Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-03
JOHNSTON Trained
up FOR NATIONALS
Western Star, 120 Pounds, at
Fighting Weight for Annual
Eastern Invasion
CHANGES BACKHAND STYLE
BY CARL FISCHER
Philadelphia District and Middle States
Singles Champion


Seabright. \. j.. Aug. 8.
7 TITLE Billy Johnston is trained
II 'up" to his fighting weight. Not
many athletes in the realm of sport have
TO train up to weight. The great
majority train down.
But Billy is a wee bit of chap and
cannot afford to take off too much
weight. He now tips the scales at 12O
pounds. and that must carry him through
the big tournaments of this month, the
Davis Cup at Forest Hills and the
national singles nt the Germantown
Cricket Club in Philadelphia in Sep
tembcr.
Last season Billy was trained too fine
when it came to the nationals and he
went stale. At the end of the tourna :,
lnent he weighed only 113 pounds. He
planned n different campaign this year
and hopes to be at his height on the
Germantown courts.
Johnston made his debut in the East
here on Monday and was greeted enthu.
siastically by all tennis folk.
Never Felt Better"
I'm glad to be in the East again,
he said. II never felt better in my
too much weight.
After the nationals last season john
ston announced that he would not re-
turn 10 the East again. business de-
mands, he gave H. his reason. How
ever. he played Tilden twice and won
as many times in the matches played on
the coast early this year. ana these 'l'-
tories may have caused him to change
his mind. ,.u..
With Little Bill and Big Bill
both in excellent condition. Dick VIII
liams playing great tennis and the
various other stars of this country
Australia and France shining, our ma
tionals in Philadelphia will undouoleuly
be 1.-THE greatest ever, as they say
! in the circus business.
Expects Record Crowd
Tildrn, Johnston and Williams each
4 have two legs on the coveted tropnE
md il will be II three -cornered batt'e
hrtwrrn these stars for permanent
nnsscssion. Interest in the NATIONALS
should run high and it is believed tina,
thc record attendance of last year VIII
be surpassed. ,.. III.
annual invasion Of the East ne a.
termincd to train carefully. Sln'e H.
defeated Tildcn in the West h" AI'
nloyrd little and wisely 50, FOR II Is
n>cecdinely easy to reach top form
rarlv in the season and thcn become
stale by playing continually.
JohnStons : first match was Wht'h"o
corefullv bv those ~ the tournamcnt
here and SON" slight .'hangcs III ms
game we're noticed. STANLEY iearHoh' :
national squash champion ana hal'N'
pbilodolphian. gave Billy Johnston u
very interesting match IN lh" hr"t
round.
Backhand Drive
Although meyer in danger. ''iilIIc
Kin showed that lie was not playing
,t the hrighth of his game. lic n"tt".'
many forchnnd drives. lis ba"khand
however. is more aggressive than ever
What was once chop stroke has pe-
,nmn a drive. Although his backhand
ven. never really weak. ii was formerly y
y defensive shot. lie now hits it nat
and gets n great deal of force on the
bali. Only occasionally, and 'h"'
usually ON a high bounding pail Goc>
Ln ch0p. His service and overhead u
very dependable and accurate. While h.'
,niinyiup is Just a uggreSsiN" as ever
In defeating Pearson by the c'os'
.cnre of Ga. 10. he was content |,
stny in back of the court most OF
rho time. journcying occasionally to the
net merely to finish of points
) Although III he netted many OF ms iameo
forehand drives, this was probably due
to the lower bound of grass than on on
the hard courts upon which he H. ha' "a,
been PLAYING. and to Pearson n "hsD,nioI $ GGoL
ulaycd exccllently and made matter
/; vcry interesting throughout the match
Real Sportsman
: speaking of Johnstons forehan'
Tilden once made. 1T is not ~,
fnrehand drive which makes him on'
~ the worlds greatest, but rather I'M
i nhsence ~ @ of a weakness in his game,
remarked the SHiiom", nn,srf,'l uMdmp,"nI m",r n
, ,lay;py ability, his always aggressive
style. W and his wonderful sportS,,manTship p
make him a player who ,,.oS will always
Nav many are asking 'Can Tilder