Evening star., 1940-08-06
Barney Merely Tunes
His Game in Streak
OF -Four Shutouts
Preparing for Revenge
On johnson, Who Beot
Him Earlier in Year
BY LEWIS F. ATCHIsON.

him Earlier IN Year
BY LEWIS F. ATCHISON.
AS the District mems tournament
headed into the quarter-finals this
afternoon at Edgemoor Club it was
strikingly apparent that the lad who
wrests away the crown from Barney
Welsh, defending champion, will
have to show super game in the
last three rounds.
Around the clubhouse and in the
locker room they say young Davey
johnson, considered the most serious
menace to Welsh's eight-year reign,
can't do it this year, that he doesn't
have the game to match the brand
of tennis Welsh is ramming down his
opponents throats day after day.
Yesterday, for example, Welsh
chalked up his fourth victory In
three days without dropping a game,
eliminating Dean Judd. Forty
eight consecutive games has the
lean, lank barrister carved from his
victims hides in three days play
and just where the streak will end
everyone hesitates to say. Possibly
this afternoon when he comes to
grips with lefty Dick Murphy, but
you can't say for certain. He may
sweep Murphy out of the tourna-
ment as easily as he did the others.
Form Of Four Years Ago Recalled.
Welshs game is reminiscent of
four years ago when he went to the
final of the District tournament
without losing a game. That was
the year he reached the doubles
final, playing with Tony Latona,
without losing point on service.
Barney and Tony lost to Bill How
ard and Dooley Mitchell in the title
round, a disappointing climax after
their brilliant work in the earlier
rounds, but not enough to dull the
luster of Welsh's individual play.
AS the current tournament pro-
crosses, 1t is increasingly evident
that Barney is using succeeding
matches as milestone to hone his
game for the final round. He hasn't
loafed or missed single opportu-
nifty for point since the first ball
came whizzing over the net in the
preliminary skirmish, and Barney
says he'll keep the pressure on until
it's all over.
Against Judd, he tried for-and
made-returns on shots he might
have passed up at another time. He
played Judd's backhand all after
noon, forcing him into error after
error. Consistency. as a matter of
fact, is Barney's aim. He can crank
up anytime and send cannon ball
zooming into the enemys camp, but
he wants to have his game at a pitch
where he can call his shots.
Not Regarded as Comeback.
Barney doesn't like this talk of a
comeback on his part A comeback
after losing one tournament sounds
incongruous to his legal mind. After
all, man can lose once without
dropping into the has-been category
He doesn't say so, but you don't need
much imagination to figure that
Welsh is pointing for Master John
sen, who conquered him in the Mid
die Atlantic final earlier in the sum-
mer.
Johnsen figures to be his opponent,
although Breese, with a good two
sets under his expansive belt yester-
day. added up to anything but a
pushover today. If Davey hurdles
his husky opponent in this Mutt and
JEFF duel he must go right back
against Frank Shore, another con-
slstent and persistent rival,
Johnsen's play yesterday bordered
on brilliant at infrequent intervals
but was marred by streaks of Wild
ness that served to prolong the
match and shatter his demeanor.
His footwork was excellent and his
court strategy superb. Time and
again he crossed up Breese, no mean
tactician himself, with placements
the big fellow couldn't reach with a
special delivery. Other times he
banged returns out of bounds and
even onto a neighboring court.
Has Streak Of WiIdness.
But it Is these streaks of wildness
that observers point to when COM
pairing Welsh and johnson, which
they consider will be Davey's un-
doing. Give Welsh an opening
wedge and he'll beat anybody this
week and II johnson Is erratic
against him Davey's chances will be
slim.
Results yesterday:
Singles-Upper Bracket.
,ns Third h,1f nrsan nToundeDayey Johnssn was lead
discontin1ed Frank shore Snen pisE dsf.sted Tea
Charley sturtevapt, e-2 6-3; Hugh
LYNCH defeated Charley channina; s-1,
brlnkerhoH. jr, 6-4. 6-4.
Lower Bracket.
60; Dick Murphy defeated Doyle Roya,
60. 70; c. Alphonso Smith defeated
Austin Rice, 81. 6.-3: Buddy Adair de-
teated Bill Howard. 60, 6-4.
Doubles.
~, Second round5-shore and willis defeated
Third round-C. A. Smith and Murphy
defeated Bashore and De witt Smith.
6-2, 6-4
PAIRNGS TODAY.
Finals.
3:3o-welsh VS., Murphy.
4;30-C. A. Smith VS.. Adair, Lynch VS..
Farrin, Shore VS.. winner Of Johnsen-Breese
:, 5:Oo-Johnsen vs. Breese continuation
third-round match.
kAr:@. @~l@~.