Evening star., 1950-07-13
Eight Seeded Netmen
Remain in Singles
|0fMid-Ahantics
By Cospor Nonnes

By Cospor Nonnes
The eight players seeded in the
mems singles Of the Middle Allan
tic tennis championships at the
Kenwood Country Club remain to
battle 1t out for the title.
This result, which nicely vindi-
Gated the tennis committee seed
ings, was reached yesterday fol-
lowing a day of snappy play. Spec
tators who braved the threat of
rain were well rewarded for the
tournament fully lived up to its
billing as the best event of It's
kind ever held in Washington.
Fans found the abundance of
good matches somewhat like q
three-ring circus and they went
from one exciting contest to
another.
Perhaps the most interesting
was the last one of the day. which
saw the giant Hugh Stewart, Uni
versity of Southern California
basketball star who is seeded 4,
defeat 1t. Charles Oliver, Air
Forces. of Perth Amboy, N. j., in
a sparkling match. Spectators
remained until the last point was
won in the fading light. Stewart
scored at 80, 6-1. 60.
Oliver Is Rusty.
Oliver, a fayorite of District
tennis fans since his performances
here last year, fought the huge
Californian from the first to last
point, and in the final analysis it
was his lack of play this season
that had much to do with the
outcome. This does not take any
thing away from the likeable
Stewart, but the Air Forces star
played inspired tennis. Rarely
has his superb backhand been bet
ter, nor his his drop shots from
deep court functioned more &C
curately than in the gruelling 18-
game first set.
Oliver had chance to win that
chapter at So, but Stewart
turned back the challenge. On
five other occasions the New Jer-
sey youth held tne vantage point,
and each time Stewart hit out to
equal the score. Once. at 81,
Oliver missed a setup overhead
and most spectators thought he
was through. But the Air Forces
player was not to be denied and he
won game for the set on his serv-
ice, 10-8.
But the effort was too much
for Oliver. who has not played
enough tennis to bring himself
into the condition for top tourna-
ment play. Stewart held a def
mite edge in both the second and
third sets. but so slight was the
margin that he had to bear down
all the way.
Coehell Applies Pressure.
This is exactly what Earl Cochell,
ranked nationally and seeded /,
did in his match with Barney
Welsh to win Go, Go. And it
was not because Welsh was play
ing badly. but simply that Cochell
was on top OF the ball from the
very start and refused to give an
inch to the Rockville star.
Straight Clark, Pasadena, Calf. >,
seeded 6. and Gil Shea, Los An
geles, seeded 8, lost the first sets
Of their matches before winning.
Clark defeated Malcolm Fox, Bal
timore. 81. GO, 60, and Shea
overcame Gil Bogley, 2-6, 6-3,
Ga.
Power was pitted against smooth
ness in the Clark-Fox battle, and
smoothness won. Fox, hitting his
forehand and serve with great
speed. lead Clark 5-3, 40-15 but
lost that game on two volleys into
the net and two good drives by
Clark. The Baltimore player took
the next two games for the set.
But Clark then increased the tenn
po Of his all court game and main
tanned a definite superiority in the
next two sets. Earlier, Fox had
registered a mild upset by defeat
ing Fred Fisher. Seattle, Wash,
6-4. rs.
Bogley had a good chance to
defeat Shea. leading the Califor-
nian by 80 in the third set. But
Shea stepped up his net attack
and took six Of the next seven
games to win the set, Ga. The
match was marked by brilliant net
play, with first one and then the
other holding an edge.
Leavens Puts Up Scrap.
The Chilean champion, Ricardo
Balbiers, seeded 3, found Don
Leavens, a worthy foe. Don, beaten
6-4, Ga, matched the Miami
FlaD University star drive for
drive in long exchanges. In the
second set the Washington man
got off to a 81 lead, but could not
hold it. Balbiers, a tall youth with
long arms and legs, is a superb
court coverer and Leavens had to
make several good shots to win
each point.
Wade Herren, Birmingham
youth who defeated Gil Hunt yes
terday, showed the effects of play
ing three matches on one day and
went down to defeat before Sid
Schwartz, New York, Ga, 60.
Both men were bothered by the
damp court, a condition that pre-
vailed throughout the day.
Jim Brink, Seattle, Wash, seed
ed 2, won from Jim Thackara,