Evening star., 1930-06-15
AMERICAN WOMEN
DROP TIGHT SERIES
FIashy Rally Saves Helen
Moody After Loss of Five
Games in Row.
BY FRANK III. KING,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NJ N .
v v women's tennis team re-
gained the Wightman
Cup, international tennis trophy,
from America by winning four of
seven matches during q two-day
series which a gallery Of $500
saw draw to a thrilling finish to-
day.
Steadiness during critical moments of
play combined with stubborn defense
against the more spectacular American
"stars,, and Offset individual superiority.
Thus a well rounded team gave Britain
well deserved, margin of victory which
brought the trophy back to these is
lands two years ago.
AS individual stars, Helen wills
Moody and her teammates were bril-
liant, but as a constellation they were
somewhat lacking in luster. The
United States and Great Britain each
have won the Wightman Cup four
times during the eight years 1t has been
in competition.
Tennis fans had their moneys
worth of thrills today, the crowd 60
| ing into ecstacieS of enthusiasm as the
very tall and very slender Mrs. Phoebe
Watson snatched five straight games
from Helen Moody IN their singles
match, and thus put the California
tennis queen in the most dangerous po-
sition she has faced since ascending
the worlds tennis throne. Helen Jacobs
already had beaten Joan Fry, 60.
6-3, to level the series scoring at two
matches all, and the Wills-Watson en-
counter was anticipated as just an
other of those certain victories Mrs.
Moody strokes through.
CouIdn't Hold Pace.
But to the surprise Of Mrs. Moody
and every one else, Mrs. Watsons bar
rage of low flying forehand drives to
the Americans court were not coun-
tered. and game after game went 10
the Englishwoman, until in their ex-
citement the galleries were applauding
every shot. and had to be cautioned by
the umpire. Mrs Moody swung back
and forth along the baselines at Mrs.
Watsons call Just like an ordinary
tennis player, throughout fiVe games,
but the pace was too swift to maintain
against the reigning champion.
Once she found hersen, MIS- Moooy
opened up with her heavy artillery ana
Rounded Mrs. Watson into a limp and
ianeuid opponent. Mrs. Moody won
10 games In a row, dropped and tnen
ran out the remainder Of the string 70
a rs, 6-1 victory.
The defeat of Mrs. watson gave
| America a 3-to-2 lead in matches. ana
| Miss sarah Palfrey Of Boston, making
her debut on the famous center couIe
at the tender age of II, had the oppor,,
tunity of clinching the mternaVlonSl
SERIES and winning for her country such
honor and glory as goes with these big
sporting events. The little New Eng
land miss, while showing great prom
ise as a future star, had nothing very
convincing to offer for the present ex-
cent her fine volleying, and that was
not enough to beat the equally young
and dirninutive but more controlled ana
decisive Phyllis Mudford. Miss Pal
frey lost by scores Of Go, 60.
Last Match Decides.
II was a much better match than the
score would indicate, as the two little
| maids danced about the Wimbledon
green like a pair of wood nymphs. Miss
Palfrey was generously applauded Tor
her point-winning volleyS, which usu-
ally left her opponent out OF position.
The cup program could not have been
better arranged, for after Miss Mud
ford's victory the series again was level
each country having won three matches,
and the fate of the trophy depended on
the final doubles engagement. During
the oficial interval all present had tea
and then returned to see whether Amer
ica's pair Of individual stars, Mrs
Moody and Miss Jacobs, could combine
their forces successfully against Mrs
Watson and Mrs L. A. Godfrey, who
in her day as Kitty McKane was great
at Wimbledon.
Today Mrs. Godfrey displayed all her
old mastery and strategy and teamed
with Mrs. Watson perfectly to conquer
Miss Jacobs power and Mrs. Moody'E
brilliance and win, IS. 1-6, Ga
The Americans presented an almost I'M
penetrable front when at the net. but
with uncanny skill Mrs. Watson sent
them Scurrying to the back court foI
high lobs which she dropped precisely
near the base lines.