New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-07
TENNIS STARS In
BENEFIT MATCHES
Behr and Alexander Win
from Ex-PrincetOnians
at Forest Hills.

There is a great American game
which has large element of draw in
it. Perhaps it was in Difference to
that game that the well known Scotch
and English tennis professionals, Har-
~ McNeal and George Agutter, called
off their exhibition match when the
score was a draw at a set each, at the
West Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills
yesterday.
The reason given was that the pair
wished TO give way TO what proved to
be a spectacular doubles match in
which Karl II. Behr and Frederick b.
Alexander defeated George NJ. Church
and Dean Mathey, 1911, "a. At any
rate, the first tennis professional match
in this country made a good filling
sandwiched between the mems doubles
and the mixed doubles, in which Mrs.
Frederick Schmitz and Watson M.
Washburn bested Miss Molla Bjurstedt
and Alrick II. Man, 90, 7-9, 60.
after spectacular fight, and after
The West Side and Palm Beach pro-
fessional made an irresistible finish,
striking everything with great speed
and accuracy. The second set went TO
McNeal. the Rockaway Hunting Club
and Brooklyn Heights Casino pro, at
IS Then the two perspiring men
called it a day.
What impressed spectators most in
~ h -
man and the delicate looking but pow
erful Englishman was the tremendous
break each one put upon the American
twist service which each has picked up.
Games went pretty much 70 service IN
the first set. except when double fault
ing. which was frequent, because of the
full speed with which each man hit the
second ball, gave the edge 10 the
striker-out.
In the second set the players let down
a trifle in their speed, but played
header game. McNeal excelled on
'cross-court drives, forehand and back
hand. using the low English backhand
stroke. Agutter's fayorite place was
down the lines.
The mixed doubles, which started of
the afternoon, was featured by the sue
cessful combination used by Washburn
and Mrs. Schmitz. The ex-national
woman's indoor champion is an excel
lent net player. When Wsshburn re-
ceived service he played his partner at
the net, a position she made thoroughly
terable. both because Of her own fine
play and because Of the well placed
Slap drives of the old Harvard star,
who showed beautiful all-around
game.
Man was triAe weak overhead, es-
pecially in the latter part OF the
match, when, in desperation, he tried
poaching on Miss Bjurstedt's terri
tory 10 help her out, since her game
was not going quite up to standard.
Alexander and Behr performed IN
rip-snorting fashion against Church
and Mathey, who were on their game,
which means third best in the coun-
try according TO last years ranking
Alexander's famous quick-dropping
forehand, played at the feet OF the
server as he ran in, and his crafty
placing accounted for many points.
Behr was extremely brilliant al
times, especially with his horizontal
yolleys. Church and Mathey, the long
and short team, made short work OF
all the long lobs fired at them
Methey placed his smashes well. while
the tall Church contented himself
with merely bouncing the ball so high
10 the backstop that it could, not be
returned.