucky 10 defeat Hcckscher. es-
pecisily after the latter had placed the
first two games 20 his credit scott. how
,, ever hit the ball hard. and with constant
harnmering and def placing wore his op.
porent down in the end. The decisive
game. however hung in doubt until the
end. Scott winning 81 IS To Is after set 10
The summary follows:
National championship ,arst round STANLEY
o. Mortimer. Tuxedo. beat !. ". Pfentis-. New
York, tS-S. L. Is. Il II. l3-3. i1-"; II. D.
scott. Boston. beat George NJ iieekscher TUX
edo SIS, ID I5-S t6--ti. iS-15: George
A Thorne Chicago. beat William r. Burden
New York. i5s. l2-i5 l5-5. Is: Law
renee Waterbury. New York beat ErsHin'
Hewitt Tuxedo by default Harold !. No
corInck. Chicago beat Charles T.. Sands. New
York. i5-d. 30. l5-9: Grenvi!le Clark. New
York. beat W smith. Montreal. b. default
Clarence g. Pell, Tuxedo beat Joshua Crane.
Boston 15-s. s-l5. io-i5. l5-ll. Is.