The Washington herald., 1919-08-09
TENNIS COMET
is A HAS-BEEN
Followers of Net Game Be-
lieve Mclaughlin viii
Stage Comeback.

The once great California Comet
Is burnt out, is the verdict today.
Maurice Mclaughlin. the most be
loved of tents players is has-been.
And yet il is surprising to find
how many refuse to believe that the
California star has sung his swan
song. They are looking forward TO
the annual tournament for the ma
tional singles title at Forest Hills.
n. Y. on Monday. in which Nc
Loughlin. they hope, will stage a
Comeback.
All sorts Of interesting excuses
are being offered for his defeat at
the hands Of S. Howard Voshell in
the Casino tournament at Newport.
vosheu is a player who has man
aged to gain admittance into the
circle of the best ten only once. He
would have been easy picking for
the fiery Californian at his prime.
Mclaughlin was out Of practice. is
the most convincing alibi being Of
fered by his partisans-snd there
are many. But the fact is, Ne
Ioughlin was not the star Of other
years by reason OF lack Of one thing
tIat made him the great player
speed
speed a Big Factor.
speed was the fundamental factor
in the Californians game. In the
halcyon days, the comet" would eat
up everything that was offered him
and slam each Offering across in
Cannon-baII fashion. His style was
..unorthodox." He depended upon
an inexhaustible amount Of energy
and speed to overcome his oppo-
nents. His ground strokes were
poor. yet he put them over
His service was peculiar to him
self. II he missed the first ball he
would put just as much power be-
hind the second one, and he managed
10 get il across. His opponents new
er knew what to expect OF II they
guessed what was coming they did
not know how it would arrive His
style was poor. but the fact remains
that he dominated the best men on
the courts.
Service Was Feeble.
Against VosheI he was a pitiable
sight. Time after time he tried 10
nut across the Old-ttrne smashes, to
see them just barely fall over the
net and be smashed back by NOshel
beyond his reach
His service was feeble, and
NosheU had no trouble reaching il
and smashing it with effectiveness.
The comet had come to sad pass
j. was ridiculous to see a left-
handler slamming service that in
days past would have wilted the
best men on the tennis court.
VcLoughIin's case was simply an
old story Of the champion grown
old But the CalifOrnion is only
IS years old. and five years a=o.
was the greatest of them all.
Comet TO Come Back.
There were many fans at the
Casino courts who insisted that Nc
IauEhIin will come back yet. They
rofnt out that the manner in which
IL made his attack in the second
ard third sets demonstrates COnclu-
sfvcIy that he is holding his speed
purposely. Mclaughlin is changing
his style.
II that is the true explanation Of
his piayinE-a change Of style
then tha possibility of his coming
back Is even less. He. without his
speed. is like Ty Cobb without his
battin- eye. or Dempsey without his
punch. The Californian cannot
come back unless he can resume the
uTd-time intensity Of play that made
him the foremost wi"lder of the
TTrqUei
That Mclaughlin intends to max"
D. rftrmpt {" regain his position
aE.rrr. tH-. rrsr ter is considered a
certainty. II is expected that he
will participate in the coming ma
tIUnaI singles championships, de
spite his defeat at Newport.
What his chances are 0f reaching
rho final brack-r~. however. are con-
sidersd extremely doubtful.
Eut thousands are pulling for the
most popular uf all tennis idols.