New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-31
National Lawn Tennis
Fixture Begins To-day,
Weather Permitting.
FINISHING TOUCHES
PUT ON THE COURTS
Committee Named TO Pick East
ern Team for Match with
California Players.
Nv FRED HAWTHORNE.

Gloom prevailed at tho home OF the
&vsst Side Tennis Club, at Forest Hills,
Hong Island. from early morning until
lid afternoon yesterday. when the sun
kroks through the damp and sticky
klouds for the hrst time since Satur-
L.. Although the 1928 players who are
compete in the great all-comers'
Sawn tennis tournament this week al
he Forest Hills courts we're prevented
from making their scheduled start after
the national title. now held by Richard
Norris Williams, %, playing through
champion. yesterday morning at lC
o'clock. they will make another effort
10 get under way at the same hour this
morning.
Rober. u. wrenn, president Of the
United States National Lawn Tennis
Association and referee Of the tourna-
ment that will start to-day. made a
careful inspection Of the courts this
morning. After comforting with Will
am Tucker, the turf expert; George T
Adee. Edwin +. Torrey and Julian S
Myrick, president Of the club, Mr..
Wrenn decided it would be the part Of
wisdom to put the start Of the tourney
over for 2 day.
This delay Will give the turf courts
a chance to dry out and be in better
condition 70 withstand the hard usage
they are 10 receive from a week Of al
most continuous mauling from spiked
shoes. The same schedule as already
announced will be followed, and by sun
down this evening the original field
should be reduced TO just half that
number.
Hope was not abandoned of begin
ming the tournament yesterday until
the last resource had failed and the
gods that rule had been appealed to in
vain. Before Tucker left Forest Hills
on Sunday night he marshalled his
fifty turf coddling assistants in the
clubhouse, saw them safely tucked into
heir cots in the main hallway OF the
AIecond floor and then gave them orders
III get out early in the morning anc
1ail and mark the courts.
}Ell this was done by the faithful
Nrkmen Every court was gone over
law the most tender care and massaged
Ill heavy rollers. Then the lime
brought out and the courts were
~ Acd of While this was going on
'as only a gentle, misty rain
Just as the last base line had
marked out in spotless white,
~ .avenly buckets were upset and
y 1aecavfnG in torrents
H. the cheerful Tucker abandoned
l. then and declared that if the
laying surface was used yesterday
Ae turf would be so torn up by the
Nayers' spikes that all the painstaking
work Of the last few weeks would
have been in vain. Then came the Off
cial decision to postpone the begin
ming Of the tournament.
Myrick declared yesterday that Har-
old II. Hackett, Edwin Sheafe, of Bos-
ton, and Craig Biddle, Of Philadelphia,
had been appointed a committee by
him TO select the team of Eastern
players that will compete against the
team from the Pacific coast on Friday
and Saturday, August 10 and II, at the
West Side Tennis Club.
The starred contest at 10 o'clock
will bring Cedric A Major, the Cornell
tplayer who recently won the Connecti-
cut State Championship against Bern
ard c. Law, of Princeton. At the same
<ime Ward Dawson, the Californian,
will meet J. c. Mckay. An hour later
-. &. Matters, of Louisiana, meets
Elrick II. Man, jro former Yale
faptarn.
Maurice z. Mclaughlin will make his
first swing Of the racquet in his effort
20 regain the championship in the first
Of the matinee matches scheduled at
2:16. He will meet Ernest Fritz
Kuhn, the German player. At the same
time Charles NJ. Bull, jr., of the Cres-
cent A. c.. will meet lyle Z. Mahan, as
tit is planned to play two matches
simultaneously on the great stretch Of
turf between the grandstands which
as been lined for four courts.
Two Of the former Davis Cup
players, Harold H. Hackett and Fred
brick b. Alexande., will take the grand
stand courts at the finish OF the other
battles. Hackett will meet William
M Johnston, the young Californian,
iwho has been performing so ably, and
alexander will meet Nathaniel w
sNles, the Longwood Club crack.