New-York tribune., 1919-03-28
Lieut.. Johnson,
Former Net Star,
May Play Asui,,
BY Fred Hawthorne

A quiet little man. bronzed by sea
winds and sun, slipped into NeTt
York yesterday on the steamer
Lake Dcval. from Havana, Cuba. He
wore the dark blue uniform Of junior
lieutenant in the United States navy.
and one Of the first places he visited
was the Office Of Paul b. Williams.
field secretary of the United States
National Lawn Tennis Association, at
20 Broad Street.
"f1ello. Paul. can't we get in little
tennis this afternoon ." said the junior
lieutenant. smiling broadly. as he -
tended his hAnd.
"BY JoYc, if 10 isn't old Bill John
stoni' came back Williams. sinking
the visitors hand vigorously. and then
the two went right INTO red hot, huz-
zing bee about lava tennis, past, pre-.
gent and future,
The junior lieutenant WA William
NJ. Johnatop, Of California. national
einglca champion Of 1913 and also for
mer doublce champion Nth Clarence
j. Griffin. Johnston received his dis
charge from the navy last week in
Havana, and Immediately boarded a
steamer for this city. lie is on his
way TO his home in California, and
viii leave New York to-day or to-mor~
row on his long trans continental our
ney. In the meantime he is staying at
the Hotel McAlpin
Looks the Athlete
Johnston almost looks like the same
1.-the. wcll-trained athlete that he was
in 1918. whom he won the highest
honors in American lawn tennis by de
featMg Richard Norris Williams, ID,
in the semi-hnal round and Maurice
f.. Mclaughlin in the final. Williams
was the playing through champion at
h.t httt fnI nj, ,ttttl J.
beautiful precision, moved him down
in n stirring battle and then van
Quished the great California Comet
in another struggle that thrilled the
big gallery at the West Side Tennis
/ Club
The cX-champion appears just a
triic heavier than when he was trained
down to tournament play, but it would
require only few weeks to get rid
Of any superhuous flesh.
After describing some matches in
which he had taken part recently at
the Nedado Tennis Club in Havana,
incidentally defeating the best players
in Cuba, Johnston said: Il played just
well enough to make me think that |
haven't forgotten how" This may be
taken as an indication that the Cali
play again this summer provided he
can arrange his business affairs salts
factorly in the meantime
According to Johnston, who has been
stationed on the battleship Oregon
and on duty on other warships in South
ern waters since his enlistment some
eighteen months ago, tennis is in high
favor in the countries to the south
Of the United States, particularly in
Havana, where there is great deal
Of playing on the picturesque clay
courts of the Vedado Club, directly on
the waters edge. The Cubans are
picking up the game rapidly, and their
best men are very good.
Won't Commit Himself
When asked pointblank if he would
enter the national championship
singles tournament at Forest Hills next
August, Lieutenant Johnston said he
could not make a positive announce
ment one way or the other at this time.
He plans to enter some business as
soon as he has settled his affairs in
California. "Business before pleasure"
is the former champions motto, and an
excellent one it is