New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16
RACQUET OF THE MP"
SINGS AS HE PLAYS
snecd of the Oriental Fairly
Battles the Stalwart West
ern Man.
By JAMES s. o'NEALE.

fsr.oF Toxic. here on his first drive
on American soil. won the New York
state lawn tennis championship from
Clarence J. Peck Griffin, OF San Fran
cisco. national doubles champion and
seventh in the national singles list last
wear. in straight sets, 60. 6-1, Sc.
The great Japanese southpaw found
large gallery surrounding the court
AZ the YahnundaSis Golf Club. They
wished 90 be shown, and Kumagae
showed them. In three slashing sets
The brown little man displayed before
,be crowd the wonderful steadiness in
his driving shat will make him un-
hestsble except against whirlwind
net attack. That net attack Griffin
,rje3. but he was errstic in his volleys
and could not test It TO the limit.
New champions ais came into being
in the doubles. for William 6. NcElroy
and Charles :. Garland. of Pittsburgh,
lost, 6, I -6. 3-6. in the final round
n Griffin and the young Coast sensa-
ton. Roland Roberts.
Kumsgae had bad fortune in the
doubles for IN the morning he was
eliminated with his partner. Hachishiro
Mikami. by Garland and McElroy on
their way 20 the final. The scores
were Go. G.. 6 A. 6-3. The Japs
were unable 20 hammer out enough
points az the net.
The cream OF Utica. which is located
IN large dairy region, and even
band. awaited the appearance Of Griffin
and kumagae. After Miss Molla Blur
stcdt had taken another fall out Of
Miss Florence Balm. of New York, in
en- exhibition match the band played
the "KimigayO." the Japanese national
anthem. as the players came on the
court.
He Beats the Band.
Inspired by this, Kumagae, who
started serving. ran up a 50 lead,
playing 70 beat the band. The first
game was a terrific struggle, going
time and again TO deuce before the
swarthy southpaw hammered it out;
then kumagae started his parade.
The Nip as he is getting TO be
called. nipped the lines right merr;ly
all through the match, except for a
while in the third set. when Griffin,
desperate. pushed 10 the limit. made
mementary success of his net attack
and ran up q lead Of SIS before the
little Nipponese base liner again swung
into his nipping tactics and shot over
his great drives, heavily topped, that
tucked away he championship for him.
kumagae's fOOtwOrk was revela-
ton and doubtless much too fast for
the motion picture machine present.
Ills service was effective and his net
play spectacular the FIVE times he went
90 forecourt when drawn in close by
Grifn's crafty short chops. but il was
the Oriental uncanniness Of his drives,
coupled with his superlative court COW
erng. that took the heart out of plucky
Peck Griffin.
Once. in the midst Of an exciting
second set rally. when Kumagae time
and again drove back apparent aces
shot over by Griffin. the chunky San
Franciscan called out in wonderment as
he was running after a drive. "for the
love Of Nike" and the gallery reared.
His Racquet Sings.
The wonderful looping forehand OF
the lefthander, with its great twist and
TOD spin that brought 1t down INTO
court and his but slightly less effec-
tive backhanG chalked up the FONTS,
for Kumagae played the lines so closely
that often the sphere hit just the edge
Of the chalk Kumagae's tightly strung
racquet talked as well as sung.
Kumagae played his drives high
when Griffin was in back court and low
20 pass when the Californian cata-
pulled for the net. His high drive,
with a terrific amount Of twist impart-
cd 20 il, served 20 keep Griffin far back
Do the court, away from the net, be-
cause Of the extraordinary high bound.
The low drive went with speed and
delicate cunning down one line or the
other or cross court to the opposite line.
These drives were enough TO discour-
age a less game player than the crafty
Griffin.
Kumagae defeated Griffin once in the
Philippines and once in Toxic. Amer
lean tennis followers. however, having
I'm mind different conditions of play
and the fact that Griffin was not in
lnid-season practice at the time, have
not taken the great little Jap any too
seriously. To-day Peck was Peck, but
Kumagae was bushel.
Nopping his red perspiring face al
ter the second set, Griffin said despair
inglv. Ichy's got the Indian sign on
ne" IL was so; but Griffin, though
discouraged. made game fight In that
last set. His two games IN the hrst
set were the fourth, on his own ser
vice. and the seventh, on Kumagae s.
when the Jap double-faulted the game
away.
Golden Cater again took the thlro
game, his service. by rushing TO the
net In the last set Grimm tnre"
everything he could muster into tne
breach. lie began TO chop. instead OF
70 drive. 10 cover his advances to the
net, when he did not run in on ser
vice. and the bound of the chop stroke
bothered Kumagae, who made more
errors than in the other sets
-. Cot Waary
klmagae's arm was palning MN IN
this set. but il is doubtful whether, IN
the excitement Of the actual stroking
Of the ball, the arm bothered nm
Griffin brought off his volleys with
more sting in the last frame. he STOOD
IN a trife closer for kumagaes TWIST
ing service, in order 10 get a QUICK
start for the net, and followed ms own
slash delivery in If the hrst pail was
good; if 10 was faulty he renamed IN
back court on the second pail until TIC
found chance 70 20 IN
kumagae never changed his tactlcs'
having in mind the golden tennis
axiom, Change your TACTICS II losins,
but never II winning" Always ne
drove. drove drove. With the score
6-all on his own service. James Grimm
lost the first three points on errors ana
shook his head obviously. Inc last
point Kumagae took with great pass
ing shot
Kumagae trailed at $40 on the
last game Of the match, then puIieo
up 20 his own advantage, thus belng
within a point Of the honor5. Inc Orl-
entail netted on the next point, Drihg-
ing the score back 10 deuce, but ran
out the match with two great passing