New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-17
BOSTON LAWN TENNIS
MEN WIN H0NORS
Niles and Dabney Make
Clean Sweep at Grounds
of West Side Club.
FORMER TAKES SINGLES
IN STRAIGHT SETS
Doubles Finds Local Men in Poor
Form, and They Are
Easily Defeated.


y. w. Niles. Massachusetts, State cham
pion. and Alfred S. Dabney. Of Harvard.
representing the Longwood Cricket Club.
OF Boston. made a clean sweep yester-
day in the first days playing of the inter-
city lawn tennis team match against the
team of the West Side Tennis Club on
the latter's courts at Forest Hills. Long
Island. Between them the Longwood men
won two singles matches and one dou-
bles match.
Niles and Gustave F. Touchard. ma
tional indoor champion, were the first TO
take the court. Niles winning easily by
a score Of CO, 60. Dabney took on Dean
Mathey. the Princeton star, in the adj
Joining court. winning after q lively three
set match by score Of &c, Ga and CO.
After a fifteen-minute rest the Boston
men again took the court, this time as a
team, and proceeded to walk through
their match with Touchard and Raymond
D. Little, the old internationalist. in
straight sets, by score OF 60. GO.
The two dirt courts on which the
matches were held had been groomed
and fashioned into perfect playing con-
dition under the direction Of Julian N.Y.
rick. vice-president of the West Side club.
and a large gallery, with women in sum-
mer rainent predominating, formed a
square about the scene.
Niles never found Touchard dangerous
at any stage Of their match. The Boston
man had a world of speed on his ball,
and his shots for placement were brought
of with such skill as 10 have the middle
states champion footing about his court
constantly.
Touchard gave his usual erratic ex-
hjhition. Time after time he sent the
bail into the net or far out Of court, his
eye for distance seemingly wofully at
fault Nor did he at any time bring to
bear any of the briliancy that usually
distinguishes his game. Taking the third
and sixth games in the first set and the
first and seventh in the second set was
the best the New York man could do
against Niles's strong forcing tactics.
Mathey started his match against Dab
ney auspiciousiy, playing a strong game
at the net and bringing of his shots
down the side lines frequently. the Boston
man seeming unable to prevent the pass
ing strokes. Dabney lost many valuable
points by his wildness overhead. and the
first set went against him by a score
of &c.
In the second set, however, the Long
wood man changed his tactics and went
to the net more often. killing off many
Of Mathews passing stroke at the start.
Debney also played his overhead strokes
with greater certainty and efficiency. and
frequently found the West Side player
out of position. AS result Dabney took
the second set at GA.
in the third and deciding set Dabney,
always playing with greater speed. only
allowed Mathey the first and fifth games.
running out the last two with the loss
of only three points.
The doubles match provided the best
tennis of the day. The Boston men
played better together as team than
Touchard and Little. who won national
honors in the doubles in 1911. and con-
tinually found openings in their oppo-
nents court
Little gave evidence of being badly
out OF practice, frequently spelling what
seemed like certain kills of easy lobs.
lie and Touchard often crossed into each
others territory in their attempts to re-
turn the ball. Both were about equally
guilty in the number of times they sent
the ball out of court and into the net
Niles and Dabney worked together like
a well oiled piece of machinery There
was none of that uncertainty as to what
they were TO do that marked the game
of the local team, and they had the range
OF the court down to a nicely, scoring
frequently on shots down the side lines.
This morning there will be two singles
and one doubles match, starting at II
o'clock. and at o'clock in the afternoon
there will be one singles and two doubles
matches.
The summaries follow:
Singles
n ". Niles. Longwood Cricket Club, de
feated Gustave F. Touchard West Side Tennis
Club. e. 60: A. 5. Dabney Longwood
SIDE Tennis Club. 80, e. 6-2.
Doubles.
Niles and Dabney, Longwood Cricket Club,
West side Tennis Club, e. 6-2.
Longwood Cricket club won three matches
and lost none