New-York tribune., 1918-12-15
Tennis Stars
Gained Honor
In World War
r. N. Williams Now Is a
CAPTAIN; Early Return
of Players Is Expected
By Fred Hawthorne

,.n,,rr have performed sloriously we'll
a.;r duties in the great world war
,hst has Just drawn TO 8 close. SIS
,r.rrhody knew they would, Those
aha went overseas TO battle with the
Yun have written another and brill
,snt mage in American history and in
~. annals Of American lawn tennis.
As the smeke OF battle clears away
md we are able to get a perspective
~ some Of the deeds performed hy
.te great champions Of the court we
sre moved to admiration at their
behavior in The face OF death itself.
We all remember how Richard Norris
w;,lisn,s. ID. national champion IN
,elA and 1916, went 60 France as lieu
tsnsnt of infantry in the fall OF lall, !,
af.sr being defeated by Nathaniel ".
Niles. of Boston. il the national
.nstrioticH singles tournament NC the
IN August of thst year. About thS
time Williams announced that he MAS
.brough with championships lawn ten
his: that there was more serious
york ahead
And so he went into the maelstrom
=, hattie and into partial oblivion, 30
ssr as bis friends on this side OF the
a,lantjc were concerned. for it was
onlv rarely that we heard of him. and
ne, onlv in the briefest Of military
dispatches.
Two Made Sacrifice
Rut several days ago the news WAS
auShed under the sea to this couHtry
tha. Niiiams. now captain, had been
decorated with the CrolX de Guerrc
bv French general for gallantly or
the field of battle. Dick. Williams. e
Iongwood, OF the Casino at Newport,
~ forest Hills. OF Melbourne and OF
Wimbledon, had achieved the heights
-or the winning OF which so many had
given up their lives.
And now it is not being too optimis-
tic to hope tha. the former champion
will be returning to the United States
before many more months have gone
by, and that he will once again tread
The courts upon which he Won sucls
fich honors. Every lover of the great
game will be thankful that Captain
Williams has been spared to us, and
Maurice T. Mclaughlin, William NJ.
Johnston, Clarence J. Griffin. Dean
Mathey, Wallace F. Johnson, Watson
VI. Washburn, Willis Davis and Joseph
J, Armstrong, among others of the
leading stars Of the courts, have come
through the great conflict unscathed
and ready to resume their place in the
worid of lawn tennis.
Some of those who went overseas
will not return to US, for they gave up
their lives in the cause of worlds
freedom. but their fame will remain
secure throughout the years 20 come.
we'll, al honor TO their country and
to the great game they loved Captain
Frederick c. Colston, of Baltimore. Ma,
who died from disease in France in
the last days of the war. and Lieuten-
ant James Saunders ONeale, jx., d
former member of The Tribune sport
ing staff, who died as the result of
wounds received in action, are the most
prominent players Of whom we have
knowledge at present who gave their
lives
Colston Held TITLES
Colston was several times holder Of
The Maryland state title in singles and
was we'll known on Southern courts
O'Neaie, younger man, achieved fame
IN 1916 by defeating Washburn in the
Harlem Tennis Club tournament, and
seemed to be just approaching the
HelgHI OF MS game
But, on the whole, this country has
neen fortunate so far as its greatest
players a-e concerned, for it looks now
as though every man OF the 'frst ten"
OF 1916 will be back in the game. Next
August is long time ahead. and by the
time the next national championships
are decided these players should be
IN competition once more.
ohoer such circumstances it will be
interesting to see how the "old guard
lll 1are when they face the younger
cement that held command during the
:eaSon OF 1918. VIII the brilliant Will
ANS, Tor example, be able to play
WIN al the old wizardry that made his
zane @ such delight to watch in 1919
@,'I aa1 1910, years IN which he dethroned
,awe:nnougnlin ,w:n and Johnston, respectively
mlli the lionized Mclaughlin show
San 'ne terrific forcing attack that
.sffled al before it in the DAYS when
ths famous California "Comet" was
s.l1 unlD1eatabe? And the slender Johnston,
.,N iN he again amaze the galleries By
,ne power OF his wonderful forehand
HiNe' the greatest stroke of its kind
81 iaWn tennis within recent years?
NheS- things are problematical. for
J.si Hi sometimes works many and in
evmrlAsb!e tsm changes in men, and who can
so som "hat effect it has had upon our
'Vfmer champions?
Should Regain Rank
assuming, however, that those who
so ..ns 70 the war return with all their
bsiiiner HKiii on the courts, we do not
.s"eVe they would be sorely pressed
w. regain their relative positions in
vs;1EhI WI EahI0 We would look to see either
rti .nIdhls or Johnston, and possibly Nc
81 usSniIn s,a. ana Church, take the measure
nurray' the present champion.
"ss "snuu one other members of the old
s'sI ten ought to come pretty close
" occupying their old places. Tilden,
Paying his best, seems match for
ta,II PplayeT p IN the world to-day, but the
sSt III, 1rhIladelphian has sacrificed many
~..; .;e'e 70 uncontrolable streaks of er-
sae, Aec Paying, and he is still liable to
sSon sS periods, although last season he
ro%Hd $500; more steadiness than in any
''TTslous campaign on the courts.
1919 one o9ners whose official ranking for
tbo tb0 "Ill De announced next week, with
S;r PG1ssinac GoaI exception of Walter Mer-
n].oa' nal'' are not likely to hold their
t' So against the rush OF the Older
&C.,. sie. 1onng Vincent Richards, the
%sseeh- -year-old prodigy, may improve
Ibg;Mclentiy in the coming wear to hold
a,t als own against his seniors. but. on the
lais ,,.:,, ~ looks as though the stars of
lsO lsat ~iii triumph over the leaders Of
1sSe season.
o1' FRISCO. Chamniou Trotse.