Evening star., 1941-07-24
Defending Champion
May Be Pressed by
Charlotte Decker
Women's FinuI and Mems
Semis Promise Keen
BottIine Tomorrow
By BILL DISMER, Jr.

Twas the calm before the storm in
the public parks tennis tournament
today as pair of semifinal doubles
matches sustained interest in the
event at Rock Greek on the eve of
the women's championship battle
and a pair of hot semifinal singles
tiltS in the mems division.
Because she never has lost to
Charlotte Decker. Willie Herbert
will be the favorite to annex her
fourth straight parks title when she
takes the court against the second
seeded star at $50 o'clock tomorrow,
but Charlotte is a game youngster
and has been extending Willie more
and more each time out.
Miss Decker was Mrs. Herberts
victim in the parks finals Of both
1888 and SO, Margaret Keever
sensation, bowling in the title round
last year. Twice this year Miss
Decker has lost to Mrs. Herbert. but
the last time-in the District finals
the match went the limit of three
sets.
No. l Player Is UnderdOg.
AS for the mems competition. late
developments point to one of the
most interesting wind-ups in years.
with all but one of the semiflnalists
entirely new to the municipal event.
iop-seeded Ray Stocklinski lost in
the final to Allie Ritzenberg last
year, but none of the other survivors
even were entered in 1910.
And even though he is the seeded
No. contestant. Stocklinski will be
the underdog in his semihnal match
tomorrow with District Junior
Champion Bobby Bensinger. now
the choice Of many to capture his
first senior event. Stocklinski wasn't
impressive in his So. 6-3, 60 win
over University of Maryland's Phil
Burkom yesterday, while Bensinger
Is one Of the outstanding netmen of
the city.
Bobby has the time for practice
which Stocklinski hasn't, and, with
a natural bent for the game. can
make himself one of Washington's
ail-tlme beSts. He already boasts
more shots than the average player
10 years his senior and a confidence
which stands him in good stead
we wouldn't be at all surprised to
see hlm sweep through the semi
hnal and final rounds with the loss
OF no more than set Or two.
Miller Encounters Dalby.
Injecting as much new life into
the tournament as Bensinger.
though, are the other two semi
hnallstS who will meet in the upper
half OF the draw, second-seeded
Eddie Miller and unranked Ken
Dalby.
Now a student at Kenyon College,
alma mater Of National Champion
Don McNeill, Dalby gained lots of
support yesterday by his convincing
81, 6-3 rout of fourth-seeded
Harry Brinkerhoff, jr., his second
seeded victim in three days. The
blond Dalby appeared much
stronger player than the kid who
used to swat the fuzzy balls for
Western High School. Miller, though,
has exhibited a much steadier game
this week than previously and must
be rated an even bet against the ex-
local scholastic star.
Doubles fnalists were to be estab-
lished late this afternoon in the
meetings of the four seeded teams.
BenSinger and Chuck Freer. the
seeded No l tandem, were to meet
third-rated Hy Ritzenberg and Stan
Haney, while George Herbert and
John Smith, seeded No. 2. took on
Brinkerhoff and Miller, the No. 4
duo.
The only doubles match yester-
day saw Ritzenberg and Haney beat
ing Charley Sewers and Walter
Myskowski, Ga, 6j3.