Evening star., 1940-07-05
Smith, Murphy Meet
Farrin, Howard in
Final Tomorrow
Ousted Welsh, johnson,
Lynch Still in Line
For Singles Title
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.


A doubles championship match
devoid of such familiar names as
Welsh. Mitchell, Lynch or johnson
Will be the novel note on which
the Middle Atlantic tennis tourna-
ment will end at Columbia Country
Club tomorrow afternoon with the
third and fourth seeded teams
clashing for the title.
Not as far back as the most faith
ful District net fan can remember
has any local doubles tournament
ended without at least one or two
Of the above in the finals, but that's
the way it. will be tomorrow.
For Alphonso Smith and Dick
Murphy and Jimmy Farrin and Bill
Howard completely quashed the mo-
nopoly of the former big Four"
yesterday when they surprised a
large gathering of holiday fans
by whipping the Welsh Mitchell and
Eynch-Johnsen combines, respec-
lively.
Victories Are Clean-Cut.
In each instance, the ultimate VIC
tors won the first and last sets
dropping the middle encounters to
have everything depend on the
final. But each victory was de-
cisive and clean-cut, third seeded
Howard and Farrin defeating the
No. team Of Lynch and johnson
6-3, 4-6, 6-3, and fourth seeded
Smith and Murphy taking Welsh
and Mitchell, seeded second, by
653, 1-6, 6-4.
Frankly, it was nothing new for
Lynch and johnson to lose to yes
terday's conquerors, as the Navy
Leech Cup stars twice beat them
in 1888, although Hugh and David
whipped them once last year.
Thus, unless Smith pulls the
decades biggest upset by trimming
defending champion Welsh in one
of today's two singles semifinals
tomorroW's two title matches will
present the strange. but welcome
sight of different participants in
each
Lynch and johnson were to clash
in today's other semifinal singles
match with the. winner almost sure
to face King Barney for the title.
TomorroW's championship singles
match is scheduled for 3 o'clock
with the doubles starting upon its
conclusion. Sideline bleacher seats
will be available at 40 cents, with
proceeds going to the Red Cross.
If yesterdays comparative scores
could be considered a criterion
Smith definitely had a chance
against Welsh today. For while
Barney was being pressed to the
limit to turn back sensationally-
playing Farrin, IS, +6, g.
Smith was utterly routing young
Buddy Adair with the loss of only
one game.
Continually mixing his varied
assortment of shots, Smith kept
Adair continually on the run and
the stocky loser rarely had chance
to take the offensive.
Farrin, on the other hand, played
grand tennis and his sharply angled
shots made Welsh keep the heat
turned on throughout the match
Farrin's stand undoubtedly put a bee
in Smiths bonnet for his match
with the champ today and 1t should
be interesting, to say the least.
johnson in Zine Fettle.
Lynch also had a little difficulty
subduing big Bill Breese, prevailing
only after three se.s. IS, 2-6, 6-4
Not so close was Dave johnson S
revenge" victory over Murphy, his
conqueror in The Star tournament
last month. Exhibiting far greater
steadiness, johnson won by Ga
e3, but Murphy flashed intermit-
ent streaks of brilliance. johnson,
however, succeeded in keeping Muir
ply away from the net where he is
his best and that, in the final analy-
sis, was the deciding factor.
Both Ferrin and Howard played
superbly in doubles, with each dead
ly with their overheads and their
forcing drives for the most part
mailing their opponents on the base
line. Their doubles match against
Smith and Murphy should prove
most interesting, although either OF
yesterdays semifinals would have
done credit to a title tilt.