The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-07
HENNESSEY AND
LOTT MAY PLAY
FOR DAVIS CUP
Young Middlcwcsterncrs Are
Sure to Rank High in
U.S.L.T.A. Ratings
TILDEN WILL BE FIRST
Plenty of Competition Is Evi'
dent Among Other Lads For
Last Five Places
TILDEN WILL BE FIRST
By +. G. VOSBURGH
r~.Au Cn~,-:nc Coc~AS Es1ifor

Creature Service Sports EditOr)
New York. Feb. 7.-(AP)-Two
Young middle-westerners Who
downed French opponents in 1927
and may be called upon to do 1t
again this year arc sure to figure
high in the ranking Of American
players to be announced by the Unit
ed States Lawn Tennis Association
in Chicago February II.
Certain of making the first ten,
George Lott, Chicago youth Of "a,
and John Hennessey of Indianapolis
are even conceded chance Of break
ing into the first five, class usually
occupied by seasoned veterans.
While young, however, neither
Lott nor Hennessey is newcomer to
big-time tennis. Hennessey ranked
seventh in the country and Lott
ninth in 1924, while the Chicago
player was No. Q again last year.
On the basis Of their sensational
work last season, marked by VIC
tory for Lott over the great Rene
Laeoste, present king of them all,
and for Hcnncsscy over Henri
Cochet, Lacoste's compatriot, these
youthful stars probably will be rated
at least notch or two higher than
ever before.
In A. Wallis Myers "World's First
Ten" Bill Tilden, who is sure to be
first for the eighth successive time,
topped the Americans, with Manuel
Alonzo second, Francis T. Hunter
third, Lott fourth and Hennessey
fifth. It is hard to see how the y.
s. L. T. A. can alter this lineup Of
the first five.
The next five is not SO easy to pre-
dict; especially if the tennis govern
ing body sees fit to include such
players as Bill Johnston and A. II.
Chaplin, Jr., who played SO little
tournament tennis, there is small
basis for ranking them.
Besides Johnston and Chaplin,
three other members Of last years
first ten-Takeichi Harada. Edward
G. Chandler and Brian I. C. Norton
practically have forfeited their
chance for ranking because of mac
tivity.
For the last five places in the new
first ten there is red-hot COMPETE
ton between such young stars as
Lewis N. White, John Doeg, John
Van Ryn. Arnold Jones, Wilmer AL
lison. Fritz Mercur and Frank
Shields.
White, the handsome, Texan, who
was sixth last year, probably will
hold that rating, having beaten out
the young Californian, Doeg, for the
place by defeating him twice during
the last season.
In similar fashion Manuel Alonzo
has re-asserted right to his old
place as runner-up to Tilden at the
top OF the list. Francis T. Hunter,
who hadn't made the first ten since
last year, was coming fast and APP
peAred sure to be rated second to
Tilden, his doubles partner and
close friend, until the Philadelphia
Spaniard defeated him at Newport
late in the season. Even yet he
might be accorded second place on
the basis Of truly remarkable CAM
paign at home and abroad.
There is story in the rcappcar-
ance Of John Hennesscy among the
tip ranking stars. In 1924 when he
ranked in the first ten he was handi-
capped by a somewhat frail
physique, but with the aid of plenty
OF tennis he developed ruggedncss
OF frame and stamina which en-
ablcd him to down the tenacious
Henri Cochet in the national cham
pionships in long-drawn five-set
match.
This feat ranked second only to
Lofts victory over Lacostc at South
ampton, n. T., and over Tilden early
in the year in Florida, among the
major upsets Of the year.
In addition, both Henncssey and
Lott were victorious over members
Of the French Davis Cup team in
doubles.