Evening star., 1941-06-11
Discount Two Beatinqs
Champ Received in
Exhibition TiIts
Argue Barney Is Hottest
With Chips Down; Both
Face Tough Going
Ry BILL DISMER. Jr.

Popular sentiment is ali in favor
OF Don Leavens, and on the sur
face he is the logical choice to
dethrone Defending Champion Bar
ney Welsh in Sundays final match
for The Stars tennis cup at Edge
moor Club.
But it doesn't take much Sleuthing
tn discern there's strong under
current in Welsh's favor and that
q lot of wise money will be riding
on the Rockville Rambler in the
vindup of the City of Washing
ton tournament.
In the face of Leavens' two vic
the admitted excellence of the new
comer's game, the new swing to
Barneys favor appears slightly un-
sound But it's because both of
Don's wins came in exhibitions that
they are being discounted by those
who still believe in the champ.
"Barney's at his best when the
chips are down" says one who seems
to express best the consensus of
those supporting the top-seeded
star. Anybody can lick him in eX-
hibitions or practice. Hugh Lynch
does it every now and then; Davey
johnson may do it a couple of times
q week. But when Barney really
wants to win, he's my man."
Welsh'S Attitude Impressive.
No one can say for sure whether
Welsh went all out" in those two
exhibitions with Leavens. When
questioned on that subject the lanky
barrister merely grins and says,
with twinkle in his eye: 'Leav-
ems is awfully good. He's hard to
beat" But the way he says 1t
leaves you with the impression that
he adds, mentally, But can do it. :"
However, it may be counting
chickens before they're Matched to
be talking of a WeIsh-Leavens final
when each still has to beat a pair
OF pretty good opponents before
qualifying for the championship
round
Barney was to meet determined
Buddy Adair today while Leavens
took on a red-hot Don Martin of
Georgetown University. If they are
successful, Welsh must play either
Dick Murphy or Charley Charming
in the semifnals while Leavens is
meeting either johnson or Lynch.
The latter two also were to play
this afternoon, their match being
advanced from tomorrow at Lynch's
request. Charming and Murphy will
play the lone quarter-fnal singles
slated tomorrow.
Lynch Favored Over. Partner.
Of all possible threats standing
between the top-seeded stars and
the final. johnson and Lynch seem
the most formidable But Lynch
has been playing more tennis this
spring than johnson, who has been
handicapped by damaged back.
and is favored to beat his doubles
partner. At his best, johnson prob
ably would give Leavens a better
match than Lynch.
The veteran Tom Mangan, still
nimble despite his years, could take
only two games a set from Lynch
Yesterday, but Tom can't be claSsed
as a Leavens or a Welsh. In the
only singles match yesterday. big
Herb Shenkin ran the legs off little
Dick Murphy before the latter en-
tered the quarter finals with 6-3,
6-3 decision.
Two of the four seeded doubles
teams entered the quarterfln
round Yesterday while another,
third seeded Buddy Adair and Bob
Underwood, were forced to default
due to the latter's inability to get
leave. st. Adams Schools crack
No. / tandem of Reggie Cooper and
Taylor Chewing put up more of a
fight against Welsh and Lynch than
the scores of 60. 60 would in
dicate, while Bruce Dennison and
Sid Poretsky carried Bill Breese and
Ed Mather to a long second set be-
fore bowling, SO, IS. LeavenS and
johnson hardly worked up a sweat
In whipping Bob Williamson and
Bob Burgess, 60, 60.
Seminal pairings are expected to
send Welsh and Lynch against
Murphy and Mangan, with Charley
Charming and Ricky Willis expected
10 slip in the spot vacated by Adair
snd Underwood against Leavens and
johnson.