Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-27
British and Australian
Champion Forced to Play
Fipe Vigorous Sets to
Eliminate One.Time Ten
mis- King
McLOUCHLIN IN FORM
BY SPICK HALL

west Siuc ltUnlS NIuD' iuftst htiIS'
l.. L., Aug. 81.
1L,REDERICK B. ALEXANDER
probably would feel kcenly hurt il
any one called him an old man. and
particularly grand old man, but that's
Just what he is on the rectangular turf.
He is the grand old man of tennis.
When he appeared at the clubhouse
this morning he did not look any the
worse for wear. and he said he didn't
feel as though he had done any more
yesterday than practice. Yet the fact
remains that he played five of the fastest
sets yesterday that We're pulled off in
the first round of the national tennis
singles
In order to beat Alexander. Gerald
J.. Patterson. who learned his tennis
under the tutclage of his father and the
light of the Southern Cross. had to bring
forth a lot of his best strokes and all of
his youthful energy to down the famous
New York internationalist.
Alexander's Game
In several respects Alexander's game
yesterday was one of the best that he has
put up since he and Harold Fl. Hackctt
had monopoly on the national doubles
a number of summers ago Just before
he and Patterson took the court Alex
ander was sitting in the press box
watching long rally between Howard
Voshell and Conrad Doyle.
"Why. wouldn't chase around like
that to win whole game. to say moth
ing of one point" the veteran remarked.
but events later in the day proved that
he would "chasc around like that" and
do it manv times for the sake, of a
single point
How a ran of Alexander's age was
able to go through that grueling mental
and physical grind is almost a miracle
He Rped all over the court. from one
side to the other and from the net far
back of the base line time and again
during the course Of one rally.
Foe Changes Style
But the most remarkable part OF
Alexander game against Patterson was
his ability to half volley. He always
has been noted for his expertness in
this department of the game. but never
in his palmiest days was he more eff
fective from midcourt than yesterday
Patterson found ont after he had been
beaten o. and Ga in the first two sets
that deem driving never would beat his
older opponent.
Whcnnvcr q back court driving rally
was started it was Alexander who in
variablv finished it and finished it tC
his own advantage. So Patterson real
lied he must do something else to win
Therefore he dropped his British stvl,
OF deem driving and started whipping
the ball ut Alexander's feet as the New
Yorker came in to the net, but Alexan
der was not only equal to that, he wal
a little ahead of the occasion. for h,
half vOlevnd Patterson's low drives il
any direction he chose. both on his bacl
and forchand. :
Rare Feat
Not only did his half volleys hav,
direction. hnt he managed to Get hig'
speed on them as we'll. eoTcthing tina
few players r~c"nting Bill Ti'den car
do. and even Bill cannot compare will
Alexander except in streaks.
Patterson's victory came finall,
when he forced the net for every point
His long reach and general court GOV
ering ability aided him greatly in gettin
into n position for a cross court ace o
kill chat would bound high into tn
grand stand. In the latter rart of tn
match Patterson seemed to forget tha
he was a grandson of Great Britain. 70
instead of, clinging to the sound gam
taught in England and Australia. h
began batting with that reckless ahan
don that has placed so many stars fror
the Pacific coast on the tennis pinnacle
When Patterson began his match wit
Alexander he seemed fairly dazzled b
the veterans assortment of strokes
Alexander won more points on place
ment aces in the first two sets than Pat
terson did in the last three.
Gallery Fair
The big gallery. which was amos
unanimously for Alexander. proved I
be a tynicil crowd of American sports
men. Patterson was applauded as ofte
and us vociferously MS Alexander. an
there was none Of the small tow
sportsmanshin which was shown lns
Saturday nt PITTSBURGH. when the fol
lowers of Dave Hrr~Ou annIaudrd Il,
errors made by Bobby Jones in III
amateur golf finals. Lots Of noise can
from the big stands. but it was NJ
audibly partisan.
Every one realized when Patterso
took the third set that Alexander mu
win the fourth or lose the match. b,
cause 1t was hardly thinkable that
could allow his opponent to bring Il
sets up to two all and then win Il
fifth and match. and so it proved, bl
Alexander made great fight again
heavy odds in the final set. Not on'
did he show signs Of faltPring in spiri
although his game lacked the physic
punch at the finish that characterize
it at the beginning.
When Alex Cracked
Alexander lost control of the situi
tion in the fifth game of the fifth Sc
He had started we'll, winning on h
service twice. With the score at tw,
all in games Alexander ran the SEQ
up to 40 love. but right there Patte
SON showed his metal. He dashed in
the net after whipping Alexander
service back. and by volleying with t
greatest skill won five points and I
game.
That was the end of Alexander's Q
fortss 1t only took Patterson eley
! minutes to run the set from there
6,2.
Patterson's tackhand. as exemplifi
In his match with Alexander. is
splendid stroke and Is not unlike Ichi,
a.. a sI.r..a he n