Evening star., 1938-08-12
Nnt0naItes Scrambled as Nnzs Pin Net HOPES on Won
STAR Of AUSTRIA
HAS GREEK DADDY
Germans, in U. S. for Davis
Cup Play, Say Won Cramm
Is Happy in Jail.
By GAYLE TALBOT.

NEW YORK, Aug 12.-Georg Won
Metaxa. the most important newcomer
to international tennis, is here with
the German Davis Cup team to see
what can be done about taking the
big trophy back to the Fatherland.
The chances. it may be revealed
here and now, are very slim, inasmuch
as the Germans likely will be trimmed
by the Australians in the inter-zone
final at Brookline, Mass, next week,
and the Australians in turn over
whelmed by Donald Bulge. Bobby
Riggs and Gene Mako a fortnight
later at Germantown. Pa, in the final
round.
Still. Won Metaxa is of interest If
for no other reason than the manner
in which his several nationalities have
been scrambled by bigtime tennis and
European diplomacy.
His father is a Greek. Georg was
born in Vienna of an Austrian mother.
And there matters stood until Adolf
Hitler recently reached out and made
Austria a part of Germany. Over
night, as it were. Won Metaxa became
4 member in good standing of the Ger
man Davis Cup team.
Won Austrian Title.
Last year Georg was the champion
tennis player of Austria, winner over
Roderick Mcneil. the CZechoslovakian.
in a hard fought final. Now he has
no title and is only No. 2 singles
player on the German team. right
back of Henner Henkel.
He didn't appear to be especially
unhappy about it when he arrived
with the other members OF the squad
on the S. S. Europa yesterday. He is
q towering youngster of %. left
handler, and credited with a terrific
service and steady baseline game. In
the doubles with Henkel he plays the
risht-hand court, which is most un-
usual for Southpaw.
He's like that-he never talks
much-but he's fine player" said
F. Conrad Uhl, veteran non-playing
captain of the German team. I'm
afraid he and Henkel haven't played
together quite long enough to win the
cup, but next year maybe they will.
.'Metaxa is very courageous. In
our Davis Cup match with Yugo-
slavia he beat Josef Pallada in flve
sets. the final set going to 12-1O,
and the temperature must have been
100. He can play the ball all day
from the baseline."
In other words. the Germans would
appear to have found a very handy
replacement for their ace player.
Baron Gottfried Won Cramm. who has
been in prison on the outskirts OF
Berlin since February because Of a
morals offense.
Sorry for Won Crsmm.
"None of us has seen Won Cramm,
but We understand he is happy as can
be expected and is taking his punish
ment like a man. said Uhl. "Gott-
fried's mother sees him frequently and
saws he is doing much reading and
writing.
We all are very sorry. He was
great player and a fine sportsman.
But if my son committed such an
offense, would send him to prison"
Uhl twice was singles champion of
Germany back before the War. This
Il his first visit to America in Is years.
Henkel, who was taught most of the
tennis he knows by Won Cramm,
couldn't help sorrowing at the alb
sence of his former partner.
If Won Cramm was here. think
We would have some excitement In
this Davis Cup" he said. He and I
had our hands on the Cup three times,
but couldn't quite win it. We were
getting better all the time, though
It's too bad"