The Washington times., 1937-06-07
NdryIdnder
Rdtes.With
Elite
By HARRY COSTELLO

mis- playing squire, who has q ten.
mis- court Of his own in his own
back yard, Is to tennis In this sec.
ton Of the q. 8. L. T. AS domain
what Jack Dempsey, Walter Ha-
gen. Bill Tilden and Babe Ruth
were to their respective sports In
the heyday Of their careers.
In short, Squire Barney Is not
only tops" but as well he Is
colorful and possessed Of all those
earmarkS which distinguish the
outstanding star from just the
ordinary mi1lTun.
Barney also has that extraor-
binary attribute Of the colorful
star: every now and then he
sticks his neck out. And Barney
has long reckl
One senses, as one sits quietly
in the gallery at local tennis
matches, that those who are sit
terS-downers and lookers-onerS
would like to see Squire Barney'S
reign terminated. Occasionally,
but only occasionally, some oppo-
nent does catch Barney off form,
or not in the best Of physical con-
dition, and the Squire Is defeated.
Whereupon the sports writer's grab
typewriter in hand and emblazon
the Squire's setback 50 that the
whole world may see and take due
heed. Then, just to be contrary,
more than likely. the Squire gets
serious, whips himself into shape
and nonchalantly hreezes his vic
torious way through the tennis
tests that count, much to the dis
comfiture Of the sitterS-downers,
lookers-onerS and the tennis
ScribblerS.
Sticks Neck Out
A short time back, Barney stuck
his neck out. He tolled off for the
benefit Of o local sports scribe the
various weaknesses Of . number
Of local tennis stars, and the
scribe faithfully recorded the
Squire'S observations In q critique
Of no mean proportions. Then,
Barney, out Of condition and very
decidedly 0ff form, stumbled into
q r1on-tournament set back.
ut looks like Barney Is
through" said the wiseacres,
and truer words never were
spoken, for the Squire was
Through" - through fooling
around. He started to get into
condition for the recent City
Of Washington championships,
which are staged for the Evening
Star by Bill Dismer, jr., than
whom there Is no whomer in
local tennis circles. In the cham
pionShips, the Squire Of Rockville
was-well, just the Squire Of Rock
vile, that's all. He's walked,
strolled and cantered, but he went
into a gallop only when he faced
Dolly Mitchell in the final match.
There was no good reason for the
Squire to so far forget himself as
to gallop when q walk, or stroll,
or q canter would do the trick.
NOnchalant Player
Why the Murad people haven't
contacted the Squire remains q
mystery. Certainly there breatheS
no man more nonchalant than
the Squire Of Rockville, eSpe-
cially in tennis. Maybe it's be-
cause the Squire smokes Camels,
for which he'd walk O mile, per.
haps, but only walk. mind you.
Barney is q Snowman, say what
YOU may Of him. In his heart, too,
he has kindly feelings for the riS.
ing generation in tennis. He "car.
ries" the youngsters as far as he
dares, in tournament play. Pitted
against players Of his own tennis
generation in tournament matches,
he builds them up. shot after shot,
for a grand Welsh climax, which
finds the Squire at his best in
speed and severity consistent with
reasonable control, at his best in
court tactics and generalShip. at
his best in exerting pressure.
When it's all over the Squire Of
Rockville casually sips (only sips,
mind you, for he never gets to the
gulping Stage) o glass Of water. or
q coke, or q sarSaparilla, and def.
nitely sets the whole affair down
as o matter Of history.
Failed to Appear
Once, when Walter Hagen was
scheduled to play a big money
match against Long Jim" Barnes,
and it was big money, too-$10, 600
THE Haig" failed to appear.
Barnes rushed to the phone and
called Walter OF the latter'S hotel. |
Walter, in bed, answered.
Said Long JIM:
'cHaig, for goodness sake, don't
you realize that we're supposed
to play D big money match out
here this mOrning?"
Replied Walter:
"Jim, I thought the match
was to be played tomorrow"
IT'S like that with the Square Of |
notwithstanding much botherS
him, in tennis. Maybe it's because
Barney, in washington tennis, is
like 1.-THE Haig'' was in national |
and international golf when Wal. |
ter was on the heightS-Sort Of |
fed I'D with winning all the time. |