Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-31
BIG INCREASE
in NUMBER OF
TENNIS PLAYERS
Philadelphia Leads in De-
veloping Young Wielders
of the Racket
GREAT INTEREST SHOWN
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN, I'd

GREAT INTEREST SHOWN
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN, I'd
When one starts to review a season Of
a sport tt Is pretty hard to keep away
! from personalities, yet IL Is the general
trend of the season which really counts.
| The tennis season Of 1915 around phlla-
dolphia was noteworthy from several
standponts.
First we may say that there was a
sign Of real awakening OF interest among
the younger players OF Philadelphia, n
I most hopeful sign. and n raised standard
Of scholastic play.
Secondly. there was the rcsrettable
but unavoidable absence OF some Of our
/ leading stars William ]. Clothler, Rich
( ard Norris Williams, 2d, and DR.. +. y.
/ Hawk being among the missing as regards
/ our local tournaments, but to Offset these
| disappointmcnts we found regularly In
/ play such newcomers ms Joseph j. Arm
/ strong and Willis T.. Davis. two aCquls-
/ tions OF the highest value, and the rising
| to notice of such young players as Roy x.
! coffin, OF Germantown. Edward Cassard
| and Fred Strawbridgc, of Philadelphia,
! Joe kcefe. Of CyuWyd and several other
I young players who will be heard from
next season.
| The Tournaments
| Third, the efficient management Of sew
| cral tournaments particularly the
! Womcns National at Philadelphia
| Cricket club and the most enjoyable one
| at Nurristown.
The interclub season was the real OPEN
/ ing of the season. although the school
| tennis had begun before this. Merton,
with team which included Wallace
/ johnson, Joe Armstrong, Rowland Evans
| and Craig Blddle, with several other
| lesser stars, won the championship,
| Philadelphia coming In second The fol-
! lowing other prominent men took part
| in these matches: Willis II. Davis, Alex
ander .. Thaycr, Joseph H. Carpenter,
| from Philadelphia Cricket club; Dr. IL.
/ II. Dewhurst Fred Bates ana Samuel
/ Colum. of Huntingdon Valley: William
! r. Tidcn. ID Stanley Pearson and l.. G.
! Wistcr, from Germantown Cricket Club,
and c. c. Van Horn. Percy Osbourn and
| G. Willtts, from Beliield
The School League resulted i'm a double
win for Penn Charter. both champion
| ships again landing in their hands.
! The Womens PENNSYLVANIA state tour
! namcnt resulted in the singles going to
| Mrs. Marshall Mclean, Miss Bjurstedt
| and Mrs. Mclean winning the doubles,
| while Miss Claire Casscl and Wallace
| Johnson walked off with the mixed
| doubles
Molla Bjurstedt Wins
The following week came the Womcn's
! National tournament and many promin-
| ent players were present. The finals.
! since Miss Mary Browne did not defend,
| carried the title with it and resulted in Il
| win for Miss Bjurstcdt over Mrs. George
| Wightman formerly Miss Hazel Hotch-
/ kiss by the score Of 4-6. 6-l, 60. The
| doubles went to Mrs. Wightman and
/ Miss Eleanora Sears. while Mrs. Wight
] Johnson. Df
/ easily won the mixed. The mems singles
| went to w. Il. Tildla, I'd, who defeated
/ Biddlc O-6. 6-3 Ga, TO Among the other
| prominent participants were Mrs. Mclean.
Miss Ann Sheafc, Mrs. Barger-Wallach
/ and several others, while among the men
! were Irving Wright. Alfred DabnCy,
! Johnson, Armstrong, Tilden, Biddlc, Car
pentcr and others.
| The Pennsylvania state title play re-
| suited in nm upset when Joseph j. ARM
| strong defeated Wallace +. Johnson in an
exceedingly hard match three sets to one
/ in the finals There We're no Out-of-town
entries but Thayer, Biddle Wister Pear
son. Tilden, Carpenter. Dewhurst and
others competed. The doubles were again
won by Wallace Johnson and Alex d.
| Thayer.
The city title play was, unfortunately.
marred by the absence of Johnson and
/ Armstrong but resulted I'm the finals
[ belllE lOuRIt out To u score OF f-pi b-V,
ST. 81 60 before William 7. Tildcn
! I'd, finally defeated Stanley w. Pearson.
The doubles resulted In a terrific five
set battle before Pearson and Wlster de-
feated Thayer and Dixon,
Surprise in Doubles
The Norristown tournament In the mid
| die OF July sprung several surprises. The
| singles went to William Il. Tilden, I'd,
| by a 3-set-to-1 victory over Norman
Swayne in the finals. The doubles
brought the great surprise in the sec
ond round when Johnson and Armstrong
We're defeated by Tilden and Roy Coffin,
| n kid of II, whose all around play
throughout the tournament was remarka-
/ Coffin deserves great credit for his work.
Coffin and Tiden defeated Miegs and
Gushing, TO As. 7-5, 81, in the finals.
The tennis season rested locally now
until September, when the intercollegiates
brought out the looked for result, and our
only chance to see Williams in action
! when he walked off with the singles, and
| with Dick Harte the doubles, Harvard
| again reiEnod supreme,
| The MOOrestOwn tournament while q
Jersey affair, is so close that it should be
I considered as a local fixture, resulted in
! a win for William T. Tildeu. 2d, In the
singles, defeating Il. c. Hall In five sets in
| the finals, aud for Tilden and W. r. Reur
I Sd i'm the doubles, when they teat Harold
Page and r.. c. Han i'm five sets.
The whole season was one Of consistent
| good play and sustained interest which
/ speaks well for our coming season. The
developing of our young players, which
Dcwhurst Gibbons and Tilden have un-
dertaken. should give a great impetus to
next seasons Ray and cause inCreas !
entry lists. l look for banner year
in 1916
! HE.II W.T. D. NIy nv