Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-05
PHILA. c. C..LEADS
IN TENNIS LEAGUE
Huntingdon Valley Defaults
All Five Matches in In
terclub Opening
CYNWYD THE RUNNER-UP
INTERCLCB LEAGUE
STANDING
BY PAUL w. GIBBONS

At the conclusion of the fl. t days play
Philadelphia Cricket Club lie; ds the first
division of the Intercub Lea 1ie as a re-
suit of Huntingdon Valleys default of all
five matches. The star match of the entire
schedule, that between the Cynwyd cham
pions and Merton Cricket Club, which held
that honor in 1914 and 1915. was greatly
marred by the cold and wind When he
learned that William j. Clothier, who was
expected, was not going to play, Captain
Hawk took Tilden out of the singles and
put him in the doubles in an endeavor to
take all five points. This was most wise.
as on paper the Cynwyd men were expected
to win all of the singles and Brook and
f. NJ. Edwards being one of the very
strongest doubles teams in the competition,
were the most feared spot in Merion's
lineup. This 1t proved, for Tilden and
Gibbons only won the first set after the
closest sort of a struggle and after being
behind all the way, dropped the second and
were 81 down in the third set when the
Cynwyd pair woke up and ran off five
sequence games for the set and match.
Despite his having played only once this
season. Wallace Johnson was in rare form
against Stanley Rogers and accounted for
this sterling player in sequence sets. 1t
was treat to watch the former interna-
tonalist drop soft shots over the net and
when Rogers retrieved them after a tre-
over the Merton mans head for the point.
This happened repeatedly and was a large
factor in Johnson's victory.
Hawk played the best tennis he has
shown this year in accounting for Row.
land Evans in sequence sets, 6-3 6-2, which
scores do not give any indication of the
fine contest put up by the ex-Philadelpha
champion.
Swayne showed his lack of practice in
dropping the first set of his match to Reg
,ster although the former Penn star played
unusually we'll Swaynes aggravating con-
sistency, however. told in the succeeding
two sets, which the new Cynwyd star won
at 6-1 and 6-3.
f. B. Endicott was fortunate in finding
c. N. Beard off his game and although the
Cynwyd player won the middle set it was
evident his shots were lacking in their
usual pace. This was the one real upset
of the day and gave Merton its one point.
The Philadelphia Country Club team,
although considered strong, was not expected
to defeat Germantown which it did, three to
two. Craig Biddle, the new Florida champion,
defeated Pearson much more decisively than
any one anticipated, 6-2 and 6-l. Tho
Philadelphia champion has not yet hit his
stride. Never before in recollection has he
leen defeated by such one-sided scores.
The Belfield Country Club had a bye and
do not play their first match until Tuesday.
In the second division, the Cynwyd I'd
sprung a mild surprise by defeating the
Merton I'd team. 3 to 2. Each team won
the points they were least expected to win.
The second series Of matches will be play,
ed on Tuesday when Germantown, Phila-
delphia Cricket and Belfield play Hunting
don Valley, Merton and Philadelphia Coun.
try Club, respectively, Cynwyd having a
bye. In the second division, Germantown
plays at Belfeld and Merton at st. Mar
tins.