New-York tribune., 1918-04-07
Cecil Donaldson Wonder
of Young Tennis Players

he stood close to the net and met
hard drives with clean-cut volleying
for the court corners.
1t was after watching Donaldson's
playing in that tournament that we
had occasion to write in these col
umns something to the effect that at
no distant date the youngster would
make his name known in high places
on the courts. Alexander confirmed
that some day the boy Donaldson
would be Americas lawn tennis cham
plOn.
Two years ago such remarks were
not regarded in any way seriously,
but they do not seem so wide of the
mark to-day, in view of what Cecil
has accomplished on the courts. This
STRIPPING has gone meth odically but
steadily, ahead. His game is essen
TALLY a conservative one, with none
Of the freak shots, none of the "storm
the net and trust to making the kill
as you go" features that some of the
noted California stars first made popu-
lar on this side of the continent.
Lieutenant Richard Norris Williams.
I'd, national champion, and Ensign Will
lam M. Johnston, former holder of the
title, did much to dissipate the idea that
the tremendous amount of physical and
6y
of play was worth the price eventually
paid, or was necessary to win against
the greatest players.
Neither Williams nor Johnston de-
veloped the net attack or the service
at the expense of other departments of
the game. Both realized the advantage
and the necessity of sound backcourt
play, and even the great Mclaughlin,
and Murray after him, tempered the
wild impetuosity of their court tactics
and paid more attention TO ground
strokes. The California "Comet,' of
course, made rhe change after he had
already started to topple from the
heights, and it came too late to save
him. The rushing style of game had
already taken its toll of physical en-
ergy. But Murray played greater ten
mis- after curbng his headlong dashes
for the net than he ever had before.
Young Donaldson Cool Under Fire
The thing about Donaldson that i'm
presses the critic to-day is his cool
shows in not going for the net position
until he has paved the way for an open
ing by forcing shots from backcourt.
Once the opportunity for a finishing
shot at the net is there, Cecil shows no
timidlty IN closing in. His volleying is
particularly good, and his service is
sufficiently severe and we'll placed to
give him the chance to follow in to the
service court when he SO desires.
The coming outdoor season Of tour
nament play should do great things
for this boy provided he is not rushed
along too fast and keeps a level head
upon his shoulders. Thanks be to
Providence, or, more probably, to wise
parents, Cecil has not shown the slight
est disposition yet to be anything but
wholesome American schoolboy-and
a great tennis player.
A good omen for the approaching
outdoor season is the announcement
made yesterday by the United States
National Lawn Tennis Association to
the effect that lawn tennis among the
colleges will be resumed on an encour-
aging scale.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Associa-
ton, composed of Yale, Harvard,
Princeton. Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn
sylvania and Williams, has applied to
the U. S. N. l.. T. A. for sanction of
the intercollegiate championship tour
naments, to be played, as usual, on the
courts of the Merton Cricket Club, at
Haverford, Penn. in September
Besides this activity, the different
colleges are planning to resume the in
terscholastc tournaments that have
done so much to develop the play OF
our junior sta-s These signs of awak-
ening to the Importance of tennis az
means of keeping the youth of America
keyed up to the proper physical condi-
ton, and hence to take their place on
the battle line should the occasion re-
quire, are healthy ones. Let them ever
grow stronger and more widespread.
The outdoor tennis season may be
said to have officially begun yesterday,
open the clubhouse and placed twenty
five of the clay courts fn commission.
The Forest Hills organization, under
the leadership of Charles S. Landers,
the new president, will do much to
foster and develop the game of lawn