Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-11
JUNIOR INTERCITY TENNIS PLAY
A REVELATION TO NET FOLLOWERS
Letson-Beck and Taylor Matches
Showed Fastest Juvenile Racquet Work Ever
Seen Locally-Return Engagement in N. Y.
BY PAUL w. GIBBONS

THERE Is no word to describe the sue.
l. cess Of the intercity junior match held
on the courts of the Philadelphia Cricket
Club on Saturday While New York won
the meeting Ave matches 70 four II would
have required only a punch by Rodney
Beck on any one OF six separate occasions
to have given the victory TO the Philhdel-
phia team by the same margin. Two Of the
singles matches, Letson va. Beck and Taylor
vs.. Dornheim. displayed the fastest tennis
ever shown by boys in this or any other
city. The conditions were virtually the
same in both matches. with tho exception
that Philadelphia triumphed In one and
met defeat in the other
Reck was not at all overawed by the
fact that he was playing the boys national
champion, and the Germantown youth gave
the best exhibition Of strokes and tactics
Of any player In the match He led Let
son throughout the first and up 20 Al in
the second, during which time his victory
seemed to he n certainty. LetsOn. who
showed himself to be one of the gamest
youngsters that ever stepped on a court,
rose 70 the occasion at this point and
pulled two long, bitterly contested games in
which Beck ran his opponent into every sec
ton OF the court Whenever the Philadel-
phan would get within point of game
Letson always stepped into the breach with
unbeatable strokes which kept Beck from
winning.
Beck Takes Service
Despite the discouragement Of seeing his
| seemingly safe lead taken away. Beck again
| came forward with more clever tactics and
speedy strokes and took his opponent =
| service for the lead at 5-3. In the next
| game he came within one point Of the
| match and while l.etson Stakcd everything
on aggressiveness and played with greater
| severity. Beck became oNeranNious and
| played the point timidv, giving Letson n
| chance to score, and by avertlng defeat
| kept on going until he had pulled the set
| out Of the fire at 10 Beck was Visibly dis
couraged at the unexpected loss of this set
and his game fell of In the final four games
| all Of which he dropped.
He recovered game,y In the third set and
| with Letson getting better all the time Cwitl
the exception Of inCessant faultiug). Beck
| once more went into the lead. with tn,
score I-2, he led at 400 in the next gam,
and every one in the gallery agreed tha
this was the New York boys finish. Letsor
unfortunately did not share this view anC
despite the fact that any one Of the fol
lowing three points would have given Becl
a safe lead Of 80, Letson pulled five sue
Cessive points for the game. The loss o
| this game was the blow that sounded Beck
defeat, for ne was visibly disappointed at hi
inability to put It over, and in the remain
ing games he seemed to forget that he shoul
lob when his opponent was in to a clos
cover and. instead. made many unsuccess
| ful attempts to pass him
The Philadclphian was not through YET
! however for he won his own service for tn
, lead at 81, and as a result Of double faul
and an earned point, had LetsOn 0-30 o
the latter's service. Beck once more ha
victory within reach. He needed only tw
Of the next three points to win the match, bu
again permitted his game to get soft, Will
I.etson stiffened, and Beck was once NOR
unable to come through. The game tc
, gethcr with the following two, was won h
> the New York captain and with them III
, match. as it ultimately proved the intei