The Sunday Oregonian., April 23, 1905, PART THREE, Page 32, Image 32

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5?HE SUNDAY OREGONIAy, PpitTLAKD, 'APRIL 23, 1905.
THE TENNIS SEASON HAS BRIGHT OUTLOOK
Portland Will Have Annual Pacific Northwest Tourna
ment c5 Who the Ten Best Players Are.
T
' ' Uf
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BY RACQUET.
HE outlook for 1905 is indeed most
bright. The Oregon state cham
pionship tournament will be a
feature of the Lewis and Clark Fair,
and the entry list bids fair to be far in
excess of any tournament yet held in
Dregon.
It has been practically decided that
Portland shall have the annual tourna
ment of the Pacific Northwest Lawn
Tennis Association, which will be held
under the auspices of the Lewis and
Clark Fair, the winner to secure as a
prize a trophy offered by the Lewis
and Clark Fair.
Flans for the state tournament have
already taken shape, and the tourna
ment for 1905 will surely be the most
prominent and largest atended on the
Coast.
The latter part of May will be held
the Multnomah Club handicap tourna
ment, and this will open up the season
which certainly bids fair to be the
most successful In the history of Ore
gon. In addition to the Multnomah Club,
Portland has two other strong tennis
organizations, both of which will fos
ter the game this season. Excellent
courts are found at the Waverly Golf
Club and many golf players. The Irv
lngton Tennis Club, with their new
grounds and clubhouse, will surely de
velop much tennis enthusiasm and
many good players.
Review of the 1904. Season.
The season of 1904 was by far the
banner one from the tennis crank's
standpoint. Two things entered into
the season's play, both of which have
placed Oregon tennis on a firm founda
tion, and which give to our players all
that can be desired In the tennis line.
In the first place we held a state
tournament, which showed up the best
tennis ever played in the Pacific North
west, and a most lavorable draw land
ed in the semi-finals four first-class
men, and perhaps the four best men in
the Pacific Northwest R. B. Powell,
of Victoria, B. C; R. G. Breeze, of Ta-
coma, Wash.; Major W. A. Bethel, of
Vancouver Barracks, and waiter A.
Goss. of this city.
To pick a winner was indeed a hard
matter, and It can almost be said that
the resulting matches left the cham
pionship still in doubt. Both semi
finals were five-set matches, and then
when Bobble Powell finally pulled him.
self out of the tightest place he was
ever in, he had unbounded respect for
Bob Breeze, and the spectators know
that a wonderful match had been
played.
The second thing that places our ten
nis on so satisfactory a footing Is the
fact that we now have at least six
men, all of whom play in much the
same class, and any one of whom can
make our first-class men think as well
as play. This Is the true sign of pros
ress. Time was when either Bethel or
Goss could win from any man In Ore
gon with scarcely an effort, but now
things are different; neither does it
mean that our nrst-ciass men
failed to Improve, but it does mean
that our standard of play is rapidly
reaching a higher level, and nothing
can bring out good tennis like a. host
of good players, all reacmng ior out:
another's scalps. '
Players Hard to Rank.
A ranking of the ten best men In
Oregon for 1904 is perhaps too diffi
cult a task to even attempt, for from
first to last there is much doubt and
many complications.
A ranking does not constitute an
opinion of some ..expert as to who Is the
best man, but it should be based on the
actual showing made by each individual.
We first take our tournaments, looking
there for records, and still we some
times find that a tournament will give
us anything but the correct view. For
instance, Bethel, in tournament play,
defeated both Rudy and Brandt Wicker
sham, the former by a score of C-4, 6-4,
and the latter 6-2, C-2. two men
met but once during the season and then
played & draw match; shall we then con
sider Rudy the better man, or shall we
try ,to analyze each man's game and give
credit where credit is due. On the other
hand to rank B ahead of A, when B was
defeated by A In tournament play would
be far from right oven though he might
have had the balance of power in most
of their practice matches.
Here are the necessary requisites; first
win all your tournament matches and no
one will dispute your claim to first rank;
Then your form, play correctly, above all
cultivate stability and steadiness. Con
siKtenev is a virtue well nich indisDen-
sable to the first-class tehnls player; be
a snort and take your licking like
man. it will doubtless do you a world of
cood: never give up and never allow
your game to become listless. Better
not play at all than play when you are
stale. Lastly, don't allow yourself to
overdo on the tennis courts. A man who
can show such a physique as did Goss
last Spring when he won the Multnomah
handicap tournament against such tre
mendous odds, and again as did Powell
In our state tournament when he finished
first in all three events, may well be
nroud. but a man cannot expect much
ranking If he is not able to stand an
unlimited amount of pounding with both
sun and mercury well up.
Were It not for Brandt Wickersham's
tremendous capacity for work and pun
ishment, he would find It hard to keep
his name even among our first ten, men.
Bethel comes first solely because of his
defeat of Goss in the Victoria tourna
ment. It Is Interesting to follow the
matches played, by these two men, and
were it not for the defeat In Victoria,
Goss would doubtless be entitled to the
rank. Prior to the Victoria match they
had met In practice 11 different times,
with the following results:
Goss Time? won. 7; number matches won
in straight sets, 4; sets won. 27; games
won, 234.
Bethel Times won. 4; number matches
won in straight sets, 0; sets won, 18; games
won, 196.
It will be seen from the above tuat
Goss had much the best of things, and
still at Victoria Major- Bethel with a
six-love set against him pulled himsalf
together and gave Goss a licking that
surely entitles the victor to first place.
