New-York tribune., 1916-06-20
PRINCETON PAIR
NOW CHAMPIONS
OF THE BRONX
Church and Mathey Take
Two Matches on
the Courts.
By JAMES S. O'NEALE.

ny J<t'lLO % " .'A<atb1.
II would have been much better for
the tennis doubles teams of Harold II.
Hackett and Walter Merrill Hall and
Theodore Roosevelt Pell and J. S.
O'Nesle if the rain, instead Of merely
interrupting and discommoding, had
really prevented the play-of Of one
semi-fnal match and the final in the
historic metropolitan doubles cham
pionship on the courts Of the Bronx
vile Athletic Association, Bronxville.
As it was, Church and Mathey
trimmed Pell and his partner, 7-5,
"a. in the seml-fnal round, and then
gave Hackett and Hall a mighty wallop-
ing in the final, which was best two out
Of three sets by agreement, because Of
the late hour. The score was 81, 6-3.
If it had poured, the Princeton team
George VI. Church and Dean Mathey,
third doubles team In this country
would not have won the title and de-
prived Hackett and Hall. who took the
evert last year. Of the honors for the
third time. The unexpected detection
Of the rain, which has held the tourna-
ment up In an unprecedented manner,
caused surprise. The singles final,
which will bring partner against part
ner-Church vs.. Mathey-will not be
played until July 3, because the two
principals are going 10 the national
clay courts championships, which start
Saturday.
The finals was poor tennis. because
Hall, who is never in his best form
till later in the season, and who had a
particularly poor day yesterday, and
the willy Hackett could not give the
aggressive PrncetOnians any sort OF
opposition. Really, the semi-iinal
match was much better tennis. and
we'd much rather write at length on
that, but a finals is a finals.
For the eliminating clash the order
of service was Church, Hackett, Mathey
and Hall. Church, after he had netted
for the first two points, and Mathey
smashed out, this leaving the score
love-forty, pulled out his service game
in fine style. Thereafter the first set
was a procession, except for Mathey' 8
first service game, which the fading
champions won at love. Hall, who won
the metropolitan title with Hackett IN
1912 and 1915, simply could not ge.
going, netting for the most part, while
Hackett, who with one partner or an
other has captured the historic title
eleven times, was helpless, and had TO
watch Hall bear the brunt Of the at
tack
Church and Mathey hit harder and
we're more aggressive in the first set
than in the second, when they let down
a trihe. In each set, especially the
second, they lobbed far more than
usual, and this made the tennis soft
and slow. The reason for the contln
ual lobbng was the weakness of Hal
overhead. as the West Slider did not
punish the tosses with his customary
skill. When Hall had been driven
back by aerial attack, Church and Ma
they Jumped like lightning for the nc'
where they are supreme. Hall made
several fine shots in his old manner
but his errors outweighed his good re-
turns. The usually imperturbable e
Hackett, also. was trihe worried and
anxious.
The second set found the usually ac-
tive Mathey inclined 10 be little con-
servative, while Church's long legs
roamed all over the court chasing
everything to their hearts content.
The long Princetonian had TO bear
most Of the onslaught of the desperate
Hackett and Hall, who in spots began
10 90 much better, but it really was no
use. or that particular day at least.
The losers won their three games on
Mathey's service, which they broke
through again as in the first set, and
Hackett's and Halls. Hall made the
only service ace Of the match. fun
nv one caused by particularly
severe break Of his severely-cut
American twist that Church, with a
ludicrous swing hit at and missed by
several feet.
The last game Of the set, Halls
delivery was marked by the best ten
mis- of the match. when Church made
several spectacular gets of hard
smashes by Hall, who by now was
hitting hard and freely. The finals
and semi-hnal were umpired by the
demon umpire. William Cunningham,
champion of Barcelona.
The point score follows: