New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-02
Father" of Modern Game
Taught Boys How
to Play
By Fred Hawthorne

Until two years ago the stars OF
American lawn tennis were accidents.
They just happened. Maurice Nc
Loughlin, the idol Of two continents,
came from California in 1909 prac-
tically urhcralded.
Nobody here, in the East, a. least,
realized that one Of the greatest hg-
ures on tho courts was in the making
in the Far West. The genial, red
headed youth, who was later 20 lower
the colors % the late Tony Wilding
and Of Norman Brookes. the great VIC
torian, in international matches, was
unknown and unfeared before he made
his debut on Eastern courses.
But "R,d Mac" ranked number six
in 1909, climbed to number four IN
1910 and 10 number two in 1911, and
then for the next three years held
supreme sway over all who were
brought against him, Gaping a won
derful career by humbllng BrooHes and
Wilding at Forest Hills in 1914.
Just screw Up"
Mclaughlin Just grew up" on the
asphalt court Of his native state ana
il was the same way with William NJ.
Jobn..or. champion of 1915; Robert
Tindlev Murray, Clarence J. Grim ana
Willis Y. Davis. They were largely
haphazard geniuses OF the cour', Tno
would have come to the fore u'LucI
any conditions. IL was mucn InG s".no
story with Richard Norris Wllii"nlS,
Cd. present national champion, anu
others Of our prominent Eastern pLa!
ers. They came 20 the top nights
through Individual effort 80, -,
But while the world was still writn-
ing under the first mighty blows struck
nv Germany in the great war and all
International lawn tennis matches were
ont of the question, Frederick b. Alex
ander. himself a player OF world wide
reputation, started a systematic deVeI-
opment of the schoolboy players OF the
country.
The work that Alexander did IN those
DAYS may we'll entitle him to the title
of father OF modern American lawn
tennis" The Davis Cup veteran
planned and personally conducted
series of tournaments for the juniors
of The METROPOLITAN district, and as the
movement met with success and was
greeted with enthusiasm by the coming
Generation Of players, Alexander en-
larged upon his original plan and ez-
tended his field of operations until the
schoolboys' Journeys became a recog-
nized institution in the schedule OF the
United States National Lawn Tennis
Association. =.
George Townsend Adee. president Of
the association, and Julian 5. MyricS,
president of the West Side Tennis
Club, were quick TO recognize the va Ne
of the work being done by Alexander
and aided it in every way possible.
Paul B. Williams, field secretary OF
the association, drew up a schedule OF
Junior and boys tournaments and es-
tablished forty-ive tennis centres IN
all the principal cities OF the United
States, and the work Of producing fut-
ure champions Of tho courts was under
full Roadway during 1917.
Fine Lot of Youngsters
But il was not until the recent great
tournament on the West Side Tennis
Clubs courts at Forest Hills, L. l., that
the full value Of the movement started,
two years before by Alexander was
appreciated. The junior and boys
tournaments were the only national
chang ionships to be awarded this sea-
son, and a wonderful lot Of youngsters
showed I'D on the opening day OF play.
Fourteen juniors and ten boys began
the first round OF play, every one of
these having previously qualified by
winning a sectional schoolboy cham
pionship. The country was well rep
resented Marshall Allen coming from
as far West as Seattle, Wash, and
other youthful prodigies hailing from
every section of the continent.
It remained for Charles s. Garland,
of Pittsburgh, and Vincent Richards,
OF Yonkers, TO come through the fields
in junior and boys Journeys, respec-
lively, thus establishing their claim to
supremacy over all their rivals, and
we'll qualified are they 70 hold the hon
ors.
Garland had proved in many pre-
vious tournaments. notably in the ma
tional clay court fixture earlier in the
season, when he was runner-up TO Dr.