New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-13
Terrific Service, Aided by
a Furious Attack at Net.
His Weapon.
PREPARED TO FACE
THE COUNTRY'S BEST
Those Who Remember Cali
fornian's Feats in 1914 Are
Ready to Meet the Shock.
IS JAMES O'NEALE.

II there were hole through the
earth clear to China and you threw a
stone at a Chinaman. would it hit him
No. Jays old Doc Knowit. FOR gravity
would slow the stone and bring it back
To- rest a, the earth's centre.
But {. instead Of the stone. Robert
Lndley Murray. first service were SUBJ
siituted the ball wouid go so fast gray
~ would resign IT'S job and China
would be demanding indemnity from
the United States.
That, how fast Southpaw Murrays
first service is. II and his spectacular
net play brought the young Californian
rom nowhere To No. IN the coun-
uy's ranking list for 1914. Last sea
SOL Murray stuck close TO his bust
ness position. earnest young man that
he IS. did not come East. and played
little tennis Now he's "A chemist in
Bayonne. cooking up designs on every
body's tennis crown. He's beginning
on the indoor championship.
The Halter. the March Hare and the
Dormouse did nothing but drink tea al
a circular table.
Then you keep moving around. !
suppose" said Alice.
Exactly So" said the Halter.
On the court Lindley Murray keeps
moving around. He dashes for the net
a. every opportunity, apparently as
mad as the March Hare. Indeed. on his
service and smasheS he doubles UP ike
n iackrabbit. the actions of which
beast he observed for years AZ Pslo
Alto His hump jump service. hit with
tremendous impetus, is ranked by Karl
Behr "a the most severe in the country
barring only that Of Mclaughlin IN
1914.
Indoors. especially. Murray's every
first service - matter OF history be
fore man may stare. "Iadeez an
gemmen, now you see il. an now you
don't" with Murray the magician.
When the serpent was about 90 eat
Sindbad the Sailor the latter bound
himself all around with planks. 50 that
he was a man surrounded by fence
for defence Murray is planked only
on the side Of service and net play, but
he moves around so fast. presenting
these two sides only. that his weaker
back court game is little exposed 10
the serpent. Slam bang! DASH point
Not for nothing is he called Murray
the Meteor.
II is this meteoric. pellmell dashing
for the net. with the Meteor's boyish
good -natured personality. that makes
Murray the magnet wherever he plays.
Just as some pictures point their fin
gers AZ you wherever you go. so the
tall. panther-lithe Stanford graduate
keeps your gaze riveted upon his dash
ing. reckless play.
Because Of his smashing methods o
all the top-fight players Murray has
tho most rough edges 10 his game. But
he is q tennis student. and il IS simply
a matter of time and cline before he
smooths them off. Cline. because OF
the strengthening humidity in the
East, which takes far more out Of a
player than the balmier. gentler heat
of the Coast.
In California Murray. young and
strong. relies on his endurance TO bear
the burden Of his impetuous game.
when he came East in 1914 he con
tinued 20 slam bang, with great sue
cess. despite the climate. But one day
the humidity got him. To Dick Will
Jams AZ Seabright. on "A hot. oppres-
sive day, Murray dropped the first set
al 6. but set sail for the net and
took the second at (. On the third
he led at 8. then collapsed, and de-
faulted after Williams brought the
score to > all. Il was some Of the
best tennis ever seen. Williams won
the national championship that year.
Murray stands or falls by his sensa-
tional service and net play. He is the
most reckless By far Of any OF the eN-
perts. He rushes 10 the net on every
thing. and IN 1914 became quite the de-
SPAR Of turf court groundkeepers
wherever he played. On every turf
court that has seen reasonable use
therc are worn places in the volleyers