New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-08
Title Holder Loses TO Hall
in Semi-Final-Women
Pay Off drudge. /
CHAMPION BEATEN I
BY TERRIFIC SPEED
Mesdames Weaver and Wood
Barred from Mems Doubles.
Show Up the Winners.
By FRED HAWTHORNE

Walter Merrill Hall. driving with
splendid pace and accuracy to De-,
court and down the side lines. a..
feated Alrick II. Man. playing through
cup holder, in the semi-fnal round a,
the singles yesterday in the annual IN.
vitation lawn tennis tournament Of ,bs
Edgemere Club. of Long Island Hall
won in straight sets at 81, 6-3.
Man, who already had one leg on .hs
Edgemere challenge cup. was expected
by many followers of the game to wi,
a second leg this year. but Hall va,
himself yesterday. and played all
around his tall opponent from deem
court and at the net.
Hugh Tallant and Vanderbilt Ward
will meet in the other semi-hnal
bracket this afternoon. and the winner
will face Hall later for the cup.
Before the mems match began, and
while the large gallery waited besiSs
the courts for Hall and Man 70 star
their struggle, special "challenss
grudge" match was staged. in which
the principals were Mrs. Rawson \.
Wood and Mrs. Spencer Fullerton
Weaver and j. II. Mascot and Frank
Loughman.
A peek behind the scenes will d,.
close the source of the challenge in
this match. Last month the Edgemer.
Club held a mems club tournament.
and Mrs. Weaver and Mrs. Wood. both
of whom have held national and metro.
politan titles on the courts, sent in
their entries as "R. l. Wood and IS.
F. Weaver" The draw was made. but
when the women showed up for their
matches they were informed that the
! tournament was limited 70 men.
Chagrined, but not dsunted. Mrs.
/ Wood and her partner then and there
/ issued a challenge 70 the winning pair.
whoever they might be. Mascot and
/ Loughman won the club championship
and gracefully accepted the challenge.
| Yesterday came their downfall and hu.
initiation. for they were crushed under
/ score of @, 8 o. and Mrs. Wood
and Mrs. Weaver may 'oE claim TO be
7 the best mems doubles players in the
/ Edgemere Club. An anomaly. you say.
/ but it's true.
Mrs. Weaver's forehand drives car.
/ ried great pace, and she shot them
/ across directly at Nassoit. who wilted
under the attack Mrs Wood Clearly
outplayed both men at the net position.
volleying so cleyerly for the openings
that Loughman and his partner were
/ helpless before her.
Votes for women!
Hall started in at once in his match
with Man by dislodging the former New
/ England champion from, the net with
| terrific fore and backhand drives to
the base line. The latter vainly at.
/ tempted to get to the barrier before
Hall could make his returns. running
down the centre of the court with
/ great speed.
But when Hall is in full control Of
4 his ground strokes he is a dangerous
man 10 try such tactics against, and
Man found this out early in the match.
/ Although he is possessed of extraordi.
nary reach and can cover more than
the average amount of court, Man
could hardly get his racquet TO the
ball, for Hall slammed his returns
through the smallest of openings.
The winner yesterday played his
ground strokes with plenty of top spin.
so that. in spite of the high wind from
the ocean, his shots almost invariably
found the range of the court even when
driven with all of Halls force. Man
could only get one game in the first
set.
Hall kept right on in his headIong
rush to victory in the second set. and
took the first by powerful drives to
right and left of his opponents court.
Man then went to the fore. and BY
brilliant overhead play turned Halls
shots sharply back and evened the
score. The men went az il nip and
tuck then. the games alternating I'd to
3-all.
Man held Hall even by sheer speed
Of foot, covering his court in leaps and
bounds and bringing down some Of
| Halls lobs by terrific smashes. Hall
forced his attack more fercely thsa
ever at this stage, and took the last
three games and the set BY placemsa:
shots that brought enthusiastic sp'
plause from the gallery.
.