Evening star., 1939-06-26
Late Bids Not Likely
ToLure Net Stars
ToD.C. Tourney
BoItimore's Promotion
PIon Seen Need Here;
Youths Open PIoy
BY BILL DISNER. Jr.

OeSpite OptlmlStlc expectations, 1t
remains to be seen whether the Dis
trlct mems tennis tournament. start
Ing Saturday at Columbia Country
Club, Will be any more open" than
tournament which restricts its en-
trants to those living within the i'm
mediate vicinity of the District.
Surely, the District women's tour
ney which opened today at Columbia
gave no indication that it would be
any more attractive than one in
which only local stars competed, for
only three out-of- -towners-onlv one
good enough to rate even a Middle
Atlantic ranking-were in the field
Chet Adair, who has been made
publicity director of the mems Dis
trlct, reports that Barney Welsh will
attempt to coax some above-average
players down from Pittsburgh and
that David johnson will seek to per-
suade some of the entrants in the
national intercollegiates at the
Merton Cricket Club in Haverford,
Pa, to come here next week end.
Late in Bidding for Stars.
The mystery is why no attempt
had been made before this to sign
outstanding players, for it is doubt
ful II a weeks notice will be suffi-
clent to ambitious netmen who have
their summer campaigns long since
planned. Why Washington can't
attract nationally ranking PLAYERS
to compete here is another mystery
unexplained to local net followers.
Perhaps Capital officials should
ask Frank Roberts, secretary of the
Middle Atlantic Association, who is
here today for the start of the
Junior boy sectional tournament at
Edgemoor, how Baltimore arranged
the high-class tournament it staged
last year when Hal Surface, Johnny
McDiarmid, Gardnar Mulloy, Ell
wood Cooke and Ernie Sutter were
among the entrants. Baltimore
doesn't even suggest that it's players
can touch Washington's, but WASH
ington has yet to put on a tourna-
ment matching the Maryland State
championships of 1898. What's
more, Baltimore is planning an
other just like it next month.
With Welsh and johnson as am
bassadors of persuasion and Adair
pulling the strings locally to en-
tice other out-of- -towners, the Dis
trict may yet start with a crack
field. But why wasn't the attempt
made earlier?
Junior Boy Meet to Be Brief.
The Middle Atlantic junior-boy
tournament at Edgemoor may be
completed by tomorrow if precedent
of the past few years when the tour
nament has been held at Hunting
ton, Norfolk, Richmond and Balti-
more is followed. With only cham
pions and runners-up of qualify
ing events in a few cities eligible
it is possible to get down to the
quarter or even semi-final rounds
tonight, thus setting the stage for
title matches.
Because of his straight-set victory
over Harry Brinkerhoff, City of
Washington champion, in the Junior
Davis Cup tourney last week, Eddie
Richardson is Washingtons biggest
threat in the junior division. Brink
erhof and David Kay, losing finalist
in the city meet, also entered, but
Richardson still looks the best bet.
Incidentally, Washington will have
the defending champion in the boys
class as Bobby Bensinger proved
himself the class of racketers Is
years old or younger in the section
last year. Playing even better this
year, Bensinger stands good chance
of repeating.
Willie O'Steen Seeded No. I.
Willie O'Steen, Anne Ellis, Margo
Lee and Anne Dayette of Baltimore
have been seeded in that order for
the District.
Miss O'Steen was the losing final
ist in The Star tournament while
Miss Ellis and Lee both reached the
semi finals.
Miss Dayette is No. 9 in the Mid
die Atlantic section behind Misses
Ellis and Lee, who are ranked sixth
and seventh. Miss O'Steen is un-
ranked sectionally.