Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-01-29
81 Racketers in Nine
Groups Singled Out
For Recognition
Some Sturs Not Rated
Because Of Shortage
In Tourney PIoy
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.

Official rankings of all classes Of
tennis players in the District, based
upon their play during the 1888
season, were made public last night
by Maj. C. w. Christenberry, presl-
dent of the D. G. Tennis Associa-
ton.
Acting upon recommendations OF
4 ranking committee, headed by
A. K. Tigrett, former president Of
the Southern Lawn Tennis Associa-
ton; Austin Rice of the Army-Navy
Country Club, Dorette Miller and
the writer, Christenberry stated
that So racketers were named to nine
major groups, into which the players
were divided.
The committee ranked men, wom-
en-, juniors and boys in both singles
and doubles and accepted Christen-
berry's final rating of the District
Junior Davis Cup squad, of which
he was chairman.
In every instance, the District
champion in each category was the
No player, Barney Welsh heading
the men, Margaret Robinson the
women, David johnson the juniors
and Robert Bensinger the boys
Allie Ritzenberg was No. on the
Junior Davis Cup squad.
Committee Conscientious.
Emphasizing that no one person
decided the ratings, but that the
committee made it's decisions only
after close and careful examination
Of every individuals play in all
tournaments held locally, Christen-
berry pointed out that records would
sustain the decisions in every in
stance.
The committee took pains to ex-
plain that "doubtlessly there were
some excellent players whose caliber
of play was not questioned. but who
were unmarked because of failure to
participate in more than one tourna-
ment.
"A player who engaged in more
than two tournaments was given
preferential consideration over a
player whose record was equally good
but who played in only two tourna-
mentS or less" the committee ex-
planned. The main idea was to
judge player on his entire seasons
record rather than on q flash of
good or bad form which he might
have showed in one or two
instances"
For that reason, Dooly Mitchell
one of the Districts perennial top
notchers, did not receive a ranking
for the first time in years. Mitchell
played in only one tournament, the
District, in which he was beaten in
the semi final round by Hugh Lynch.
Lynch, incidentally, usurped Nit
chell's No. 2 ranking. Also among
those unranked were Gilbert Hunt,
No. 9 nationally. but untested in
local ranks, and Edith Clarke, No. !
woman player last year, who like
wise played in only the District
tournament.
Junior Data Scant.
Because there was only one junior
tournament, rankings of the younger
racketers were based mostly upon
their seasons record with the junior
Davis Cup squad. This included
ladder matches, in which Juniors
challenged each other for positions
on the squad, and their performance
in inter-city matches. Because some
members Of the junior Davis Cup
squad are over the Junior age limit
they are not included in the junior
rankings, which are restricted to
those 10 years of age and younger
The rankings, with figures in pa
rentheses indicating the same play
ers rating last year gu" indicates
unranked in 1889 follow:
Mems Singles.
I Rarnev Welsh (1l