The Washington herald., 1913-07-26
PARKE DEFEATS
YANKEE CHAMP
Maurice Mclaughlin Loses to
English Tennis Expert IN
Challenge Round.
LARGE CROWD PRESENT
R. N. Williams, Of Philadelphia, Wins
Match from Dixon, of Great Britain,
by Score of 3 Sets to 2.
BY ANTHONY i. WELDING,
Lawn Tennis Ctannion of the World.


London, July 25-"Mr. Parke's ground
strokes beat me-" This sums up in
Maurice L. McLoughlin's own language
the grand game that opened the chal-
lenge round Of the Davis cup match be-
tween the British Isles and America.
which began at Wimbledon today.
The authenticated young Californian.
who during his stay here has become a
veritable darling of the tennis gods" by
his dashinS. play and modest manner.
put up wonderful fight in a wonderful
game and, although beaten, it was a
glorious defeat.
The lawns were in perfect condition
for the games. and hours before the time
scheduled for commencement great
crowd-over 3,0C1-filled every nook and
corner. AS many as entered were turned
away.
The games were looked on as the most
important test match in the history OF
tennis. and. truth to tell, English hopes
81 success did not run very high, as in
dictated by the betting, which was to
in favor of America.
Interest ut High Pitch.
4he present struggle for the trophy
has created degree of interest never
shown before in Great Britain. There
was n large number OF Americans in
the crowd, who rooted loudly for Their
compatriots. especially In the first few
minutes, when McLoughlin's hurricane
service touched its speed limit. As one
expert put it, lit is astonishing that hu-
man muscle can drive ball at such d
pullet pace
As the game proceeded and Park,
began to put UP a good hight the spec
| tators applauded with all the power Of
nd han nd IN n.
sportmanship OF the Americans present
let il be said that none applauded the
piucky Irishman more than they.
All through the contest. McLouGhliI
followed his service up to the net. When
ever Parke did succeed in returning the
service and then started tossing to ge'
Mclaughlin back to the baseline. Park
won the game. The American kept go
ing out for winners" while Parke was
content to wait for n favorable opening
and then kill the ball
First Set to Parke.
The first set was a terrific struggle
deuce being called four times in the
eighth game before Parke won II, max
ing the games four-all- In fact, every
game went with the service until the
eighteenth, which Mclaughlin won and
took the set, 10 to S.
The match between G. F. Dixon and
II. ". Williams. Of Philadelphia, was
also a five set match, the American win
ming by , sets 10 :. Dixon il a heavy
man. and Williams, whenever opportunity
served, kept him on the run.
At the finish Dixon was thoroughly leg
weary. Afterward, in conversation with
r. ID. Wrenn, president OF the Uniteed
States National Lawn Tennis Association,
he said:
"Parke beat Mclaughlin because Nc
Loughlin's ground strokes We're weak,
while Parke was really splendid OF the
ground. McLoughlin's service was fine,
but Parke was in beautiful physical con-
ditiop, and when ii came to rallies, there
was only one man in it,
Weak on Ground shots.
w. F. Johnson, Americas reserve, gave
this criticism:
'McLOughlin's service was good. but
where he made his mistake was In not
going TO the net when once he had re-
turned to his service Still. his ground
shots We're weak, and it was this weak
ness that led to his defeat"
In speaking of Williams defeat of Dix
on, former Irish champion, Ball said:
Dixon was slower on his feet all
through than his young opponent, and,
although Dixon was a better general and
returned the service well, the American
was always quicker and danced around
him.
Dixon is a first-class player, yet his
service is so slow that a feet-footed
youngster. who is also a first-class player.
will run him out of a match at least seven
times out of ten"