Evening star., 1937-01-26
PROS BEST TENNIS
seen IN TEAM TILT
Perry, Playing With Vines,
Dominates Match After
Loss in Singles.
BY BILL DISMER, JR.

" FerTy UlCuu udVc tlc tcLiuo
show stolen from them alto
- gether last night at University
of Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum, but
it Is safe to say that most Of the $500
who left the College Park arena after
midnight were unanimous in opining
that the headliners Of the professional
troupe were only half the show.
The 300 or so walkersout never will
know for themselves, but let them talk
to those who stayed to the bitter end
and it was bitter for little Bruce
Barnes and bespectacled George Lott
at 1907 am, and they soon will
learn that they missed the best tennis
of the night.
Whereas the sight of Vines evening
his series with Perry in straight-set
victory by the crushing scores Of Ga,
60 was stimulating only to the ex-
tent Of the perfect artistry of the
American professional champion, ten
nis-with all its thrills, impossible"
shots and long rallies, mingled with
the inevitable color of professionalism
was exhibited at its best in the
two-and-a-half- hour doubles match
which the singles headliners took from
Barnes and Lott.
A NY who might have doubted the
= sincerity of the contestants as
result Of the two singles matches,
which were won in straight sets by
Vines and Lott. who defeated Barnes
e3, Ga, would quickly have been
convinced otherwise by the dogged de-
termination which the two pairs
showed in fighting until they all were
ready to drop, before Vines and Perry
won by the marathon scores of +6,
53, 20-18.
The fireworks, Of course, same in
that last 3s-game thriller, a new high
for tennis in Washington. Clearly, the
boys weren't Kidding" Once they
had entered the only decisive set Of the
evening, it was each team for itself,
and world championship could not
have been productive of more bitter
competition.
Never, during the set equal to three
normal ones, did either side hold more
than a game edge until the very last.
Dead tired, after nearly four hours Of
play, it appeared that each Of the four
men was draining energy from SEEM
ingly inexhaustible source as pure me-
cnanical play improved directly In
proportion to the passing Of time.
They disdained a suggestion to allow
the next game to break tie to be the
deciding encounter, intending to play
all night, If necessary.
Perry Dominates Team Play.
WHEREAS Vines had taken the play
w from Perry during the singles 1t
was Perry who dominated the team
play with his opponent during the
doubles. For the first time, the Brit
Usher seemed to get a kick out Of the
game midway in the doubles match.
and once q smile had appeared on his
face, he became the crowds delight as
well as its contraction. Not forget
ing the spectacular and heroic per-
formances Of Barnes and Lott, the
former. incidentally, looking the best
doubles player of the night. it was
Perry who saved his team from defeat
and paved the way for victory.
Even here, however, Fate stepped in
with the opportunity which brought
up Vines service in what was to be
the last game. The most devastating
server in the world brought his zoom-
ing service into play for three straight
service aces In the thirty eighth game,
setting the stage for a clean place
ment of his own racket which ended
the marathon.
Combinations Are New.
IF THE pros want to continue to
give the fans q full show for their
money, they will do well to abide by
the new arrangement wherein Vines
and Perry remain teammates against
the Barnes-Lott duo. Last night was
the first time those combinations had
been used.
Vines conquest Of Perry, In which
the latter got only half as many
games as his conquerer, was ended in
typically dramatic fashion by the
American professional. -Four service
aces, only one Of which Perry was
able to touch, were dished out by the
fastest server Of 'em all and Perry
went down swinging, futilely.