Evening star., 1939-07-09
Army for First Time in n Years Whips Navy Leech Cup Tennis Struggle
Heap Revenge in 81
Win Before Years
Record Gallery
Conquerors Uncover
New Siege Guns in
Russell, Rollins
By BILL DISMER, Jr.

They finally sunk the Navy! After
IA years of unsuccessful shipping,
during which their ammunition
backfred to the extent of nine
straight defeats, Army's tennis team
won a Leech Cup match for the
first time since 1925 yesterday to
the tune of So at the Army Navy
County Club.
Before Washington's largest net
gallery Of the year, Army uncovered
two new siege guns in Its. c.. c.
Russell and j. l.. Rollins-both West
Point graduates playing their first
Leech Cup match-and the new
comers proved the difference be-
tween victory and defeat
After following 1t. Dolf Muehlei-
sens example and winning their
singles matches to give Army a
prohibitive 80 lead, the young Point
products paired in the No. doubles
match to win the fourth and de-
ciSive virt~.-y.
Soldiers Come From Behind.
At that Russell and Rollins had
to come from behind to win the
vital match, for 1t Comdr. G.. w.
Smith and 1t. Cliff Johnson won
the first set. 6-3. The r. & R.
boys squared the match at 6-4
and when they won the third set,
6-2, 1t was all over but the Army
shouting extended far INTO
the night.
The victory was only Armys third
IN the long series, started by WASH
lngtons own A. Y. Leech. jr., back
In 1924. Navy has won nine times.
Including Yesterdays, the last five
matches have been played at Army
Navy, with Chevy Chase and the
Germantown Cricket Club having
been sites of the others.
Although it was the first time in
three years that he had played on
any surface but asphalt, the ONLY
type OF tennis court in his recent
post in Hawaii, Muehleisen again
appeared the best player in the
matches as he dealt Washington
1t. Jimmy Farrin straight-set de-
feat. 1t took Muehleisen some time
to accustom himself to the differ
ence in courts but after permitting
Farrln to overcome a So lead in
the first set, which the Army ace
finally won at 8-6, raced through
the second at love.
Rollins Victory One Sided.
Rollins. West Points net CAPTAIN
last spring, turned in the most one
sided victory of the day when he
trounced Ensign E. A. Grantham,
6-l, 6-1, but Russell, a teammate
OF Rollins last year at the Point,
was given close call by 1t. Cliff
johnson before winning, Ga, IS.
At that stage of the match it was
80 for Army, which needed only
one more victory to win the cup.
But Lit. Comdr Morgan Watt, the
dean of all of yesterdays partici-
pants, refused to concede his teams
first defeat in decade and a half
and came back to outlast Capt. J. H.
Drake in a marathon duel-the
longest of the day-6-2. so, IS.
Drake had Watt Al and 5-3 in
the deciding set. only to see the
Navy man turn on more heat than
the day itself provided to win four
important games in row.
Farrin and 1t. Bill Howard, also
of Washington. derived some con-
ISOLATION for Navy supporters by
whipping Huehleisen and Capt. Stan
Robinson in the No. l doubles en-
counter, 6-3, 3-6, 8-6, but before
the third set was finished, a shout
had gone up from the Army con-
tingent signifying Russell and Rol-
Inns had won the match necessary
for victory.
Its. Herbert Thatcher and H. E.
Brook only added insult to injury
when they accounted for Armys
fifth point with a 60. 4-6. 6-4
win over Ensigns P. B. Moore and
Robert Laney in the No. 3 doubles
match
In the absence of Mr.. Leech. his
cup was presented by Clarence
Charest, popular local netman and
three-time national veterans cham
pion.