Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-11
WE. JOHNSON IS STAR
!. OF DOUBLES COMBINE
With Washbmn, He Beats
Davis and. Roberts; Fast
Matches in East Vest
Meet at Mannheim
By SPICK HALL

= Asst year at Forest Hills Wallace
IJr Johnson. OF our Cynwyd Club,
uos a national semifnalist. This year
w. again went to the penultimate frame
T. tbe big singles clash. He has for
reors been ranked among the first ten.
i1e IL recognized as a great singles
SLAYER tpd Justly so. But as a doubles
norformer Wallace Is at his best. He
Sos often proved It. but never more
conclusyely than he did yesterday, when
he and Watson NJ. Washburn, of the
West Side Tennis Club, smashed their
nay to an easy victory over the crack
Caiifornia team, Roland Roberts and
willis T.. Davis. These native sons, by
tbe way. eliminated Bill Tilden and
Chuck Garland in the national doubles
nj Longwood, and were only beaten in
thc finals by Peck Griffin and Billy
Jobnston. who were trimmed by Tilden
and williams on Thursday afternoon.
Washburn and johnson had never
nlayed together before yesterday, but
tbey were selected by the tournament
committee to represent the East against
the West in the nine contests at the
Germantown Cricket Club. Mannheim,
and they did it properly. This team
from Philadelphia 6nd New York gave
thr East lead in the series by beating
their western rivals in straight sets,
6.3, 6.3. go.
Fast Servers
Both Davis and Roberts are supposed
10 have about the two best services in
the country with the exception of Tilden
and they deserve the recognition. Their
deliveries are Of the typical California :,
Mclaughlin variety. When this Is
taken into consideration the achieve
ment Of Johnson and Washburn Is the
more remarkable because they broke
through their opponents service no less
than nine times in the three sets. In
the first set Roberts lost his serve three
tines and Davis twice. In the second
Davis and Roberts each dropped their
own deliveries once and in the closing
affair Roberts lost his serve twice,
although Davis managed to win his
both times but only after a deuce game
had been played on each occasion.
Washburn played his usual cool,
heady consistent game, which appar-
emily was just the style that suited
Wallace Johnson best. At any rate,
johnson and Washburn had teamwork
that had all the earmarks Of long prac-
tice together. Which goes to prove that
when two heady players are teaffed up,
they can work together If they whnt u
and this pair wanted to yesterday.
Johnson played by far the best of the
four men on the court. His volleying
was virtually unbeatable. so much SO
any way that Roberts and Davis didn't
have chance against it. Davis and
Roberts are fine mechanical pIayers but
johnson has more than this. When he
hits ball, regardless of how quickly
the stroke has to be made, he puts Il
where his opponent has the most trouble
in making a return. In this way he
fooled Roberts and Davis time and
again Yesterday, either cleanIy passing
them or putting the ball where error or
weak return was inevitable.
Irses U;s Rro;r
Resides heinz oroo. nm. ,,o l.,
sonSIns pes,ees Ih p1ins u great net player In
mstn hin, StanT raaS n o.mer In. assets ass .hat
tho worlds r eraate ie.m a n,o .ne Top % on
saryi,a m, ,n,nuo a..