Evening star., 1923-09-23

FRANCIS hunter dOuDtleSS VIII D
OF Spanish players, sixth in line
Robert and Howard, and Harvey Sn
Tilden, Williams and Fischer a
at present residing there. Johnston
Californians, while Richards and Hu
There seems only one possibility
OF change among the ten named.
Brian ]. c. Norton, the British South
african, displayed tennis in the ma
uonals that stamped him as a better
racketer than Fischer and probably
Snodgrass, but he had shown nothing
exceptional previously in the singles
since reaching this country and. in
10 De given real consideration for
ranking. If he remains in the United
States, as he hopes to do. he should
De well up on the list next year.
Three to Lose Places.
Wallace Johnson: the Philadelphia
chop-stroke wizard; Zenzo Shimizu,
captain of the Japanese Davis cup
team, and Watson Washburn, New
York veteran, who held down Nos
3, and 10, respectively. in the rat
ing last year, will, without doubt, be
relegated from the II to the 20 class.
johnson played very little tennis
outside of his home town, and was
beaten in straight sets by Bob Kinsey
IN the opening round of the national.
Shimizu, although still from the first
Journeys to be ranked. Washburn
erratic when he did. He took a set
from Tilden in going down in the
hrst round of the nationals, but it
was purely a gift on the part of Big
Bill Shimizu. provided he continues
his residence in America, is certain
to be back among the elect, but it is
very doubtful If Johnson or Wash
burn. with a number of good young
will oah fla
goal again
There is little need to discuss Til
den, Johnston, Richards, Williams.
Hunter. Alfonso and the two Kinseys,
as their tennis has been such all sea-
son that their positions in the select
ten are assured. Alfonso has played
all his tennis this year in America
and is fully entitled to be ranked
Past action by the national associa-
tion in placing other foreign players
living for an extended period in Amer
lea on the list justifies the belief that
he will be.
Newcomers in the List.
While Snodgrass did not get very
far in the nationals bowling to Rich
ards in straight sets in one of the
viously to earn him a place in the
sun. Early in the season he took
Bill Johnston into camp on the coast
and after coming east he won over
such players as Richards, Hunter, Nat
Niles and Lawrence Rice, the last
named No. II in the 1922 ranking
Fischer also had i'll luck in the
nationals in that he ran into Tilden
in the early stages of play. He played
well against Big Bill, making a better
showing against the champion than
some of the players who were ranked
well up In 1922, but like all the rest
he was no match for the peerless
Tacketer. Fischer, who is intercol-
lar he
scored over Williams, both the Kim
seys and Peck Griffin, Bill Johnstons
doubles partner.
He met williams three times dur
$ ing the campaign, being defeated on
two occa but in one of his re-
verses he sent the former champion
five sets. Fischer played his best
tennis at Southampton, where he de-
feated both the Kinseys and Griffin
on successive days to reach the final,
where he was beaten by Williams.
Like Richards. Fischer has had his
game greatly Influenced by Tilden,
who has made a habit of developing
juniors into players of the top flight
Fischer never has been as closely as
sociated with Tilden as was Rich
ards, but he has played with the
champion a great deal in practice and
in tournament matches in Phfladel-
phia and received plenty of encour-
agement from the greatest tennis
player of all time.
Fischer, who has the stamina for the
game, possesses more than average
speed and apparently has overcome
his erratic tendencies that promised
to keep him down. He has been play
ing the game ever since he wore knick-
ers and his court strategy is of high
order.
Hunter Makes Big Advance.
Hunter had the greatest rise of
the year. He jumped from 9 to 5 in
hn iGf tT1O fTO
achievement of the season was. reach
ing the final against Johnston at
Wimbledon. After his return he beat
Richards in New York and repeated
the dose in the round before the semi
finals in the nationals. He also beat
Bob Kinsey in the third round of the
title singles. All Hunter needs to go
farther up the list and become con-
tender for the championship is to
strengthen his backhand which is
now weak and which was the target
when Johnston lput him out of the
running in the semi-finals at Phila-
delphia.
Should Norton. along with Alfonso,
get in to the first ten it would be
the first time in the history of the
game that two foreigners had been
so honored the same year. Never be-
fore has more than one player from
other lands been favored. DIR. E. B.
Dewhurst, who was ranked No. 8 in
1906, was the first to attain the
heights. AT that time he was a
student at the University of Pennsyl-
vania, having come from Australia to
study the profession. He won the in
terco1legiate title in 1903 and re-
peated IN 1906.
1t was in 1916 that Ichiya Kuma-
gae, the Japanese wonder, broke into
the big ten, being placed fifth. He
remained on the honor roll until last
year, when he returned to his native
country. His highest rating was
third in 1918.
Shimizu appeared on the list, so
that a foreign player has been ranked
every season since 1915, except dur
ing the war year of 1917, when the
National Association did not rate the
players.
California Always Prominent.
If California gets four men into
the first ten it will be the second
time it has happened. 1t first oc-
eurred in 1910, when Thomas C.
6undy was second Maurice McLough-
lin was fourth, Melville Long was
kfth and Carlton Gardner was tenth.
Mclaughlin, as every tennis follower
knows later became champion and
headed the list. Nine times there
have been three Californians among
the leading ten. a record no other
section can boast of. And Cali
fornia never has it's full strength in
the nationals. Had Roland Roberts
come east this year it is probable that
California might have usurped half of
the select list.
Frank Anderson. Columbia Uni
versity student, next to Fischer
youngster of the year. He went to
the round before the semi-finals In
the nationals, where he was put out
a battle, one of the three sets being
S<6 On his way up he disposed of