The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-03

and chased tennis balls for an elder
brother who was a fair player,
As a reward the younger Tilden
after the match would be invited
to use the court and be allowed to
use a racquet and a few balls for a
little while. This was the cham
pion's start. Eventually he 'Rc-
quired a racquet OF his own andspent
all his spare time learning the game.
| No one ever taught Tilden. He de-
| velopcd himself and used up much
paper designing shots and tho best
| defense for them.
In 1920 Tildcn went to England
and won the British title. being the
| first American to turn the trick.
| That year he defeated Gerald Pat
teraon In the finals. The follow
| ing year he defended hls English
/ title by winning from "B1hA Eor.
! ton. Prcferring to rest up f0r the
Davis cup matches and the Ame.l-
| can championship he didn't so
abroad this season.
Last year he said that he found
| the travelling between America,
| France and England, with the many
| games played, serious strain, and
even considered giving UP competl-
| tion entirely because he was feeling
stale. But on coming home he
! quickly picked up his form again
ana with It his old enthusiasm.
! william NJ Johnston, Little BIN"
was born In san Francisco November
! .. 1874 He 10 n violent contras,
! TO Tilden I'm build, being only feet
| y inches tall and Weighing At the
most 1875 pounds. In series of
hard matches he has been known 10
lose as much as 10 pounds, although
one could hardly see whore so much
flesh could be melted from his spare
form. Although slight, he has as.
| tonishing strength.
Johnston has developed flaw.
less style. Maurice Mclaughlin
famous when he was champion n,
the California Comet" tells me
that IN his judgment Johnston'i
game comes nearer perfection thar
that OF any other player he ever
saw.
Little Blrs" ability to hit sc
powerfully with his forearm has
been a wonder 10 the experts. The
execution OF Johnston's strokes |,
beautiful, Int lack OF variety ha,
enabled Tildon 10 beat him. Tllder
has discovered a way to return those
flawless shots and Johnston has beer
unable to change his style. He hal
tho same system for every differen
kind OF stroke,
Johnston I'm Great Form.
/. Johnston's forearm has been IA
nous for Its force and accuracy. /
Ia taken shoulder high on n rlsinl
ball with a peculiar grip that make
his stroke almost a reverse smash
His backhand Is slightly uudercu
and Is a powerful weapon on the OF
, fense. Little Bilr' Is a player O
I the aggressive type. who prefers q
/ win on his own efforts rather thai
| to keep the ball in play and max
/ his opponent miss. Another reasol
for this strategy\is that Johnson ha
/ only limited endurance and seeks L
, win as quickly as possible.
A strenuous tennis campaign Is
= serious undertaking for the llttl
Californian. When he reached tn
? match In which he lost TO Tilden las
: year he weighed only 1l3 pounds
4 Johnston learned his game on IN
l public courts at San Francisco. II
4 first began 10 attract attentio
Q when Maurice McLaughiin was q
the top Of his form. Like other Cali
y cornians. Johnston developed hi
4 game on clay courts, hence speed ha
n no terrors for him,
e Little Bill" ID quiet and unassum
z ing and is far more popular wit
: tennis galleries than Tilden, who
n because OF his nervous Temperament
. g sometimes thought 10 be n Bit con
}. ceited and too showy, Part OF thI
q attitude OF the public may be IN
a natural sympathy with the smalle
e man, who is apparently fikntin
s against odds when he meets bigge
r and brawnier opponents
Probably, II we could have see
e the fight, we'd have cheered Davi
3 when he squared Off with Goliath
= just as we cheered Carpenter whe
b he stood pp 10 oppose his Sigh