New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-02
Older Players Pushed tt
Limit to Retain Their
Leadership
By Fred Hawthorne


There were several startling feat
ures yesterday in the playing Of the
mems national indoor lawn tennis
championship tournament on the board
courts of the 7th Regiment Armory be-
fore the field was narrowed down to
eleven contenders. Although the IA
voritcs came through in every case it
was only after some of them had trem-
blcd on the brink of defeat at the
hands of players less we'll known on
the courts.
William Y. Tilden, I'd, of Philadel-
phia, one of the most spectacular play
ers in the country, reached into the
semi-hnal round, yet he was danger
ously close to defeat in his match
against young Harold L. Taylor, the
Brooklyn schcolboy. Tilden finally won
by score of 81, 1-6, but Taylor was
three times within point of winning
the first set, when he led at 5-3 on
games, and twice in the last set, lead
ing at 5-2, he needed only single
point to gain the set.
Experience Tells
and meteoric Tilden steadied himself,
while Taylor, victory over ranking
player almost within his grasp, tossed
away points through overanxiety. 1T
was but another demonstration OF
"class" telling against the inexperence
and impetuosity of youth.
Tilden was duly impressed by Tay-
lor's clever playing. When the latter
had him So on games in the last set
and seemed on the point of bringing
the match even Tilden turned to
spectator beside the COURT and re-
marked: "This boys going crazy!"
S. Howard Voshell, the playing
through champion, who has not had
surprised the onlookers by winning two
matches during the afternoon and
playing with mucha of his old-time
speed and dash. Overhead he was dead
L.. and his cannon-ball service was a
thing to dread. In his first match
Voshell defeated Samuel Robert Mac
Allister at 6-3, 81, and in the next
bracket he vanquished DR.. II. ]. Magen
thaler by a score of 6-3, GO. The
champion should come mighty close to
reaching the final bracket in the lower
half of the draw -
Frederick Is. Alexander, the interna-
tionalist and winner of more than a
hundred titles. was carried to three
stiff sets by William J. Gallon in the
second round before he won at 6-3,
Sc. Sc. Gallon is the master of
terrific service, and little more than
that, but in the dim light of the armory
in the f..al set he made the utmost use
of his delivery. Alexander found it al
most impossible to handle the ball as
it shot into his court, and Gallon con-
tinued to win on his service, game
after game, up to Gall.
Loses on Ce-play
Alexander then took the thirteenth
game on his own service and won the
match in the next by breaking through
The final point was lost by Gallon on
close decision. With the point score
at advantage out" Gallon served a
li,htningfast ball and scored what
looked like a service ace. The lines
nan, however, was uncertain whether
it was a fault, and ordered the point
played over, with the result that Alex
ander Won when Gallon made double
! fault.
81 don't want anything more to do
with that service indoors" declared
Alexander as the men shook hands
after the match.
DR.. William Rosenbaum, holder of
the i--door doubles title with Alexan
der, had to uncover all his battery of
hard driving and smashing to overcome
little Cecil Donaldson, the fifteen-year-
old towhead from Borough Park, by
score of 6-1, Cd.
Cecil played Throughout with the
GOODNESS of veteran, and in the sec
ond set it was his brilliant volleying
to the court corners that enabled him
to take four games from Rosenbaum.
About one more year for US old fell
lows, and then We'll have to sit back
and watch these kiddies plav the
game" said DR.. Rosenbaum after he
and Cecil had "split" glass of aqua
pura.
That the day of the youn ger PLAYERS
is fast approaching was proved in the
match between Gerald B. Emerson, the
New Jersey schoolboy, and Frank An
derson, the Brooklyn youth. Emerson
won in three sets, by a score of So,
~; 60; The finished manner in
which the boys "stroked" the ball. their
sound court tactics, and the world of
speed they used in the match visibly
impressed those who watched.
Keeps Fast Pace to End
Emerson is one of the hardest hitting
of the juniors, and he and Anderson
engaged in many stirring rallies be- be-.
fore the issue was decided. Emerson
maintained his fast pace right to the
finish, whereas Anderson appeared to
tire toward the end, but there was lit
tie to choose between them.
Two veterans of the courts, C, Carl
ton Shafer and Abraham Bassford, jr.,
fought out two hard sets in the first
round before Shafer won at Cd, 81.
The back court game was favored by
both men, with Bassford popping up
high lobs and Shafer crashing them
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