Evening star., 1940-08-09
Fans Wanted Second
Davey-We|sh Joust
For D. {. Crown
Poor Strategy Brings
Unexpected Defect
In Semifinul Tilt
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.


Curses. the plot will have to be
rewritten for the singles final of the
District mems tennis tournament
Sunday at Edgemoor Club.
There was dirty work afoot yester-
day as Davey johnson, the hero,
tripped and fell over waffle brown
Hugh Lynch in the semifinals, 60,
ga. 1t was supposed to be the
other way around. Lynch was sup
posed to be more of a prop than
anything else in this titanic drama
In the city's net colony-as least he
wasn't supposed to have a speaking
part.
His dastardly deed fouled as neat
plot as ever was unspooled here
about. Here was that sinister char
acter, Barney Welsh (hisses), twid-
ding a fgurative mustache, leering
wickedly at our Nellie, alias the Dis
trict title, and awaiting the hour he
could cart her back to his Rockville
plantation If the hero didn't show
up with enough points to spoil his
little game. Nellies been at Rock
vile SO long g years. she feels like
one of the family-but that doesn't
alter the situation in the least. The
villain must be foiled. Louder on
the brass there, professor.
Tennis Scribes Are Done Wrong.
So the audience is waiting around
for hero johnson, who gave Welsh
good going over in the Middle At
lantic tournament, to arrive in the
finals and conk him again. johnson
Is astride his trusty hay-burner
Two Sets" which strides over Bill
Breese and Frank Shore, bringing
Davey to the very doorstep of the
flnal-almost. Then, curse the luck
Two Sets" turns out to be a con-
founded fifth columnist. He goes
over to the enemy and gives our hero
the horselaugh.
This Is fine pickle for as honest
group of tennis writer's that ever
wrote out an expense account who
have been building up a johnson
VS.. Welsh match for the final. Al
week long they have been conspirine
to save the old homestead, or was i,
Nellie, from the arch-monster. con-
fldent that the peepuls choice
would arrive just in the nick oi
time to snatch the bullwhip from
Welsh's upraised hand and stay the
blow.
johnson VS.. Welsh. The entire
tournament was woven around that
match. 1t was t6~be the blue ribbon
classic of the decade, the ne plus
ultra of local feuds, ETC., etc. Anc
now substitute hero appears fol
johnson. Cad, it's enough to shattel
ones faith.
johnson lost, it is agreed, because
he didn't crowd the net and play
to Lynch's backhand as he was ex.
pected to do. Rather he played
Hugh's game from the back court
But the lad is more to be pitted thar
censured for the willy Lynch's racquet
was magnet that attracted every.
thing hit into his side of the cour
and he kept Davey on the baseline
with high, long lobs.
Can't Control His Power.
johnson had the power but
couldn't control it and time and
again was guilty of netting the ball
after Lynch had returned a series
OF scorching blasts. Lynch retained
control of the match throughout
never lost his stride or his head
and richly deserved to win. But
he wore his laurels modestly.
"Davey's game is better than
mine and he should have beaten
me-" he said. But he didn't play
his game. He played my game.
won't be trimming him very often
from now on and it's too bad he
didn't win, but that's tennis.
rather like having another match
with Barney"
Welsh defeated Lynch in straight
sets last year in the final, 12-lO
IS. 60, and is favorite to re-
peat Sunday. They have been
paired about Is times, according tc
Hugh's recollection, and he hasn't
won more than two or three"
Only one match is scheduled to-
day and that in doubles at 4 o'clock
johnson and Lynch will team ur
against Dick Murphy and G. Al
phonso Smith.
Welsh and Dooley Mitchell
knocked off the second seeded team
of Bill Howard and Jimmy Farrin
Ga, 12-10, yesterday to gain the
semif1nal round.