Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-26

,oWh ttuhts prayer eACtpt VIII
perality, It is not surprising that VIII
Philadelphia county, has startled the
world by his dazzling play before the
experts and the crowned heads OF the
British empire at Wimbledon In the
tournament for the worlds champion
ship. =
Our Bills defeat at the hands Of his
doubles partner, William NJ. Johnston,
the United States national champion,
was more than offset when he gave j.
Cecil Parke, the conqueror Of Johnston,
such an unmerciful trimming last Tues
day and his great victory over Kings
cote today. He defeated Parker In
straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, Ga and King
scote in final sets, 8.3, 81, Ga, 6-I
Yesterday, with Billy Johnston, Bill
Tilden electrified everybody, from the
ball boys to the royal couple, as the
American pair eliminated frances
exponents Of the game-Andre Colbert
and William NJ. Laurentz--in four
sets-6-2, go, 40, OF.
Never on British soil was ever such
tennis seen as that which sparkled from
Bills racquet, and the best part Of 1t is
that Bill Is virtually at the dawn OF his
career.
His First Davis Cup
Although Bill Tilden has played ten
mis- most Of his life, he did not rise
to national prominence until 1918,
when he won the national clay court
championship and was ranked No.
in the first ten. That year Tilden went
to the finals in the all -comers at For
est Hills. but was beaten by r. Lindley
Murray for the title. Murray was rated
No. 1 as the result Of his victory.
This is the first time that Tilden has
ever represented the United States on
the Davis Cup team. Since 1914 there
have been no matches played for this
trophy, and at that time Tilden was un
known as tennis player except In
Philadelphia and vicinity.
| One Of the reasons why Bill Ttlden
did not leap into higher ranks earlier Is
because he was trying to develop THE
game, not HIS game, in Philadelphia.
Bill Is member of the Germantown
Cricket Club, native Of Philadelphia
and has always wanted to see the Qua :
ker City stand high in tennis rating
He believed that the best way to ac-
complish this was to instruct the
young. Consequently he has done more
than any other man in this vicinity tG
help young players. He made Car
| II,
of the University of Pennsylvania
Charley Watson and many other boys
who have developed into tennis stars
He also put Vincent Richards on the
road to fame.
In 1913 Tilden and Richards won thu
doubles championship. playing through
the tournament and defeating Frederich
B. Alexander and Beals c. Wright In
the finals.
Many Times Winner
In the last few years T'ilden has wor
many tournaments. including the Penn
sylvania state, Delaware state. NORTH
and South, and other important meets
But he has never been what is known
as "cup hunter
Indoors and on clay courts. Tildcr
is not as good as he is on turf. H'
was beaten in 1910 in the indoor na
tionals by Vincent Richards. but h'
had not had as much practice at thai
time as his protege.
Last winter he turned the table Of
young Richards and won the title. FL
and Richards won the indoor doubles
crown for both 1919 and 1920.
Last August in the nationals at For
est Hills, Tilden achieved his creates
tournament success. He defeated Nor
man +. Brookes and also put out X. \
Williams and Ichiya Kumagae. In hi
matches against Brookes and Williams
there is no doubt that Tilden's gam
reached a height to which no othe
player in this country has ever attained
There wasn't man in the world wh'
could have beaten him on either OF thos'
days. That he lost in the finals t.
William NJ. Johnston was due to sew
eral unfortunate circumstances. In th'
first place. Tilden was all set and had
lot of confidence the day the match wa'
to have been played. slight showe'
came down in the morning, but thu
courts were not slowed up in the least
However, the news seems to have sprea'
around New York that the match woult
be postponed. Later in the day i
was postponed for apparently no rea
son.
Attack Of NERVES"
The following day it really rained ant
the courts were soaked SO that it wal
impossible to play. During this period
of waiting Tilden kept getting mor'
nervous each hour and finally on tn
morning when the match was finall!
played he was almost a nervous wrecl
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