The New York herald., 1922-12-12
SQUASH CHAMPION
TRIUMPHS IN FINAL
Thomas r. Coward Defeats X.
Earl Fink i'm Annual Scratch
Tournament.
BY SAMUEL J. BROoKMAN.


Thomas r. Coward, national amateur
champion, resumed where he left off
last season in winning the final OF the
National Squash Tennis Associations fall
scratch tournament at the Yale Club
yesterday. A year ago Coward wen.
through all OF the open tournaments,
scratch. handicap and championship.
without defeat. establishing a precedent
for consecutive victories. Yesterdays
triumph brings his record to four
straight victories in tournament finals
and to all appearances it will be mighty
difficult to check his advance the rest
of the season.
In coming through yesterday Coward
defeated r. Earl Fink of the Crescent
Athletic Club three games out of four,
10--15. 15--3, 15--5, 15-13, in a match
that bristled with spectacular play. The
champion was slow to find his best
speed at the start. but once he warmed
up to his task his superior control and
tactics, his splendid getting and skillful
change of pace turned the contest his
way. Fink was at his best in the early
stages of the match and toward the end
spirited rally almost evened the score
at games-all, but the greater part OF
the way Coward was master OF the
situation.
Fink was not nearly as steady as
usual, but Coward's crafty placing and
speed had great deal to do with his
loss of control. for the champion made
him hurry his strokes and kept him
reaching for the ball throughout. The
Crescent man also failed to match
Coward's attack in versatility. He
seemed too intent upon keeping the ball
travelling to Coward's backhand, his OBJ
ject evidently being to minimize the title
holders opportunities of getting in his
telling forehand smash. His plan was
good one but he stuck to 1t too per-
sistently and Coward was able to antici-
pate his shots after a while.
Champion Gains Speed.
In the long run. however. Coward's $
gre ater steadiness and craftier blending
of soft and powerful shots were the win
ming factors. Both men did some sensa-
tional getting from start to finish and
sustained the rallies we'll The cham
pion's most effective period Of play came
right after he had dropped the opening
game. Redoubling his efforts and fore,
ing the attack, Coward pounded the ball
f,iriously and kept Fink on the jump.
The latter followed the ball like a hawk.
but in his haste failed TO control the re-
turn and sent il into the telltale too often
for comfort The best he could do was
to earn 3 points while Coward was 'ac-
cumulating Is.
In the third game Fink held his own
for nine hands and then Coward struck
another streak OF tremendous hitting,
varied with puzzling change of pace, and
Fink had to yield points in two hands.
In the final game Fink gave early
promise OF forcing a fifth division of
play by racing into a lead Of to 0.
Coward failed to count a single point
for seven hands. Then he rallied again
and caught the Crescent man at Sail.
The score went to 12-all, after which the
champion proved the steadier in the
pinch. scoring 3 earned points while
Fink counted / on a shot outside the
boundary line. The score by hands:
FIRST GAME.
loo11Ios1o1 5000 O-lo
s1oioos 2ooo1e 151s
ace-Coward. Telltales-Coward. z: Fink. /.
outs-Coward. .; Fink. 4. Miss-Fink. j.
SECOND GAME.
Ti"n...:... fHSard ..: SdSoocccsiiccoaai IA + !
Piacements-coward. g: Fink. !. Service
sce~c Coward. TeiitaiesScoward, i Fink. 9.
out-Coward, !. Misses-F'ink, ..
THIRD GAME.
Fink. .............. .'''... foo2ioi IS
Placements-Coward, 8; Fink. .. Telltales
Coward. .: Fink g. Outs-coward. 1;
Fink. g. Misses-F'ink. 3.
FOURTH GAME.
Coward
900 oo0Oo21 3112f12oo lis
Fink
10O3 1ooo1 1904 ois Oo1 x-i3
Placements-Coward, 3: Fink. !. Service
aces--Cowerd. Il Fink. I. Tetales-Coward.
1; Fink, .. Outs--Coward. 3: Fink. >.
RECAPITULATION.
Placements-Coward, 23; Fink 49, Service
aces-Coward, 3; Fink. I. Tetales-Coward,
II. Fink. -. Outs-Coward, Il Fink, o.
Misses-Fink, G.
Rpfpree-IIa rold II Mixseil