New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Johnston's Fighting Courage Big
Factor in Overcoming Tilden

Californian and the Philadelphan were
about even on performance and execu-
tion.
But when the crucial test came on
Thursday afternoon, and West and East
came to grips once again, Johnston was
the man who proved himself of steel.
What had been lacking before in his
game came to life when the greatest
prize of the season was at stake.
Plays a Flawrcss Game
Little imperfections of stroke that
had made themselves evident in earlier
matches. disappeared when he faced
Tildcn: a backhand that had, in COM
mon with most backhands, slight weak
nesses, became over night a power
full weapon Of offence In fact, there
was an all-around smoothness in John
ston's game on Thursday, a polishing
up, a finish, that you could not help
but marvel at and admire.
But it was not only in perfection Of
stroke execution that Johnston came
to the fore when he began his battle
for championship. That was only
one of the things that brought him
forth triumphant. Mentally his game
was flawless, and by that mean to
say that the champion attacked Tilden
in the way best calculated to defeat
him. Knowing Tilden's great variety
Of shots. with a chop that would prov.
deadly on soft courts, the Californian
started off at whirlwind pace and
soon had the Philadelphia making
errors both of stroke and OF judgment.
The ball was coming at Tilden with
such superlative speed and pace that
the latter could never get "set" to bring
off his own shots, and Johnston pressed
him relentlessly. There were times
when the Philadelphian sent his re-
turns whistling over the net for what
looked like certain aces. but the ball
came back with added speed from
Johnston's racquet, and this was one
thing that discouraged Tilden greatly.
Nothing that the fastener could do
could keep Johnston away from the
net, and from mid-court Johnston was
a veritable little giant Of execution.
Was Determined to Win
And now we come 70 the last Of
Johnston's attributes on the day he
won the championshlp-tightlng cour-
age; and ! almost am persuaded that
this was the greatest weapon he brought
to the court with him that day.
There. was grim determination in
every line of the youthful Californian's )
face as he began the struggle that was
70 bring him victory; fight fairly bris-
tied from his red-tlnged hair and the
battle light glinted from his eyes.
Even the manner in which Johnston
gripped his racquet and shook it reso-
lutely after each shot, as the warrior
of old must have shaken his battle-axe
as he closed with his adversary, showed
that the Californian was there 10 do or
die.
believe it was this superb fighting
spirit on Johnston's part that helped
TO defeat the great Tilden. The latter
might have gradually recovered from
his first surprise at the opening on
slaurht and staged one of his notable
uphill winning rallies, but there was
no mercy on the part Of the terrible
little man from the Coast. and the
harder Tilden tried the more fiercely
aggressive and deadly OF execution did
Johnston become.
Had Tilden won the championship by
defeating Johnston in the final round
last week we would now be haiing him
as the greatest in the land, but he
failed when the great test came. and
Johnston did not. and therein lies the
difference.