Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-10-28
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lams II, and Samuel Hardy, captain Hardy was
chosen because of his proved generaship ana
knowledge of the game
while Hardy is being sent as playing cap
tain, it is hardly likely he will participate, MI
Adee said. with the singles champion, the dou-
bles champions and Hardy we believe the Davis
cup will be brought back to this country.
well, what of it," may ask the baseball fan
or the devotee of boxing or the enthusiast who
thrills over the thoroughbred a good deal.
In decade the popular interest in tennis has
increased amazingly Take look at any one
of the courts to be seen all over the country.
The largest clubs are taxed to the limit of their
facilities to handle the crowds anxious to get
glimpse of leading players in action. The final
of the American national championship, despite
intermittent rain, played before a gallery Of
1000 that overlooked the stands. Verify, the
sport is growing by leaps and bounds, and the
idea that the national championship final may
have to be held at the Polo grounds some other
large arena before long, is not at all joke.
To this increasing army Of tennis enthusiasts
William T. Tilden II is quite great as is Babe
Ruth to the fans, and Jack Dempsey to the low
ers Of boxing and Man O. War to the devotees of
racing, and there is question that he is great
on the tennis court. At the recent Tilden banquet
William NJ Johnston took occasion to declare
that Tilden is the greatest tennis player in the
world. Samuel Hardy went further In his esti-
mate, for he declared Tilden to be the greatest
player the world ever has known, and he pre-
dcted that in another season two the cham
pon would be greater than he is today
Billy Johnston ought to know for it's likely the
dethroned national title holder is next best. John
ston stamps him, in the opinion of the experts as
not only the greatest of all living tennis payers
but perhaps the greatest Of all time.
The five sets were scored at 6-1 1-6, rs, ST. 6-3
This TildenJohnston struggle will go down on
the records as the most astounding exhibition of
tennis the most nerve-rackng battle that the
courts have ever seen. Up to this time, the ia
nous final of 1916 in which Richard Norris VIII
lams H. defeated Johnston for the championship
had been considered the apex of tennis history
But that great match faded into comparative In
significance.
Williams and Johnston played five sets of me-
chemically perfect tennis. Tilden and Johnston
played five sets Of incredible meodrama with
a thrill in every scene, with horrible errors lead
ing suddenly to glorious achievements, with skill
and courage and good and evil fortune mex.
tricably mingled, and with constant stimulus to
cheers, groans and actual hystera, so far as the
spectators were concerned
To describe that amazing final as the most s,g
nfcant of all American tennis tournaments. a
tournament that unquestionaby carried with It
the worlds championship, would require the OIL,
peratve of all the adjectives that the journalism
of the game has either used up or discarded in
the past 1t is enough to say that all future dis
cussions of the Oympan heights of tennis will
probably begin with the question, "Were Won
there when-2" and the answer will be either "You
bet I was' or Courses. no." For the proud nos
SCISSORS of the affirmative application is neces.
sary. For the sad negatives nothing can be done
for it will never happen again, at least not lust
that way.
Praise for the two contenders for the American
championship Of 1920 may be equG lily divided
There is plenty for both. -Tiden's victory was a
triumph of supertenns a vinllcation Of the game
which the best judges have for some time conktd-
cred invncibe. But If Tilden IS the greatest ten
mis- player that lived, Johnston Is the gamest
man that ever trod a court.