Evening star., 1939-05-15
Star S Net Event
Opens Way 10
u. ). Laurel
Made Qualifying Test
For InterschoIustic
Title Tournament
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.

Good news for women, Junior and
boy racketerS is forthcoming this
morning about The Stars City of
Washington tournament which starts
one week from today.
The cheering word for the fair
racketers is that "Wide-open race"
will be something more than
come-on as applied to The Star
tourney, for the simple reason that
the prospective field seems devoid
of single outstanding racketer who
would be an odds-on favorite to win.
AS for the Junior and boy ten
niSterS, their tournament starting
May q has taken on added signifi-
canoe with the receipt of word from
the U. S. L. T. A. that once again
The Star event will be accepted as
qualifying event for the national in
terscholastics-the only tourney here
this season which will serve as such.
Hail Absence of Stars.
Selling on the inevitable absences
OF former perennial threats as a
lucky omen, more of the city's av-
erage woman players are preparing
to start in The Star tournament
than ever before. They hail with
unconcealed glee the assured lack
of such stars as Margaret Robinson,
1888 champion. and Edith Clarke,
runner-up for the District title last
year, both of whom no longer live
here. They shed no tears over the
TACT that Elinor Finckel and Edith
McCulloch, both ranked within the
city's first 10, probably will be un-
able to compete because the tourna-
ment hours of 10 to 4 o'clock are
unfortunate for those with school
teachers jobs like Miss Finckel and
Miss McCulloch.
1t also is rumored that Sara Moore,
1885 winner and runnerup last year,
Will be out of the seasons first tour
ney because of sprained back. And
SO far nothing has been heard from
Mrs. Peter Delin, the former Mary
Cootes. If she. too, does not enter,
then will the competition be unre-
Strlcted indeed
At present it appears that most of
the competition will come from such
girls as Willie O'Steen, Margo Lee.
Anne Ellis, Charlotte Decker Do
rette Miller, Joan Bransford, Mar
garet Graham, Kay Baker and Ha-
Eel (Jimmy) BiShop-all ranked
players here, but few of whom ever
have won local championship. Miss
O'Steen won the public parks title
last year and Miss Decker has been
playground champion But although
the Misses Lee and Ellis captured
the City of Washington doubles
/ crown last year, neither ever has
finished No. l in local singles COM
petition. Both, moreover, are re-
puted to be ready to make a deter
mined bid for The Star Cup.
Frances Rowan May Return.
1t has been reported also that
Frances Bethel Rowan, a ranking
player 10 years ago, intends to re-
turn to tournament competition. She
is said to be playing nice game and
II she enters is sure to be one of the
dark horses" in The Star event.
Entries, which close at noon Sat-
urday should be sent to either Gene
Herman, professional at the Army
Navy Country Club, where the wom-
en- will play, or to the writer at The
Evening Star. Fees of 81 for singles
and SO for doubles teams must ac-
company all applications.
Entries for juniors and boys will
not close until May 25 and will be
accepted now either by Buddy
Goeltz, pro at Columbia Country
Club-site of the youngsters tourney
or by the writer They, as usual
will be required to pay only 81 for
singles and 50 for doubles teams.