New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-24
California Comet Prepares
for All-lmportant Play
for National Title.
HUGE FIELD IN
FIRST DAYS PLAY
Williams Drawn TO Begin in the
Second Round Against
J. Stephens.
By FRED HAWTHORNE.

southampton, Aug. 23.-Ihls quaint
old town by the sea opened its doors
20 the players in the annual invitation
lawn tennis tournament of the Meadow
Club to-day. and although the original
field numbered lightweight the com
rj,tee worked so theoretically that by
the time the last gun was fred thirty
seven matches had been marked up on
the score board and only fifty-one sur
yivors remained in the running.
The club members turned out in
great force and lined the clubhouse
yeranda and the balconies while the
matches were in progress. The de-
cision Of Maurice f. Mclaughlin not 10
play this week means that the great
Californian has undoubtedly felt the
strain Of too much tournament play in
the last few weeks and has wisely
decided 20 rest up q bit. With Thomas
c. Bundy, his doubles partner, Nc
Loughlin is expected TO enter the dou-
bles and get the practice necessary be-
fore they meet William NJ. Johnston
and Clarence J. Griffin in the challenge
round FOR the national title at Forest
Hills.
None Of the leading stars got into
action to-day. r. Norris Williams, I'd,
the national champion, who was drawn
against J. Stephens in the second
round. was not called upon 10 remove
bis racquet from its press, and George
Myers Church, champion Of the North
west, who defeated Williams for the
intercollegiate title last year, gained
8 default from r. 5. jenkins.
Griffin and Johnston also came
through their first matches by the de
fault route and Bunday's scheduled
match against W. d. Cunningham, jr.,
was not put on this afternoon.
Many of the players motored down
from New York and nearby points to-
day and spent the morning hours in
swimming a fine surf giving them
missed greatly down here this time is
the countenance of Robert Lindley
Murray, Of Palo Alto, Cal, who won
the Meadow Clubs big cup in a match
with Watson VI. Washburn in the final
round last year. Washburn, however,
IS entered and will endeavor to figure
again as a fnalist.
The sun shone brightly from early
morning until il sank below the hori-
zon this evening, but the heat was tenn
pered by freshening breeze from the
Atlantic and the players did not find
conditions uncomfortable. The splendid
turf courts were fast and true, and all
the competitors expressed themselves
as delighted with the committees ar
Iangements.
Walter Merrill Hall. former Middle
States champion, defeated r. II. Cole
in the first round by a score of IS,
6-3. Hall used his deep driving game
TO keep his opponent well in the back
Of the court, and when the latter tried
10 lob Hall out of position, the New
York man bombarded the court with
terrific smashes. He worked harder in
the second set and allowed Cole only
three games in the session.
One Of the most stubbornly fought
matches of the day resulted in the
meeting between r. S. Stoddart and w.
Blair, and 1t was not until the sets had
gone 70 1l-13, 60, 81 that Stod-
dart gained the victory. Another even
contest was between J. s. K. Lawrence
and R. L. Oakley, with Lawrence win
ming al l0-8, 8-6.
t. II. Whitney, the former Harvard
student, made his first appearance in
q tournament since early in the season
and played so strong a game that he
defeated F. VI. Humphreys in the sec
ond round by a score Of Go, 60.
Whitney covered his court to such
good effect that Humphreys never was
able to find an opening. and the Bos-
ton man simply romped away with the
match, volleying prettily and driving
with great speed down the side lines.
Nhitney's long rest appears to have
done him a world of good and the
week Of play down here should put him
on edge for the national tourney next
week.
Eric s. Winston. national amateur
squash champion, tried his hand at the
turf court game. but found his own
iavorlte pastime and lawn tennis wide
y different propositions. 50 that s.
Kelly gained victory over him by a
score Of IS, 81, although Winston
made his opponent work at full speed
all the way.
Fred K c. lnman. a former New
YORK state champion. reached out into
The fourth round through default in
the second bracket from young Irving
Riker and defeat OF c. Hunter in the
third round, by a score Of 6-3. %.
lnman had his sharply played yollev-
ing strokes going with the greatest
Smoothness and Hunter found il prac-
tically impossible to outmanquvre his
left-handed opponent. Occasionally
lnman would storm the net and crash
the ball back into Hunters court so
swiftly that the latter could not even
get his racquet in the way.
Leonard Beekman. national inter
scholastic champion, who has been
taking a respite from the game since
the tournament Of the ROckguo,. Hume
Club last month. took the measure of
II. Wainwright by score of 6-3. @
beekman made use of clever change
Ct pace IN trying Wainwright out of
position. and his speedy backhand also
gained him many points.
Ralph L. BaCgs simply overwhelmed
Goodnue Livingston, jr., in the second
lound and won by score of 60.
81 He was particularly strong at
me net and won a majority Of his