New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-27
Church, Griffin, McLough-
lin Figure in Running
Williams Uncertain.
By FRED HAWTHORNE.

another national lawn tennis cham
pionship tournament, and the all
absorbing question on the lips o.
those who follow the fortunes Of the
: ranking players is: "Who will bt
champion when the tournament this
week is finished"
A month ago this question would
: have been answered with more assur'
ance than to-day, for many things
have happened since then. Men who
seemed certain of holding their form
have fallen suddenly off in their play;
/ champions have been laid low by mer
4 not supposed to be in the same class
with them, and altogether the lawn
tennis world is in a sad state of un-
rest.
Until the annual tourney at Newport
found William NJ. Johnston, national
champion, defeated by Ichiya Kuma'
gae, of Japan, in FIVE bitter sets, John
ston's chances for retaining his title
were of the brightest. Next in favor
was r. Norris Williams, I'd, who held
/ the title in 1914, by virtue Of his i'm
pressive victory over Maurice L. Me-
Loughlin in that year.
No Fluke Victory.
But Williams was eliminated from
the Newport tournament by Griffin
the second time the Californian had
taken the Philadelphian's measure
Kumagae himself had been defeated
earlier in the season by Robert Lindley
/ Murray, of California, and by Joseph
J. Armstrong. but at Newport he played
the best tennis he has shown since he
came to this country and his was ne
fuke victory.
Karl Behr, always heretofore con-
sidered a serious contender for ma
tional honors, has had but little singles
play this season. and what he has
done on the courts does not augur wei
for his chances
George NJ. Church, of New Jersey
Northwestern champion, has had on
of the best seasons in his career ant
must be placed UP among the few a
the top when it comes down to settlinI
the national title. Church did not com
pete at Newport nor at Southampton
but at Seabright he went through th'
classy field to the challenge round anC
was Clearly outplaying Williams
severely strained his ankle in the thir,
game of the second set.
Thereafter he gave terrific battle t
the cup holder, only bowling in defea
after five gruelling sets had beer
played. With the long rest he ha
enjoyed since then, Church is liable
to loom up as a formidable obstacle il
the path of those who would climb t
the championship throne.
In weighing Church's chances. how
ever, il must be borne in mind that tn
tall New Jersey player will be in tn
lower half of the draw. where the mali
strength Of the field is distributed
Johnston, Mclaughlin, Kumagae. Muir
ray, Behr, are all in that section an
should Church manage to wade rough
shod over such a field he will indeed
have proved himself champion.
Wonderful Feat.
Johnston, in winning the crown las
year, sent down in defeat Behr, Will
Jams and Mclaughlin on successive
days-a feat never before accomplishe
in the history of the championship Il
this country. Yet Church will have a
D
title holder of 1916, and the task is Il
truth mighty one.
The same thing applies. of course, t
Johnston, Mclaughlin, Kumagae, Muir
ray and Behr. and the battle that viii
take place among these stars of tn
courts before any one of the set ca
stagger a path to the final bracket vii
be worth going many miles to witness.
Williams, bracketed in the top hal
Of the draw, will have far easier wor
before him, but Clarence j. Griffil
\ stands again in Williams's path, an
the Californian has shown before thi
that he is thorn in the former cham
pion's side.
There will be other conteuders thi
year when it comes to fastening tn
crown of the courts on the brow Of tn
victor. Roland Roberts, of California
Joseph J. Armstrong. of Philadelphia
Harold A. Throckmorton, of New Jer
sey; Willis Z. Davis, of CALIFORNIA; al
are younger men in the field. who ar
capable of going far and creating havo
as they 60. in their march toward tn
final brackets.
Judging the work of the leading can
didates on what they have shown dur
ing the last two weeks. but not at
tempting to make anything like a def
mite forecast among such chaotic con
ditions, we should be inclined TO Civ
Williams the choice, though slight, owe
Griffin when it comes TO writing in tn
name of the occupant in the upper hna
bracket.
Should Williams come TO Forest Hill
with all his strokes, all his speed an
staying power. with Griffin in the sam
condition, then the balance. we think
would sway hairs breadth in the for
mer champions favor. AS things stan'
o-day, we incline to Williams as tn
finalist in the upper half.
A Tired Champion.
Until that day at Newport when h
met Kumsgae in the final round. John
ston, the champion. had been goini
| beautifully and seemed to posses
everything that carried him 10 the It'll
in 1915. Kumagse made the littl