New-York tribune., 1913-08-16
Beat Dabney and Church After
Three Brilliant and Bitterly
Fought Sets.
REACH THE FINAL ROUND
Touchard Eliminates Behr in
Semi Finals of Singles in
Southampton Lawn
Tennis Tourney.

FuSldNe r. 4OuChdIu' IN winning a place
in the final round OF the singles. divided
the honors Of the day on the lawn tennis
courts OF the Meadow Club with John
6. Strachan and Clarence J. Griffin.
whose dashing performance in the doubles
crowned the contests as the competitors
near the end OF the great tournament. In
the semi-hnal round CT the singles Tou.
chard the Middle States champion. de-
feated Karl II. Behr. the former interna-
tional player, with surprising ease at 6-S.
IS II was a prettily fought match. al
though not at all close as the point tally
totals stood at s. to as
In the other semi-fnal match. in the
singles. William J. Clothier. the former
national champion OF 1906. and a cup win
ner here. defeated Alfred S. Dabney. the
Eastern states star after three lively
sets at SIS. SIS. 6--4. Clothier failed to
be as convincing and decisive in this
match as was expected Dabney had suf-
fered from a slight attack of blood poi
souing. which caused his right hand TO
swell. so that ne had consulted a physi-
clan. Even with this crippling him a bit
Dabney fought so gallantly as to come
within six points Of his famous rival, as
the point totals stood at los TO 102.
Strachan and Griffin. the seventeen
year-old boys who hold the Pacific Coast
doubles championship. furnished the
thrills in the afternoon session on the
courts. In the third round they defeated
Alfred s. Dabney and George NJ Church.
the latter the Princeton intercollegiate
champion. after three splenddly fought
sets. al SIS. 81. % This contest sur
passed all OF the others in point Of in
terest and attracted the largest gallery
Of the week, and the wonderful flashing
plays Of the boys as well as the playing
of Church who fairly surpassed himself,
were all literally applauded.
Strachan and Griffin by their victory
gained the semi-fnal round. where they
Will meet Thomas c. Bundy and William
" Johnston, the other California pair. to-
morrow morning The other bracket in
the final round was won by William A.
Larned and William J. Clothier, the pair
of former national champions. in the
singles. who managed to defeat Karl II.
Behr and Howard A Plummer. Yale vet
Grams al SIS. 6-1. Larned was show
ing signs Of fatigue as this match finished.
AS a spectator remarked Another set
and the grand old man would be out OF
IT," AT least Larned's condition and his
becoming winded indicated that there is
no possibility OF his playing at Newport
for the national title.
There is a marked diversity Of opinion
as TO the skill Of the players from the
Pacific Coast. This not only applies
10 Strachan and Griffin, who are much in
the eyes Of the experts Just now. as they
stand in the position Of challengers 10 Nc
Loughlin and Bundy for national honors.
but also TO Billy Johnston, whom the Eng
lish critic Z. 4. Vale proclaims the great
est lawn tennis player in the world. not
even excepting Anthony F. Wilding. Nor
man +. Brookes or Mclaughlin.
From the manner In which Strachan
and Griffin performed to-day against Dab
ney and Church. two seasoned men, it is
certain that no pair Of seventeen-year-old
wielders OF the racquet can be found In
this section Of the country who can COM
pare with them and at that Strachan is
displaying the greater skill Of the two
The boys won a total Of II games 20 IA
for their opponents and total OF 80
points TO SO.
on service Strachan made use OF fast
express and an occasional twister. which
was good for an ace. He won critical
games because he put his back into the
strokes al such times. but his tally stood
al four service games won and like num-
Der lost Griffin was the best Of the four
-. t4s
six games and lost two. Dabney Won
four and lost the same number, while
Church won four and lost three. The
order Of the service was Strachan, Dab
ney Griffin and Church. and il played an
important factor in the contest.
For once the California boys found
some one who could outsmash them. To
the amazement and delight OF the gallery,
Church. seemingly stretching himself 10
fifteen feet in height. pulled down the
lobs and sent the ball crashing through
the opposite court In a way that defied a
return. Church was in the thick OF every
rally. often bringing off spectacular gets
as either Strachan or Griffin cross-courted
the ball. The Princeton player pulled
Dabney along with him, the latters swift
driving often compelling the Californians
10 camp al the back OF their court.
Grifn's weakness In smashing and his
many nets caused Strachan 10 pOach 10
a considerable extent in the second set.
He kept lacing the ball 10 Dabney. but
Church ably protected his partner.
Church was all over the court In this set
once in the ninth game during a stirring
rally he fell and then hit the ball for a
return before he scrambled to his feet
once Up he smashed brilliantly for the
point. and IT was largely his work that
won the set for his side.
The summary follows:
Meadow club Cup mems singles Csemi- -hnal
Iound)-Gustave +. Touchard defeated Karl X
Behr, 6-3. G-3 William J. Clothier defeated
Alfred s Dabney. 5-3. 81. e.
Mems doubles third round)-karl II. Behr
and Howard A. PIUmmer defeate Watson 81
Wathburn and Wallace =. johnson, 6--i -;
John s. strschan and Clarence J. Gritn d.
Church. 6-5, 81. 81
semi-hnal round-William A. Larned and
William J. Clothier defeated Kari II. Behr
and Howard A. Plummer, So, 81.
Trevor and William AcKim defeated Miss Con-
dOn and r. HsrtshorDe by default, MISS O
Whiting and Stanley Wainwright defeated
Miss 4. Browa and T. @. Thomas 90 -
fesied Miss BOuvier and q. Kennedy. jr., %
60: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leroy defeated Miss
+ Carroll and Alfred :. Dabney. t~-4, b@;
Mrs Gustsve r. Touchsrd and F. freyllnghuy-
sen defeated Mr.. and Mrs. William }. Clothier'
20. G-2. -
Third rounG-Mrs Lewis Gouvernsur Morris
and Watson n Washbufn defeated MISS Mar
Esret Trevor and william Mckin' l,S,,r., -, a.