Evening star., 1947-08-10
Vet Battles Thackara
Today for Crown;
Women in Final
By Froncis {. Stann

Liy SiuU W VIII, 1u-o, 80, O-U, anu
earn the right to play Jim Thackara,
seeded No. l, for the Middle Allan
tic mems singles title today.
Thus for the second time in re-
cent weeks Thackara and Welsh
will meet in a final, with the lat
ter, longtime ruler of local tennis,
seeking to avenge defeat by the
lanky newcomer in the District of
Columbia tournament. It is pos
sible the No. ranking for the 1947
season will hinge on the outcome of
today's match, scheduled for 2 pm.
AS far as singles play yesterday
was concerned, Thackara loafed as
the 35-year-old barrister from Rock
vile broiled under a hot sun and in
muggy atmosphere and fought off
the surprising bid of Curtiss, ranked
No. 8 in the city last year. There
were moments when it looked as if
Welsh might go down, but in the
end it was his stocky, 38-year-old
opponent who wilted.
AlI-Washington Show.
The only other final match In
the. Middle Atlantic to be played
today will bring together Mrs Anne
Gray and Mrs. Willie Herbert in
the women's singles. 1t is an all
Washington show now and so far
as the singles are concerned the play
has gone astonishingly according to
form. Thackara and Welsh were
seeded one and two, in that order,
as were Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Her
bert.
The women's match will be played
at II o'clock this morning. Follow
ing the mems singles, pair of semi
final matches In mems doubles will
be played, starting approximately
at 4:30 pm. The women's doubles
and mixed doubles will be played
later in the week.
Curtiss played a lot of tennis
yesterday after arriving an hour
late. First ne had to complete his
quarter final match with Don
Leavens, fourth seeded. Darkness
had halted their match Thursday
after Curtiss won the first set, IS
dropped the second, 2-6, and built
up A lead in the third. Resum-
ing yesterday, Curtiss and Leavens
each won two games, giving Curtiss
the set and match, 6- -
Fatigue Gets Curtiss.
Then Curtiss went after Welsh
and had the spindly ex-Naval
officer on the run at the outset. For
two and a half hours the pair
pounded away, pausing only to wipe
clear their fogged spectacles.
Curtiss took a Al lead in the
opening set, capitalizing on Welshs
erratic backhand play, but with an
effort Barney tied it at A and
then broke through Curtiss' service
to make it 5-4. He missed his big
opportunity, however, when Curtiss
broke Welsh's service to make it
SIS and win his own to gain
6-5 lead.
The server won the next five
games and it wasn't until the 17th
game that welsh forged ahead, 9-8,
and then won his service for the set.
Curtiss was more aggressive in
the second set, which was notable
in that the servers lost 7 of the IL
games. Welsh won only once on
his service and Curtiss took the set.
Ga. But in the final set, it was OBJ
vlous that it had been a grueling
victory for the underdog. Welsh,
who had paced himself carefully and
craftily, had minimum of trouble
and Won six straight games and
match. In this set Barney played
his best tennis and Curtis, fatigued,
his worst.
Mrs. Herbert Battles to Win.
Only Mrs. Herbert of the women's
f1nalists had any trouble, being
forced to the limit to eliminate
third-seeded Charlotte Decker, 6-3.
7-9, 6-3. On the other hand, Mrs.
Gray easily trounced fourth-seeded
Margaret Sweeney, Go, 60.
Exhausted as they were following
their singles, Welsh and Curtiss
bounced back to win in doubles.
Welsh teamed with veteran Dooly
Mitchell to complete a match over
Thackara and Phil Neff in which
they held set, Ga, and were tied
at 3-3. They ran off three games in
quick style.
Curtiss and his partner, Bill Gift
ford, had to start from scratch to
reach the semifinals, but they dis
posed Of the Baltimore city cham
pfons. Alex Keiles and Malcolm Fox,
6-3, 6-3, with undue trouble.
A third pair to advance, joining
Capt. James Farrin and Alphoso
Smith as well as the Welsh Mitchell
and Curtiss Clifford duos, was Dave
johnson and Don Leavens, who tri-
umphed over Jerry Thomas and
Ger4e Herman, 6-3, 6-.
YESTERDAYS RESULTS.
Women's Singles.
Willie Herbert defeated Charlotte Decker.
.fs.rst S svesnes. 5o n9s gray gray deisassd assmi1
fnals.)
Mems Singles.
,oS Barney Welsh DETECTED ,.ohn John cgrtiss.
defeated Don 0 Le.venss e9n4ai eompstins liiss
match in which curtiss led, IS, 2-6,
-. (Quarterhnal)
Women's Doubles.
Eleanor shaw-Margaret Sweeney de-
feated Eljnor Finckel-Mrs. George Vest.
6-3. 6-3; Grsy-Decker defeated Frances
Barry Barbara Lynch. Ga, 60: Libby
Prince Priscilla Smith defeated Custer
Freeman, 81, 6-3. (Quarterfnals.)
Mems Doubles.
NJ M,tche defeated Jim
match in which Welsh-M Mitchell led. 6-4.
3-3;, Don Leavenss Dave johnson de-
feated Jerry Thomas-Gene Herman, 6-3.
S.. John Curtiss- Bill Clifford defeated
Alex Keiles. Malcolm Fox, 6-3, 60
tQuarterfnals)
Mixed Doubles.
Smith-Smith defeated Sara Moore
Sprisgs. 6-3, 6-3. Second roundl
TODAY's PAIRNGs.
Women's Singles.
Gray VS.. Herbert, IL am. (fnaD.
Mems Singles.
welsh VS.. Thackara, 2 pm. tnnaD.
Mems Doubles
Welsh Mitchell VS.. Capt Farrin- -Alphon-
SO Smith Curtiss-Gifford vs. Leayens-
johnson, s4:30 pm. (semidnals)