Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-06
". ]. CLOTH|ER HAS GREAT
RECORD ON TENNIS COURT
Was Named in First Ten 20
Years Ago-Still Stands
Among Best.


covered II one studies the official
ranie!ng OF tho lawn tennis players Of
tho country and looks back ser the
records OF other years. Probably one
OF tho most remarkable things 10
strike ono IS the way In which Will
liam ]. Cloth!cr holds his own in the
fastest company. He failed this year
20 nuke the first ten, .out the fact
that ho Is found IN tho sixteenth po-
Bltlon after more than Il score ..
years OF active competition, makes
him stand out as one of the marvels
OF the courts.
Cloth!er received his first rating in
the charmed circle just twenty years
ago. when he was placed in tenth po-
sitoH. lie stands out as being
ranked in the first ten more often
than any player now active in the
sport. Eleven :!;mc7 nc mas been up
near the top, and his average POSI-
ton for the times he found "a place
in the first ten. Is just Il shade bet
who was considered good enough by
the committee To be given tenth po-
sition, Is just ono step behind Cloth
Ter in the number OF times he ha,
for the ten years during which he has
been III the leading ten, is only 6.S.
Niles Inactive.
The case Of Niles being counted bot
ter than u dozen or more players has
stirred UP more discussion among
followers of the sport than the plac-
ing OF almost any other man. He
had anything but an active season.
and what little tennis he did play
was not very impressive.
The national ranking committee
seems to have become so accustomed
to giving Niles ranking. It's mem
hers cannot get out OF the habit,
Surely Fob llinsey. Willis Davis.
Howard kinsey and Stanley w. Fear
son. who beat him in the second
round Of the national championship.
were entitled TO a little grea,r. con-
sidcration. Francis r.. hunter who
was not ranked because OF INSULT
Glen; data. might have 3cea placed
above Niles. Hunter managed TO
reach the scmiinals oc The British
championship and the NTH round OF
ours. Certainly Hunter had done
enough to give him a ra'ins. lie did
Richard Norris Williams has APP
rc"t'G in the INST ten 10: the eighth
lime. and has "a average OF 3 for
ihat period. Bi,!y Johnston has ap.
ten Tor an average OF ~.
Youngsters Advance Rapidly.
Comparison of the official tennis
ranking lists for tho season OF 1920
vance OF the younger generation OF
tournament racquet wieldcrs. or the
twenty players selected by the rank
ing committee of the L. :. l.. 4. A.
Tor the national mems singles list
more than 80 per cent advanced in an
impressive manner during the 1871
n!aEinS season. In fact. but two Of
The tournament stars hold the same
positions in the rankings announced
yesterday that they occupied at the
close OF the 1920 season.
William T. Tilden H., OF Philadel-
champion for the last two years. is
No. ]. while William NJ. Johnston OF
san Francisco, holds the second place
IN inc United States ranking. Pass
ing below these two players the
shifting OF positions immediately be-
comes marked. Vincent Richards, OF
Workers. n. y. has advanced from
twelfth to third place; Wallace J..
Johnson. Of Philadelphia, runncr-up
70 Tildcn in the national champion
ship, Is placed fourth inst cad OF tenth.
as was the ease in 1920. Watson NJ.
two places.
The frs, drop in the list is tina, of
u! Norris Wilimas H., of Boston, ma
ttonal champion in 1914 and 1916.
No. . in 1920 and No. in 1921. lchiya
kumaEac. the Japanese star. also
siipped back ia the ranking. going
from no. 10 No. Z. In eighth place
=, gain of five places in twelve months.
The most startling advance among
the i.rsi ten players WAS that made
by Lawrence Il. Rice. OF Newton
Centre, Mass. who is ranked No. 9.
whereas a year ago he was placed In
thirty fourth position. Nat W. Niles
OF Boston. dropped from No. to
tenth place.
In the second ten Willis Davis. Of
san francisco. is ranked No. II. "a
loss OF six points: Dean Mathey. OF
Crawford. y. j.. also Slipped back
three places, while William !. Cloth.
Ter. OF Philadelphia. champion in 1896
proves that years have not dullcd his
game By holding sixteenth place for
another season. Probably The mos,
striking advance MAS that made by
Phil Necr. OF Portland. Ore. who
moved up from nfty,fourth place a
year ago To twentieth in the latest
ranking.
From geographical standpoint tn.
ranking shows that the East stiiI
maintains the lead in tennis Thir-
teen OF the first twcnty players Aail
from Atlantic coast cities iiv, from
the pacific, one from tho Middle West
ana kuinarac from Japan. although
he IS credited with playing from an
Eastern club.
". 4 J. WAS "ROBBED"