Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-30

N Jew YUM, July oU.-4 AAACC
M looking young men
4 Y got off the lie de France
yesterday and were taken
In hand by the customs officers.
Have you," said the officer old
est in point of rank, and there
fore entitled to speak first, any
thing to declare?"
I'VE can only" replied George Lott,
Johnny Van Ryn and Sidney Wood,
declare that VIC did our best and that
there is another year coming"
You are sure" said the officer,
sternly, that there is no silver in your
luggage cup, for example"
Here Sam Hardy, who had taken the
young men over and who had brought
back all OF them except Frank Shields
and had left him In safe hands
came to the rescue.
Is Badly Informed.
"Ohicer," he said, IT have no doubt
that the customs office was tipped OIL
that cup might be found in the pos
session Of these young men-a DAVIS
Cup, to be eXact-but that merely goes
to show that this informer system does
not always work out. I do not deny
that they, at one time, had very real
idea of bringing home cup. There was
a day when Il looked as If they GER
tainly would do so. But even before
they really got in the vicinity Of the
cup the British changed their minds for
them. Very persuasive chaps, those
Britons"
The customs officers accepted Hardy's
explanation and stopped looking for a
cup. They did, however, look at pretty
much everything else and admired Mr.
Van Ryn's blue coat, Mr.. Lofts tennis
rackets and Mr.. Woods cane profuselH
There are really two main features
to the cup matches abroad" said Hardy
manager and captain OF the team, and
those are the playing of Austin and the
retrogression of Borotra. Austin prob
ably Is the best English player since the
days of the Dohertys. Borotra appears
to be about through as championship
factor. He has taken on new bust
ness or two and has not the time to
devote to tennis which he would require
to get back in shape. The Britons
played well, and our youngsters, Shields
and Wood, were nervous. Austin was
just too good for them. He has i'm
proved lot"
Players Also Land Austin.
Van Ryn and Lott both spoke in high
terms of Austin'S tennis. Only Wood
appeared to be more impressed by
Perry's play Wood thought that Perry
had the more versatile game and cited
his battle against Cochet. The others
thought Perry had improved, but didn't
think he yet was in class with Bunny
Austin.
''You never have seen Austin play
over here" said Van Ryn. He was
playing great tennis. His ground strokes
were wonderful, and he didn't mine
your coming to the net, because NJ
would pass you"
George Lott agreed with this praise
of Austin. His serve is, perhaps, hi:
weak point" he said, but it wasnr
weak when he played Wood ane
Shields. He was getting that first bal
in. His passing shots have the accu'
racy of a masters foil. You can't leave
him an opening, and. when he chooses
he can follow in and play the net"
Wood appeared to be conscious thai
he had not hit the BALI in playing
Perry. He said that he made buttel
balls instead of drives, and nobod!
knew it any better than he did. Wooe
apparently is the essence of calmness OF
court, but that is surface stuff. HI
really IS h.gh-strung youngster.
(Copyright. 1881, by the North American
New spaper Alliance, IncD