Evening star., 1941-03-16
Ballots Cast by Silva
Decide in Favor Of
AIphonse Smith
Place Him Ahead of Dave
johnson. Who Topped
Him in M. A. List
BY BILL DLAMER, Jr.


most male players should be ranked
turned the anual meeting of tn
District Tennis Association into it
longest and most argumentative Ses
sion yesterday and only full use o
the voting power controlled by it
chairman saved the report of hi
Ranking Committee from amend
ment.
Fireworks started when Ranking
Committee Chairman Felix M. Silvs
revealed that his group had ranked
C. Alphonso Smith second to Barne!
Welsh and ahead of David johnson
in contrast to Middle Atlantic rank
ings in which johnson had beer
rated ahead of Smith. Silva alst
was chairman of the Sectlona
Ranking Committee.
Immediately, R. Strand johnson
David's father, was on his fee
charging Inconsistency" IF Davic
was ranked ahead of Smith section.
ally. he should be ahead of him
locally" johnson claimed.
Silva Produces STATISTICS.
Equipped with statistics anc
tournament records, Silva pointed
out to the association that the
alleged inconsistency was due tt
the fact that only Johnsen's cap
ture of the Middle Atlantic cham
pionship last July had led him tc
be ranked second in the sectiona,
ratings. Johnsen's seasonal record
on paper. was not as good as Smiths
Silva said.
johnson won the Middle Atlantic
championship and defeated Barney
Welsh in so doing" Silva admitted
"but he played in only two other
tournaments and was eliminated ir
the round before the quarter-flnals
in one and in the SemifinalS Of
another, one of those times by
Smith.
Smith, on the other hand, parti'
cipated in more tournaments thar
any other local player, was a semi
finalist in three, runnerup II
another and was beaten only BY
Welsh"
At this point. Hugh Lynch, latel
elected vice president of the asso-
citation. Joined in the debate. "Those
rankings are all right according tt
the records he said. but theoretlc-
ally. they're all wet. Why any player
around town knows johnson is better
than Smith and Smitty himself
probably would be embarrassed al
being ranked ahead of Davey."
Silva's Vote Decides 1t.
After further discussion, Lynch
moved adoption of the rankings
provided they were amended tc
rate johnson second and Smith
third. With six of the association
nine member groups voting accord
ing to their membership, the amend
ment was defeated, 350-230, when
Silva's casting of the Departmental
Leagues $50 votes proved decisive
Columbia and Edgemoor Country
Clubs and the University Club
voted to support Lynch's amendment
while Argyle Country Club and the
Departmental and Public Parks
Leagues voted to uphold Silva
Austin Rice, representing Army
Navy Clubs 200 votes, refrained
from voting and the Women's
League, controlling 100 ballots, was
unrepresented.
In announcing the mems doubles
rankings, Silva declared that there
was little choice among the first
four named and that they could have
been determined just as well by
picking them out of hat. AS il
was, Its. William Howard and James
Farrin we're ranked No. l, G. Al
phonso Smith and Dick Murphy
No. 2, Hugh Lynch and David john
sen No. and Barney Welsh ano
Dooly Mitchell No. 4.
New leaders were named in the
women's, juniors and boys divi-
sions, while girls under 18 years OF
age were ranked for the first time
Margo Lee, winner of The Stars
City of Washington tournament
was placed at the head of the fail
list, with Bobby Bensinger moving
up from the boys division to tor
the juniors. Sam Doyle was ratee
No. l among the boys and Margot
Parsons atop the girls.
Lynch's aScendancy to the vice
presidency was the only change in
officers as Col. Carl RiStine and A
o. White were retained in their roles
of president and secretary treasurer
respectively.
Mems Singles.
Barney Welsh: 2 C Alphonso Smith
Rayid Rg6 J0hrSen wi;sm Rshard Rrsege MgPphy
James Farrin; s. Frank Shore; 9, RALPH
Brinkerhoff: T. Ricky willis; y, AgstlT i
Unranked due to insufficient dsta-7Gil
bert A Hunt, jr.; Dooly Mitchell anc
/. William Howard-James Farrin: 2
e. Alphonso Smith-Richard Murphy; 3
Hush Lynch-David johnson; 4; BarneI
Frank Shore; 8, George Herbert-Johr
Smith.
Ham Breese-Edward Mather.
Women's Singles.
l, Marco Lee: 2, Willie Q. Herbert; 3
Margaret Keever; A.. Charlotte Decker
:. Frances Rowan; 8, Elizabeth Sewers
o, Hazel Bishopp; 10, Eleanor Voith.
Women's Doubles.
|. Margo Lee-Willie Herbert; =, Char
iotte Decker Frances Rowan g.. Joar
Bransford- Margaret Keever: 4. Frances
Carter-Jane WilmerdinG; B, Eleanor Voith'
Helen Levy.
Junior Singles.
l. Robert Bensinger; >, Tom Walden
8, Ben Fisher; 4, John Waits, jr.; D
Junior Doubles.
l, Robert Bensinger-Tom Walden: 2
Ben Fisher-Eli Gottlieb.
Boys Singles.
l. Sam Doyle; >. Jack Timothy; 3
LEROY Morgan; 4, Peter Fratt.
Boys Doubles.
l, Peter Fratt-Leon Forman; 2, Bach'
Glll-DeloS Smith.
Girls Singles.
l. Margot Parsons; =, Betty Jacob; 3
GaJeanne Echols: 4, Ann Powell: D, Julie
Fisk; D, Ruth johnson.
Unranked due to insufficient data
Shirley Combs and Mary Brookings.
Girls Doubles.
/. Ruth Margery Snowden; 2
Betty Jacob-Ann Cullen; 3. Margot Par
sons-Julie Fisk.