The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-29
California Comet Williams
and Behr on a Par with Diff
ferent Temperaments.

the past ten days at Seabright and
Newport when Earl H. Behr inflicted
straight defeat on Maurice e. Nc.
| Loughlin and R. Norris Williams I'd
triumphed over the California Comet
three sets to one. have somewhat COM
plicated the tennis situation and will
furnish much food for thought and
comment. Mclaughlin, because of his
wonderful record on the courts, is con-
sidered by the tennis public as pos.
sessinS an infallible game. without
doubt he has mastered q style Of pay
that has installed him at the top of
the tennis world. but, being a human,
he Is not infallible. No matter how
great player he is. his career will
be marked by a number Of defeats.
1t already has
The tennis world has not stopped to
consider that there is but slight DIFF
ference in the strength Of game as be-
tween the first three players In the
country. Each man possesses his indi-
vtdual style. but the difference in the
effectiveness of his game is slight in
comparison to the other two men
ranked alongside of him. The diner.
ence is usually discovered in the tenn
permanent of the individual. Where
ofie pidyef Hoius rank Just ABOVE
that OF his contemporary 1t is fire.
quently due to his ability to rise to
occasions better. Mclaughlin pos
sesses the propensity to cope with the
most difficult situations SUCCESSFULLY
because of his well-balanced temper
ament.
No better illustration can be pre-
sented to prove the perfect contrv,
he commands over his nervous system
when under the most trying circum-
stances, like that of his doubles match
with Hackett against Parke and Dixon
In England during the successful 1913
quest of the Davis Cup. With the score
standing two sets all on his service
and five games to four against him,
match point was in the balance. 1t
would be a natural thing for a player
to make certain of his second service
by placing a little top on it. thus cut
ting down the speed. but Mclaughlin.
unperturbed. hit his second ball even
harder than his first. resulting in a
clean ace. The match was won by
the Americans when they pulled out
the deciding set at rs, but IL Nc
Loughlin had double-faulted instead
OF serving a clean ace, with match
point against him, the Davis Cup
would have remained in England.
Last summer proved conclusively
that a champion cannot win every
tournament he enters. To win a large
means concentration of thought ana
energy during the week of the tour
nament No individual can keep him
self in such a state Of mind for more
than two weeks at a stretch. Nc
Loughlin was a marvel in the Davis
Cup matches last year at Forest Hills,
when he conquered the great Wilding
and Brookes, but with the internS.
tional competition over he relapsed
and as a result lost the national
championship to Williams. who again
turned the trick yesterday on the
Newport Casino courts. Williams con-
his efforts and thought on
the Newport tournament. and let down
the following week at the Intercol-
legiates to such an extent as to be
defeated by George M. Church in the
final round.
year should not be considered in the
light of a great upset. The games
of the Californian. Williams and Behr.
are so nearly equal in effectiveness
that one or the other player is apt
to be defeated at any period IL play
ing a little below his standard.
Mclaughlin. Williams and Behr. who
occupy the positions of first, second |
and third. respectively, in the Official |
1915. ranking. have inflicted defeat on
each other in tournaments played to |
date While Williams won over Nc
Loughlin at Newport, and Behr at
the Californian won from |
the national champion in the challenge |
round for the Longwood bowl Behr |
easily defeated the Comet at Sea-
bright. but fell a victim to Williams 1
in the last round for the Achelis
Cup. With the three leading players
Of the country on equal terms for
No. l place in the Official ranking for
1916. the national tournament at For
est Hills should prove most interest
ng