The Washington times., 1924-05-21


This assemblage with the addi.
ton of Helen Willis, national
wcmcn's champion, should make
the Golden Gate delegation g. gtrong
one. The latter will return from
Europe after the Olympic games
and play in the big title matches.
1t is almost a foregone conclusion
the California girl will retain the
hQnors she won down at Forrest
Hills last season.
1t is expected that one of the
coast group will come forward to
strip William Tilden, 2nd, of his
crown. Whether or not the latter
hope is realized only the future can
tell. However, the east had bet.
ter take warning or else the leader
ship in another branch of sports
will wind its way across the Rocky
Mountains.
Tennis owes a great debt of
gratitude to what California has
accomplished for the popularity OF
tennis. Maurice e. Mclaughlin,
fondly called Red by the rank
and file Of sports, did much to
bring the general public into ten.
mis-. The fact that a lad could
work himself up from the munich
pal courts of Golden Gate Paik
into the national tennis crown
proved the incentive to bring the
public into the game.
Before Mclaughlin arose to the
topmost rung in the tennis world
the general sporting public thought
the game was an exclusive one for
the rich only. With Mclaughlin
as their hero every lad that en-
joyed the privileges of a public
court set his heart upon proving
himself second Mclaughlin.
In sport 1t is necessary to have
some real goal in mind to reatiEe
ones best game. The best way for
young Americans to accomplish
this is by the hero-worship stuff
that so many of our supposed ex-
perts laugh at. 1t Is by initiating
such heroes as Mclaughlin, Babe
Ruth. Jack Dempsey and our other
national sport characters that our
athletes develop from awkward re-
cruits into champions.
Mclaughlin was to the tennis
world what Babe Ruth is to the
present generation of baseball hero
Worshippers. 1t was his example
OF a poor lad climbing from the
bottom of the ladder to the very
top that gave this country William
M. Johnston, Peck Griffin, Vincent
Richards, Frank T. Anderson and
the other stars. that have rnade ten
mis- history since the haired
hero from California retired from
tournament play.
Native son pride, the sort that
Is not easily conquered, caused
Bill Johnston to decide t. make
an effort to regain the national
court hOnOrs for California The
former national champion ~new
that i'm Helen Wills he holds an
ace card. There is little question
of the University of California
girl not retaining her champion
ship laurels i'm the coming ma.
tiOnal WOmen'S series.
This championship is being counted
upon. 1t is on the clay court and the
national singles and doubles for men
and the intercollegiate crowns that
Johnston and his mates are training
their guns upon.
Johnston has decided to come east
earlier than usual this season in the
hope of meeting William Tilden, ma
tional title holder, in the clay court
championship series at St. Louis in
July. Tilden has won this series the
past two years. Johnston captured
the tournament before that.
After this series Johnston will dou
BILE up with Clarence Griffin in the
national doubles at Longwood. Later
they will join up with the other mem
bers Of the Pacific coast team of in
vasion in the singles championship
series.
Weinstein and Chandler are coming
as the representatives Of the Univer
sity of California to play in the ma
tional intercollegiate singles and dou
bles championship at the Merdor
Cricket Club in June. Cranstor
Holman will play in the junior title
series in Chicago in August.