New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-16
Many Believe Kumagae
Will Fight Way Into
Blue Ribbon Circle.
BOTH ATHLETES
UNIVERSITY MEN
Singles Player Ran Mile on Col
Track Team-PlanS
To Be Banker.
~ JAMES s. O'NEALE.

sc has never been any absolutely
curate enumeration Of the number
Of islands in the japanese Empire,
though they total over 5000. To date.
also. there can be no accurate estimate
Of the playing ability Of the japanese
tennis stars, lchiya Kumagae and
Hachishiro Mikami. now invading
American courts. but we are already
convinced that their batting average
is well over 500
The Oriental onrushers arrived at
Seattle June IS They have played
exhibition matches on the Coast and
competed. with success. in the Central
States champion ships at st. Louis and
the New York State championships at
Utica. But one swallow does not make
crink. especially in the long, hot tennis
season. and the japanese have neither
played enough on American courts nor
become we'll enough acclimated yet
for an observer to determine whether
Kumagae Will make the charmed nrst
ten in the country's ranking list or
not.
1t is the opinion Of many that the
best of the Japs IS strong enough 10
dron-stroke his way into the blue rib
hon circle. DR.. Sumner Hardy, presi-
dent Of the Pacific Coast Tennis As
sociation. thinks the lefthander-w
ever imagined a lefthanded Japanese
before is first ten worth
Victor in Far East.
Clarence J. (Peck) Griffin, No. : OF
the first ten. and national doubles
champion with Billy Johnston, DOUBT,
less thinks so, too. Kumagae defeated
Griffin and Ward Dawson, another OF
the Californians, in the Far East iast
winter. Griffin forced the matcn 10 hVe
close sets. but was also forced 70 see
tbo soutbnaw take the championship
of the Orient.
Whatever the worth of the Japanese
as tennis players, as human interest
attractions for the American tennis
nuhlic as the first Oriental tennis team
ever 10 try conclusions with Americans
in American open tennis tournaments,
and as sterling, interesting PERSONAL
ties in themselves. they are amply
worth consideration in the yellow press
at least. Also in The Tribune
Kumagae, the greatest player ~, IN
japan. is twenty-four years ola. ne
was graduated from Keio University
this spring. He wears glasses, DI' 10
fulI Of Astounding spirits that seek an
outlet in miles Of running on the ten
mis- court and in wrestling playfully IN
the clubhouse
Because Of the defect in his vision,
which shows not in his swstting OF
.be elusive tennis ball, Kumagae es-
csped the compulsory military service
Of his country. He plans to return 70
Toxic in the fall, after he has played
the Eastern tennis circuit, and there ne
will become a banker.
you see" says Mikami, who acts as
spokesman for Kumagae, whose Eng
lish is very broken, my partner mas
decided TO be a banker. In our country
banks close at $3.50. and there is plenty
of light. Is that not fine, that ne
should select the honorable profession
that will make him able TO play tennis
everv day?" And the dusky Mikami
smiles at his equally dusky partner
Better at Doubles.
"Haek" Mikami is a better doubles
player than n singles performer ms
is strange, for up 70 four years ago
Kumagae rarely played singles, comm
ing his efforts to doubles, and then
Mikami was the best singles payer IN
tho Nippon kingdom. When the left
handler commenced to play the lone,
some game he advanced with rapid
strides TO the top, understanding his
doubles partner.
Mikami was graduated from Waseda
University in 1909, and went through
wear and a half's military service. lie
became a second lieutenant and is now
an officer in the reserve. Last winter