The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23

have not measured up to the standards
Of tho Hri,ie h and Australian teams.
American teams have been victorious
Only twice in challenge round doubles
matches-in 1900. when Holcombe Ward
and Dwight +. Davis defeated j.. II.
Black and ~ Roper-Barrett, and in
1913. when Maurice T.. Mclaughlin and
Harold II Nacket, dowred Roper-Bar-
rett and G. +. Dixon. h Black and
I;oper-Rarrett combination was not
reariy England's best in 1900. when the
boherty brothers were Erslish cham
rions. and the 1918 English team that
fell before Mclaughlin and Hackett was
held by many British critics to he an
unusually weak championship pair.
NcLouRhlin md Bundy Fail.
OF course America succeeded IN win
ming several Of the preli minary tic dou-
=, hles. hut with few exceptions the Aueri-
can pairs did not show the form of Aus
tralian and English teams. In 1914 the
! American team. Mclaughlin and Thomas
{. Bundy. was good enough to defend its
championship crown against the pick OF
this country. and was rated the best
doubles team in America. Yet, when
This pair met Norman T.. Rrookcs and
the late Anthony +. Wilding in the chal-
leige round Of the International series. II
failed m~iserahly. II will he remembered
that in 1914 there was considerable
doubt as 10 whether or not M~ci.oughlir
and Rundy would he the doubles COM
bination 20 oppose the Australasians IN
epite OF The fact that they We're cham
pions. MANY other combinations we've
tried oft. but Il was noticeable that
there vas a general weakness in doubles
all along the line.
The weakness OF 1914. and for that
matter OF many another wear. has been
dio primarily 10 she lack of attention
that has been pad io doubles. TIE
powers that he in lawn tennis fully ar
preclate tho fact that the doubles game
has hecr neglected. and in view Of the
many ,~ommcndahle things they have
. done for the games there is little doubt
thai they vii get after the doubles Gues-
,lor. Realizing. as they do. tina, tho
d i.tion of new sections VIII stimulate
The i~utores; in that branch of the game.
: seems moro nan likely that the fu-
,urc will see a further widening 81 the
doubles play for ~" national title.
II is not 50 many years sircc the dou-
bios championship was ia reality an all
corners affair. From 1870 until 1905.
inclusive. the Championship was a due
between tho East and the West, and IN
the seventeen meetings the East pre-
vailed. - :. S,artiI- with 1907. tho
sectional tournament was iutncuratcd,
with the East. West and southern SOC
tons PLAYING for tho championship Two
wears later the Pacific Coast had
shown such great deNeluTmcut In tho
doubles came tina, ttc Pacific Coast sec
ton was added. and the newest team,
Mclaughlin and - James. reached itc
challenge ro-ild, only 10 10 beaten hy
Harold II IIackcit and Frederick r
Alexander. held by many to be the
greatest team ever produced in this
: county,
, Five sections Last Year.
The rlav was restricted TO these four
sections until last year. IN spite of the
; fact that at every meeting Of the ma
-. tional association new sections sough,
admission. Last year the Northwestern
section was added. The evil 81 allowing
nonresident teams TO compete In the
I various sections was shown nv the fact
!, that Gcnrsc NJ Church aud Dear
Mathey. an Eastern team. reached III,
prcliminar.rs of the national champion
. ship by going our and winning the new
Northwestern event. Tho national aseo-
| citation therefore ruled at this wears
, meeting tina, a team was ineligible tC
compete in any section unless ~ least
2 one member resided in that district
This was followed by the admission OF
! three new sections. the Southwestern
p Middle AtlanIic and Missouri Valley
p hriugiuc tha total IN Ia eight.
i, ia assured that interest in tho gam,
already has been greatly enhanced in IN,
now sections nv their Getting ,our,a,
n r,cn,s which have some national cham,
u r,onsb,r n,yor 10 Them. and n Coot
start has been made toward n fir,bc,
u spread of the doubles, There are man,
n who advocate that tho playing of dNi'
y h;os should bc spli, nm into states. IN,
a winners IN plav In tho cbnmpionsh. ,our
n r,men, Ttey poIn, 70 the growth q,
E ,bo singles game as , good reason
S 1,h.ro aro SO many now who wan, I,
y ,,o, In tho national singles that owe,
',s, ycar ,be,e vas talk ~ cutting dow,
e ,ho 6eId OF those eligible 10 comre,c
nv. s,,,,es,ion Ia. heen made thot on,,
=, STATE unanimous should he eligible 7
n .,ch n change vas made In tho singles