The Washington times., 1933-08-31
RATED At TOP
AMONG COL.
PLAYERS
By GINO SINH

ing how this guy, Ralph Nc
Elvenny, rates third ranking in
the Government employees mems
tennis singles championship seed
ed list, but the seeding commit
tee is we'll aware of the why's
and wherefores he is placed in
that exalted position.
McElvenny, at present an en-
ploye of the Comptroller of Cur
rency Division. Treasury Depart
ment, was until he came to Wash
ington a year or so ago to toll
for your Uncle Samuel, the big
shot" tennis star of Colorado,
and had lorded it over other clay
Founders of his jurisdiction for
nigh unto a half decade. He
halls from Denver.
He won the Colorado State and
Intermountain singles tiaras so
regularly that his friends began
to regard them as family heir
looms. For five years, from 1925
to 1881, the Intermountain Asso-
citation, the organization which
says what's what among the
gutta-purcha pastors of the Rocky
Mountains, reserved the top spot
on it's ranking list for Mrs. NC
Elvenny's nimble boy. Ralph.
He also got the lookout seat on
the Colorado State selection often
enough to make him the envy OF
his rivals.
Pinnacle Of Fame
McElvenny achieved the pin
nacle of his fame in 1928. That
year he and Alan Harrington, rep
resenting Stanford, slipped quietly
and unheralded upon the scene
at Merton Cricket Club, Haver-
ford, Pa, and proceeded to annex
the intercollegiate doubles cham
pionship in nonchalant fashion,
dropping only one set in the course
of the tournament, and trouncing
Fred Mesmer and Emmett Pare,
crack Georgetown pair, in the
finals, 6-1, Ga, "a.
Though he fell before Pare in
the fourth round of the intercol-
legiate singles and did not partici-
pate in any other major eastern
or national tournament the U. S.
L. T. A., august patriarchs were so
impressed by his work that they
gave him the twenty-fourth niche
in their laddergram that year.
McElvenny bursted into the ma
tional limelight in 1925 when he
upset Berkeley Bell (then Great
ing quite stir as a potential
major league" performer) in the
Colorado State singles finals in
four sets.
Crowns Won
He won the Colorado singles
crown again in 1927, the Inter
mountain title in 1926 and 1928,
and was Denver City champion in
1929, when h. conquered AL Young
at that time his foremost rival for
Colorado tennis honors.
He and Harrington held the
Colorado State doubles title in
1923 and 1929. Their 1929 match
was memorable in that they van
quished Bobby Sellers and Berke-
ley Bell in the finals after five
gruelling sets.
While he is nobody's set-up in
singles, it is in double play that
he Sparkles with greatest luster.
When he and Harrington COM
bined their interest they carted
away every double title they could
lay their hands on, including the
above mentioned intercollegiate
crown.
The Government Employees
Tournament is the first Capital
event he has participated in.
Needless to state, he looms as
more than a dark horse" con-
tender for the championship.
await Clash With Shore
Those who know his reputation
are looking forward with keen in
terest to his impending clash with
Frank Shore, the No. 2 seeded
player of the tournament and
one of the city's Standout per-
formers. This match will give
the "expoits" bit of line on
his true caliber. Dopesters regard
the match as a toSs-up.
McElvenny looms as a potent
factor in future D. C. tennis ac-
tivities. He is expected to play
in the Wardman Park tourna-
ment next month and to become
regular" in all local major
events next season.
He is about 25 years Of age, is
medium-height and stocky OF
built. He wears glasses.
Though McElvenny has only
played two singles matches and
neither of his opponents was a
known player, he served notice
of his power by sweeping to vic
torv with the loss of onlV three