New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-31
Young Westerner Displays
Class in Fine Five
Set Match.
WINNER MET BEST
AT SLEEPY HOLLOW
Princeton Man Has Revenge by
Winning in Doubles with
Dean Mathey.
Ry LANES S. O'NEALE.

Willis ,. Davis. the human bullet,
latest Of the California speed-mad ten
ris cracks. yesterday showed cause
why he should be rated as one Of the
country'> very best tennis players by
defeating George Meyers Church in the
final round Of the Sleepy Hollow COun-
try Club. Scarborough-on-Hudson, an
nual invitation tournament. The scores
were s ., >, 2-6. 81. 90.
This was the first Eastern tourna-
ment. outside Of local Philadelphia
events. IN which the newest Of The Ma
tive Son wonders has competed. He
defeated In turn Carlton r. Gardner,
Roland Roberts and Robert Lindley
Murray, the Meteor. while winning the
California State championship last
year. His scores against Murray were
3 6. 3, 8 :. 3 8. 6-3. but tennis
followers discounted them, because
Murray played little tennis last year.
Yesterday big, fast Davis showed ne
belonged
In the finals Of the doubles Davis did
not have such good fortune, but il was
not his fault Paired with the sensa-
tional Harold Abingdon Throckmorton,
who had an of day, Davis lost to the
famous Princeton pair of Church and
Dean Mathey. The long and short com
bination won at IS, GO, IS, by
Mathews great performance and three
sets by agreement.
Bullet Davis showed superspeed yes
terday. His service went like a rife
ball. and the sound Of the racket's con-
tact with the sphere was like the crack
Of a whip. Il was this service that the
great comet. Maurice +. Mclaughlin,
designated after he had played Davis
D. It. r..-.r .
Exposition tournament last year as the
most difficult TO handle he had ever run
up against.
Mrs d. ?. Wood. former California
state singles champion. who has played
against the famous services of Nc
Loughln, the lengthy Ella Fottrell,
Johnny Strachan and other noted
servers on the Coast. yesterday con-
frmed EcLoughlin's belief that the de-
livery Of Davis is the fastest alive.
ITS zip and the umpires call" said
Mrs. Wood.
Church, rcsourceful as ever, met the
service better than expected, and &C
tually had Davis. formerly of the Uni
vorsity OF California, now attending the
University Of Pennsylvania, on the run
in the third set. The lanky Princeton
ian. having been smothered by Davis's
,oleys and services in the first two
sets. and realizing that Davis simply
revelled in speed, changed tactics. In
stead Of playing a fast game, Church
started TO lob his returns of the rife
bullet delivery, and often caught the
Native Son of balance, forcing him into
errors. Church broke up Davls's stead
mess.
Hurry on the Match.
There was very much of a restless
hurry through the air in the first two
sets and in the last The hurry was
the latest Of the Coast sensations, who
disregarded entirely the old proverb,
THE more haste. the less speed The
velocity Of Davis's shots and foot work
made that Of Church. whose drives are
speedy and whose foot work noted for
ITS speed, become as pale as the silks
and satins of the fashionable gallery
by comparison.
In the first four games George
Meyers Church got only three points
being unable utterly 10 gauge the
sheer speed Of Davis's attack. Then
the Bullet became wild. momentarily,
and dropped two games at love. A des-
perate deuce encounter followed, which
was won by sharp volieying by Davis.
Then the Californian took the last
game AZ love by beautiful. fast place
ment Nots. I2nd grabbed the first four
games OF we second set, as IN the first
As in the first. also, he finished the
second set in riot of speed and
love game
The nimble feet and brain Of the
towering Church then became exceed
ingiy busy. He threw every ounce OF
energy he had into the breach, stopped
his fast drives and lObbed a great deal
or drove slow and deep to the corners.
being willing TO stretch his long legs
into all sorts Of shapes and cover miles
of court. waiting for Davis to miss
Davis did miss, netting ten shots to
one for Church and hurting twelve
smashes out, while Church, although he
sent almost every shot within a foot or
two Of the base line, hit only eight
over II.
Church continued his tactics i'm the
fourth set. after the rest and again
won, but only after terrific struggle.
Davis, who was beginning to get
steadier and more accustomed 10 tie
novelty Of Church's attack. made the
set close scoring only four less points
than Church. but fell down badly IN the
last two games, getting only , points.
Again Davis Melted and hl. beyond the
confines Of the court far more balls
than Church. but he was coming on and
made more aces.
Church Is Fatigued.
The last set found Church, usually
tireless. thoroughly fatigued by the
extremely fast pace Davis had set. Da-
Wis rushed like comet, swung into
the full sweep Of his power again, and
used up tons Of energy and perspira-
ton in swatting the ball a mile a min
ute. He evidently woS Diet rmined that:
# he was TO lose, he might as well die
SwattinC
Davis did not lose. however. lie fol
lowed his bullet-service like hound
into the net, often being caught at his
feet BY Church's clcycrly placed re-
turns, but even more cleverly turning
them into points for himself by deft
pick-ups .hat found the corners. When
Church lobbed the ball came back like
thunderbolt. Evidently he had been
reading the Book Of Genesis -'I pray
thee, send me good speed this day,'
Throckmorton, after going like a
house afre in. the first set Of the
doubles. became merely cmbers in the
second and third. Davis, though tired
from his morning match with Church,
played a steady game, though not so
speeGy one as in the singles. Church