Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-15
Japanese Who
Beat Griffin Nav
Play Here 1917
IRy Associated .Rressl

NEW YORK, N. Y.-The defeat OF
Clarence ]. Griffin, ranked seventh
among the American tennis players OF
1915, by the japanese expert, Kumar
gaze, In the champfo nship match of
the Far Eastern title tournament at
Manila, on Saturday, January s, Is
another Illustration of the progress be
ing made in all branches of sport by
the Japanese. Kumagae Is far from
being novice with the racquet as his
victory over Griffin demonstrates, yet
there are several other native players
of Japan who can always be counted
upon to give Kumagae q hard battle
when they meet him on the court.
As far back as 1913 Kumagae was
making it interesting for American
tennis players although he was COM
paratiyely new to the game at that
time. In company with three other
Japanese players he entered the Far
Eastern tournament played at the be-
ginning of 1914 and succeeded In work
ing his way to the semi final round
of the singles and with N0mura reach
ed the final of the doubles. The entry
list included the leading English, Ger
man and American resident players of
Far Eastern countries as well as VIII
liam NJ. Johnston, the present Amerf-
can champion, and Ella Fottrell, who,
made the trip from California espe-
cially to play in the tourney.
Played Fast Tennis.
At that time Kumagae was a stu
dent at Keio University who had taxi
EN- up tennis only two years before and
who had played the game with plain
ruDuer ball, such as children bounce
on the sidewalks of the country, up
to within a few months of his first
tournament. Notwithstanding his lin
tied experience Kumagae made it de-
cidedly interesting for both j. Fot-
tfell and Johnston. In the semi-final
of the singles 1t required five sets of
the hardest kind of play by FottreH
to defeat the Japanese. The scores
were rs, 80, 6--45 60 in favor
of Fottrell, but the match was carried
over a day on account of darkness
when FottreH led at two sets to one.
of Kumagae. This unfinished set was
thrown out the next day and the Jap
anese won the play over at Cd. Had
he received credit for his overwhelm-
ing lead of the preceding day he would
have undoubtedly won the match and
met Johnston in the final. As it was
Kumagae, with Nomura for a partner.
gave Johnston and Fottrell another
hard battle in the final of the doubles
although their lack of team work was
a heavy handicap against the clever
play of the Americans and they were
defeated GO, 6-4, 60.
Kumagae is short, stocky Japan
csc with powerful overhead and fore
arm drive while his service and back
hand play compares faYorably with
that of the average American big
tournament player. He is exception
ally fast on his feet and possesses re-
markable powers of endurance. If he
should compete in this country next
season, as has been suggested, it will
be found that Kumagae will be emit
tied to rank among the first Is of
American lawn tennis. In all his
matches he had shown indomitable
spirit and determination, never con-
ceding match lost until the last point
is scored against him. Another fac
tor in his favor is that the experience
and reputation OF an opponent never