Evening star., 1944-02-06
World Champ Coming
From Afar 10 Seek
Eastern Honors
BY ROD THOMAS.

Washingtonians will have an op-
portunity to see the greatest show
man in table tennis next SATURDAY.
and Sunday when Lazlo Bellak,
world and national champion, per-
forms In the Eastern open cham
pionships sponsored by The Star.
Bellak, whose entry was announced
yesterday, will add sparkle to a
tournament already dazzling with
such stars as Thor HAN, Louis Pag-
uaro and Mae Clouther.
Bellak universally is regarded as
the most brilliant and versatile
stroke artist in the game. He has
won the national singles title three
times and, paired with Thor Hazi,
has won the national and world
doubles championship. Bellak's
happy-go-lucky disposition has cost
him more than one world title, 1t Is
said.
Bellak, like Hazi, is Hungarian by
birth, and also like HaM Is an Army
noncom. He is coming to the tour
nament from a camp in Louisiana.
Staff Sergt. Bellak was q member of
the great Hungarian team which
swept through nine world cham
pionships between 1927 and 1898.
In 1887. the Hungarian team lost
to the United States, and Bellak was
beaten by the American champion,
Jimmy Mcclure, but that same year
Bellak came to America and won
the national championship and re-
peated the achievement in 1888.
A Battle Of Sluggers.
If and when he meets Hazi in the
forthcoming championships, 1t will
be a battle Of two hard-hitting Of
fensive masters. But either or both
OF these terrific smashers may fall
before the speed and deadly accu-
racy of Louis Pagliaro Of New York,
who did not defend his national title
last year. Pagliaro is equally su-
preme at both offense and defense,
although not as great on the offense
as the former Hungarian interna-
tionalists.
Some believe that the tournament
will be studded with upsets and that
the "old masters" will be picked off
one by one by half dozen younger
players. Among the dark horses"
are Stanley Fields, who beat Haz,
the defending champion; in the last
local tournament. Fields is a Wash
ington hopeful. Another threat is
Richard Miles of New York, ranked
No. 5 nationally. And still another
is Pfc. John Somael OF Camp Mac
kali, N. c., who ranks No. 7, but
who already has taken the measure
Of Miles this year.
Women in for Hot Scrap.
The women's singles and mixed
doubles crowns will be as fiercely
contested as anything the men can
offer. Mrs. Mae Clouther of Boston,
defending champion, and the only
player in the history of the game to
be f1nalist in three events at the
national championships two years in
a row, will pit her accuracy and
quick thinking against the dash and
smash of dozen high-ranking
youngsters Barbara Cannon of To-
ledo, Ohio; Peggy Mclean of New
York and Carolyn Wilson of Wash
ington are some of the youngsters
who will be after the womens titles.
So far Mrs. Clouthers wizardry
has baffled the dynamic hopefuls.
When Peggy Mclean beat the
bouncing Barbara Cannon in the
quarter-fnals last year, and then
disposed of the cool Davida Haw-
thorn of New York In the semifinals,
1t seemed nothing could stop her
But In the finals, the defending
champion completely outwitted Peg
gy and then just as completely out
stroked her. 1t is fascinating to
table tennis fans to see Mrs. Clouther
carefully feel out and measure her
opponent, and then Systematically
60 about the business of beating her.
The District Tournament Commit
tee has announced that the Raleigh
Hotel will be the headquarters of
the Eastern Open Championships.
Tickets for the tournament now are
on sale at the Raleigh, the Ameri-
can Automobile Association, the
Tennis Shop and the Fairway Sports
Shop. Play will begin at the Co.
lumbia Table Tennis Center. 1880
Fourteenth street NV, next Satur-
day at 6 pm, and the finals will be
played at Heurich's Gymnasium,
Twenty-sixth and D streets NV,
Sunday at pm.
Mildred Stout, tournament host
ess, will be interviewed this morning
during the regular Sunday broad
cast Of Russ Hodges and Art Brown
over Station VOL, which opens at
1890.
Mixed Doubles Pin Aces