New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Johnston Heads
List; 100000
Play ON Courts
1915 Titleholder Rcgains
National Honors; Davis
Cup Challenge i'll 1920
BY Fred Hawthorne

records and the tournament statistics,
we should not be misled by the mere
figures themselves. Startling as these
are in some particulars, with former
national champions going down before
opponents rated far beneath them,
there is deeper import in the history
of the game ss it was played during
the year just drawing to close
Lawn tennis, in this country at least,
struggled along for three years in the
face of the tremendous handicap i'm
posed by the raging Of the war. For
a time, in 1917, it seemed as though
there would be a complete cessation of
tournament play. Men were respond
ing every day to the call to the colors;
Americas heart was not in the game
OF the courts over here, but in France,
on the far-fung battle line.
at But at II ths critical period in the
rick, vice-presdont of the United
States National Lawn Tennis Associa-
ton, and those associated with him in
the affairs Of the parent body, deter
mined to carry on" at all costs,
realizing the great good that was to be
accomplished by such policy.
A series of "patriotic" tournaments
was run through that season, with no
championship or prize trophy being
competed for, but the following year
the titles and prizes were again placed
IN competition and there was slight
increase in the number of players who
came out. But in 1919, with the world
almost at normal again following the
ending of the war. lawn tennis came
back to its own with an unprecedented
rush, with the result that in many ways
1919 was the greatest year that the
game has ever enjoyed.
Johnston Regains Crown
Those who figured that the cold
guard of the courts, the men who had
held the premier honors Of the coun-
try before the United States entered
the war, would 60 down before the rush
OF the newer crop of players that had
arisen IN the mean time, were wrong
wlll.am M: Johnston, who had earned
the championship once before in 1915
won the honors for the second time by
conquering William I. Tilden. Cd, of
Philadelphia, in the final and cham
plonship round Of the tournament at
Forest Hills in September
Johnston had been out of the game
for almost two years, during which he
was first ensign and then junior
lieutenant in the navy, but the call to
the colors, that he had answered so
splendidly in common with the great
majority of tennis players, did not hurt
his game or take away from the won
derful skill that had already marked
him as one of the great players of
history.
A glance at the "frst ten" ranking
for 1919 will show that only one Of the
new school, succeeded in finding a
place among the leaders. That one
pittsburgh ranked as No. 8. But Gar
land had already made his name known
| on the courts before this country
Joined in the war All the other nine
men bear names that have been prom
inent at the top for the last three or
four years at least.
While Johnston clearly established
his right to be regarded as the greatest
player in the United States, and prob
ably in the world, during 1919, Ti]den
just as fully earned the right to the
second position. These two were in
class by themselves, even though the
standard of play had risen perceptibly
throughout the country during the
season.
Australian Win Doubles
Norman Everard Brookes and Gerald
l.. Patterson. together with Randolph
Lycett and Ronald " Thomas, all of
Australla. after scvering their connec-
ton with the British Army at the end
OF the war, visited this country on their
way home and competed in our national
singles and doubles championship tour
naments. Brookes and Patterson won
the doubles crown at Longwood. defeat
ing Tilden and Vincent Richards in tho
challenge round
All four competed at Forest Hills
PATTERSON went down before Johnston
IN thrilling five-set match and
proxies yielded to the brilliant Tilden
proxies and Patterson were ranked at
the top among the doubles teams of
the country but none of the Antino-
deans were placed in the singles. owing
to insufficient tournament play.
Mrs. George w Wightman, the
former Miss Haze! Hotchkiss. of Cal-
norma, regained her national title
among the women, defeating Miss
Marion ZiWderstein, of Boston. in the
nnal round. The latter had conquered
MIS- MS FrankAn |. Mallory, the former
MISS Molla Bjurstedt and defending
champion, in the semi-final round. The
Morse girl was far from her best dur
ing the major part of the season, the
result OF an injury suffered early in
the spring. This prevented her from
making anything like a real fight in
defense of her crown at Philadelphia
ana also prevented her from appearjnr
IN the national indoor tournament. SO
Wv ''AtS IiI4c ny Celuu I, MIS-,
"ishtman gaining this prize too.
Late in September. however Mrs
Wa Tory, almost completely recovered
TOOK the measure Of Mrs. Wightman in
the hnal round Of the Rockawav IYnt-
ing Clubs annual inyitation tourna-
ment, and in winning The Morse Cmean
remonsurated that she was once mora
the, equal of any player in the East
at least. '''
Young Players Advance
", The ranking committee placed Mrs.
Wightman al No. |, Miss Eleanor Coz
at No. 2, Mrs. Mallory at No. 8 and
Mrs ZlnderStein at n. i for 1910
Inc high ranking obtained bv Miss
Hoss and Miss Zinderstein is a strikino
instance of the rapid strides made bv
the younger players among the women
IN the last two or three wears. and
tnere were half dozen other hitherto
unheralded young players in this diyi-
sion "ho indicated that another season
Will serve to put them up near the
top VIC
The Davis Cup matches were re-
sumed during the year, England win
ning the preliminary ties and sendinc
ner team to Australia to play the
Antlpodeans in the chalienre royn6
inns event will not take place until
next month
More people played lawn tennis in