The sun., 1919-07-16
TENNIS FOLLOWERS
DISCUSS M'LOUGHLIN
Possibility Of Comets Come
back Gives DevOtees of Sport
Food for Thought.
NJ EUGENE n. o,CoNNELL.

NJ EUGENE n. O'CONNELL.
That Maurice e. Mclaughlin. the CAL
ifornia Comet. conqueror Of the great
Norman L. Brookes and the late An
thony F. Wildlng, continues to hold the
great popularity which he gained while
winning championships, has not lost
his place in the hearts of devotees OF
tennis Is evident from the fact that he
always Is a topic Of discussion wherever
tennis fans gather. Due to his own per-
sonal magnetism and the sparkle Of his
game Mclaughlin was probably the best
liked champion that ever wore the ten
mis- crown.
Ever since Mclaughlin and his part
ner. Thomas c. Bundy, won the Pacific
Coast doubles championship recently and
1t became certainty that that famou:
team would be in the competition for
the national doubles crown there hai
been considerable guessing and specula'
ton as to whether or not the Comet
would try his hand at the singles OF
those who should be best posted on the
inside dope in tennis some are Of the
opinion that Mclaughlin will compete
in the singles and some are OF the opin
ion that he will not 1t seems hard &c
believe that a player of McLoughlin''
type could pass up the lure OF the sin
giles game while he is hanging arount
the scenes OF former triumphs.
II sides are taken with those followers
of tennis who believe that the Comet vii
compete in the singles events, the question
naturally comes up as to the great Carl
fornians fitness. Then there comes an
other subdivision. Some believe that thu
enforced abstinence from tennis which
Mclaughlin encountered during his SO
journ In the navy has benefited him ant
that he will be able to come back ant
play his old energetic game which
proved we'll night unbeatable. There arr
as many more who hold that McLough
lin had burnt himself out when he los
the title in 1914 and that his day Is done
McLoughIin 'stiII Young.
The fact remains. however. that Nc
Loughlin is still young man. younl
even in athletic circles. McLoughliI
won the singles championship last II
1918. That was six years ago. How
ever, the Comet, although beaten for tn
title in 1914. by Richard Norris Williams
I'd. scored over Brookes and Wilding tina
same year and was rated as the bes
American player by the United State
National Lawn Tennis Association ant
by British critics as the worlds great
est player in spite OF his lone defeat il
the final round for the American it'll
by Williams.
That would leave a real lapse OF onl!
Ave years since Mclaughlin was at tn
top OF the heap. The American game u
not without precedent for cham
pion coming back and winning It'll
after a lapse of five years. William y
Larned, known in America for year
as the king Of the Courts" won thu
title in 1901 and 1902 and failed to vii
of five years, and history has bee
known to repeat itself. In 1903 Larne'
lost the title to the great British player
H. L. Doherty. but was rated No.
in American tennis because of the fac
that Doherty was a foreign player. no
because he was considered superior &
his only conQueror as was the case wit.
Mclaughlin.
Similarity in Cases.
There is n great similarity in III
cases of McLoughlin and Larned. whor
Mclaughlin supplanted. Larned as men
toned before. won the championship Il
1901 and 1892 and although he lost
in 1903 was placed at the head Of III
! list OF American players for the thlr,
time. McLouGhln won the title In lyl
and 1913. but his defeat of 1914 did no
prevent him from being selected as tn
No. / man in American tennis.
In 1904, Larned dropped to third plac
! IN the official ranking list. In 1871;
| Mclaughlin was ranked third. Larne
was ranked third In 1905 and second 4
1906 and gained his place at the top +
1907. holding II until Mclaughlin too
the crown away in 1912. McLoughh
/ was not rated in 1916 because ne ha
not played often enough. In 1917. Their
was no rating and in 1918 he was i
the navy.
! Larned's earlier record was quite
bit better than that OF Mclaughlin, an
extended over longer period. Thi
| Incidentally should prove that inasmuc
as Larned was able TO hold his ow
over such long period, McLoughli
! should be far from n has been. an
should have a fair chance of reganin
( his old place at the top If he decides I
so after 1t seriously.
Larned strong In 1902.
Larned made his initial appearance
in the first ten, the select circle N law
| tennis, In 1892. twenty years before II
lost the championship He was rate
! sixth that year and for the ensuin
! years as follows: 1898, nth: 1885,
second 1895. second; 1895, second
| 1897, second 1898, not In first ten SO.
third 1900. third; 19O1-2-3. first 1904
! S, third 1906. second 1907-1l, first. II
has not been rated since that time.
Mclaughlin made his debut in tn