New-York tribune., 1918-02-23
Title Holders
Lose IN ennis
At the Armory
Cragin and Cunningham
Upset Alexander and Dr..
Rosenbaum
By. Fred Hawthorne

By. Fred Hawthorne
Playing the same sound and consist
ent lawn tennis that they had shown in
all their matches. Arthur S. Cragin and
William Dickson Cunningham defeated
Frederick h. Alexander and DR.. William
Rosenbaum, national indoor doubles
title holders. in the final round of the
exhibition doubles at the Eth Regiment
Armory yesterday. The match went TO
FIVE sets, with Cragin and his partner
winning at 81 /. Sc, 6-3, GO.
In the exhibition mixed doubles
match Miss Molla Bjurstedt, national
woman champion, and Harold A.
Throckmorton won the first set from
Miss Marie Wagner, national indoor
champion, and Walter Merrill Hall by
a score OF u The second set had
reached 6-all when halt was called,
owing to the fact that TIE armory was
being prepared for the reception to the
Camp Upton troops last night Besides,
Miss Bjurstedt. who had left her home
without the formality of lunching, de-
cidcd that she "just had to have some
thing 10 eat
Roscnbaum Proves Weak
Upon DIR. Rosenbaum must rest the
main share of responsibility for de-
feat that was decidedly in the nature
of an upset Never able to control his
shots for more than brief periods, Alex
andcr's partner threw away point after
point by wild smashing of lobs by
xt,-tx. t-n h,-f foul col
leyine.
For a time it seemed that the doubles
champions would be able TO pull the
match out OF the fire BY the brilliancy
Of AieXandcr's game. but Cragin and
Cunningham improved as the match
wore on and had their opponents on
The run in the last set, taking the six
games in row.
Always having the advantage Of
greater steadiness, Cragin and Gun
ningham made use OF battling change
Of pace throughout. They altcrnated
deep driving Of the most severe kind
with splcndidlv placed lobs TO the case
line. Ii was on these shots that AleN-
ander and Rosenbaum came 10 grief.
While the former was generally able
to Kill" the bali with spectacular
tnality, Roscnbaum. more often than
not, made errors in his anxiety to i'm
ish the points of sharply. Undoubtcd-
Is, it was a day when the doctors skill
had been left at home.
In eXtenuation. ii may be said that
the light conditions were unusually bad
and that this seemed TO affect Dr.
Rosenbaum more than any of the
others. lie was constantly mis- judging
the angles, particularly when the ball
came to him overhead, and there was a
justitiable reason for this latter weak
ness.
In honor Of the visiting army in
Khaki the entire ceiling Of the big
drill hall had been profusely decorated
with the flags of the Allies, the Stars
and Stripes predominating. These en-
blems hNns in festoons from the girderS
and were draped over the balconies,
forming a background that WAS cspe-
cially trying on the eyes
Flags Affect Aim
you can't tell whether you're aim
ing at a ball or a star said one Of the
players. and it was literally true
Cragin took full advantage Of the starry
canopy and many Of his deep obs were
played 50 loftily that the ball foated
among the stars and bars in a manner
that was dlstracting, to say the least.
Alexander began the service, follow
ed by Cunningham, Rosenbaum and
tragin. The champions dropped the first
game as Cragn drove viciously across
Alexander and his partner could steady
Gown. tragin and Cunningham led az
3-l on games and were going at a
fine clip.
At this stage Alexander jumped into
the breach and started q determined
net assault. He and Rosenbaum moved
up TO the net almost simultancouslN
crashing back lobs that came over a
BIT too short and volleying the bah at
sharp angles close to the net. It was
"a great uphill tight the title holders
were making, and they maintained their
pace until they had taken the set a.
-.
The second set found Cragin at his
best. Overhead he was almost the
equal of Alexander, and his drives
across deep court had both direction
and unusual severity He and Gun
ningham centred the brunt Of their
attack on Rosenbaum, bombarding him
continuously with variety OF shots
But 1t was the craftiness OF theiI
lobbing. as Alexander and Rosenbaum
tried to rush the net. that earned 4
majority OF the points for Cragin anC
his partner. Taking the set at Cd
the champions opponents dropped the
next at Sc. when Rosenbaum came
INTO his own for space and smashed
\ with spectacular power and deadly
u effect.
l ne iaSt TWO sets found Cragln anC
Cunningham in command once more
and judicious miXture of hard driv
ng and deep lobbing. with Rosenbaur
forced to take a larger share of thC
shots. enabled Cragin and his partner
TO win the fourth at G-3 and the las
at 60 giving them a well-earnes
match
The mixed doubles was not Up to th,
calbre of former exhibitions played b,
those who took the court Yesterday
It was a case of sensational bursts o
brilliancy, intersperscd with many err
crs. against greater steadiness anC
less spectacular playing, and in thi
case the former style Of battle prove,
the stronger. Miss Biurstedt an,
Throckmorton always "stroked" the bal
with greater power than their oppo
nents, and occasionally both brough
applause from large and enthusiastic
gallery by brilliant smashing or vol
leying.
Miss Wagner and Hall proved almost
match for this kind of opposition, ra k
ing the opposing court with beautiful,
placed drives. They came from ia
behind in the first set to bring the gam
10 deuce. and in the second alternate
II the winning of games. 1t will re
Qure another match to settle the SUI
rremacy.