It Is possible that the turf court Is bet
ter adapted to the Majors game, and It
is a pity that they did not- meet in a
tournament in the clay, but certain it Is.
that the matcU In Victoria entitles the
Major to the rank. A lack of steadiness
and control proved Bethel's downfall In
many of his Important matches. On four
different occasions Goss beat him in
straight sets, while Goss never failed
once during the season In getting at
least one set in each match and nearly
all of his defeats came after a five-set
match. In an exhibition match played
by these two men on the Irvlngton Ten
nis Club's courts at the time of the
Irvlngton Club reception. Bethel could
get but five games in three sets, and
this unsteadiness is his greatest fault.
As a back-line player and hard hitter.
Bethel leads everybody in the Northwest;
he smashes well and uses excellent Judg
ment, but he Is far too slow in getting
to the net.
Goss "Weak in Serving.
Goss plays the same old game with
considerable improvement in volleying.
It is a pity that Goss does not learn to
serve, and it is to be hoped that he will
certainly correct this lamentable weak
ness this coming season. Goss best work
was done In the Multnomah handicap
tournament, where he won against seem
ing impossible odds absolute steadiness,
good Judgment and ability to take un
bounded punishment won. Both Goss
and Bethel are deserving of much credit
for their showing last year against other
first-class men. Bethel had the honor
of playing in the championship round
against Powell, at Victoria, and Goss all
but beat Powell In the semi-finals In the
Portland tournament. With a- better
serve and more pace, Goss ought to win
any tournament in the Northwest this
year.
Wlckersham Xceds Training1.
Little can be said of Wickersham's
game. He played very little, which Is
to be regretted, for ho is close up to our
first-class men. His greatest enemy Is
his lack of Jrdgment. and his bisgest
friend Is his ability to keep going for
ever, get everything back and stretch
just a little farther than you think he
can.
Ewing is another, man that was little
seen on the courts. He has the qual
ities for first-class tennis, and has also
had the experience. Ewlng plays a good
game when he Is ahead, but he Is apt
to get wild and lose his head. To try and
knock a ball over Ewlng"s head is well
nigh hopeless. If he would use this tre
mendous reach in establishing himself
at the net, he would be a most formid
able foe, but It is doubtful if he could
stand the physical strain made neces
sary by continually fighting for a place
close in.
Bellinger Has Good Form.
It is difficult to say just what is in store
for Bellinger. His lack of experience has
gotten him into many difficulties, and
still he has niade a remarkable showing.
He plays in good form and has an over
hand drive that Is fine, but he Isn't enough
of a fighter. It is quite probable that
another year's hard play will be very
helpful to him. He has the strength,
physique and form for first-class tennis
we think he has the judgment, and this
year's work will telL
If Rudy failed to win first place as our
best player, he certainly may rank "one"
as our foremost diplomat. His work as
chairman of the tennis committee, and
also his effort on behalf of the Pacific
Northwest International Lawn Tennis
Association has done much toward estab
lishing Portland as a tennis center.
Rudy's greatest fault was that he didn't
know when to stop. Five hard seta of
tennis twice a week will keep any man
In the pink of condition; Rudy would
sometimes play a dozen sets In a day,
and his game suffered thereby. He has
a good serve, and the fact that he Is a
left-bander is upsetting.
McAlpln's Steady Progress.
From 10th place in 1S02, with no rank
for 1S03, to seventh place for 1904, Is no
mean advance, and all that we can say
Is that Mac deserves It. Last year some
one told him that his back hand was
"rotten," and without telling anybody he
started in to fix it.. If you think that
tennis Isn't a game for an. "old man," or
that a tennis player can't Improve after
he is 28, I'd advise you to try Mac's
back hand now. One more pointer, Mac,
and we predict that your ranking for 1905
will still be on the increase: Learn to
handle a smash. When you see that your
opponent Is going to try for a lob, don't
get nervous like you do now; make up
your mind first where' you want to put
it and then get in the right spot as soon
as you can. Keep your eye on the ball
every minute and don't be- afraid to
paste it.
Smith made a poor showing last season.
His play was a great disappointment,
and it can truthfully be said that he is
far outclussed. There is no player on tha
courts showing better form than Joe
Smith, but he is lacking In execution. Joe
can play first-class tennis, for he has done
it, and it's a hard thing to forget how
to do.
Irvlngton for the first time offers' a man
for championship honors. Morse lacks
experience, but Is a good man and is very
ambitious to play up-to-date tennis.
In Durham we have another newcomer
sivLTVorzw - A
and he Is cheerfully welcomed, since he
brings a quality that is much lacking.
It can be said of Durham that he is one
of the headiest players of the Portland
courts. He is quick as a cat, but plays
in poor form.
The progress made by the ladieSjwhlIe
not so noticeable as that of the' men. has
been quits as satisfactory
Mrs. Langton. of Victoria, was defeated
bv Miss Heltshu. which is the first time
any of the Portland ladies has met and
defeated an outside player of known repu
tation. It is to be regretted that the ladles do
not play more, and especially In our tour
naments. Instead of six or eight entries
In ladles' singles thore ought to be at
loust twenty. Such competition will sure
ly do much to raise the class of play and
to popularize the game.
It is almost impossible to arrango a
ranking of the lady players without al
lowing an element of chance to creep in.
Miss Heltshu was without doubt entitled
to the first place for 1003. but she was
quite easily beaten by Mrs. Baldwin last
year, so must fall back to second place.
Miss Heltshu can play far better tennis
than she has thus far shown. She has
improved wonderfully in her form and
particularly In her back hand strokes.
Mrs. Baldwin, who ranks tirst. won
chiefly because of her experience and
steady play. Her back hand Is poor, but
there is good length to her game and she
plays with excellent judgment.
It is to be regretted that neither Mrs.
Cook nor Miss Carstens played in the
state tournament, for both are skillful
anu strong players.
Miss Josephl, Miss Strong. Miss Robert
son and Miss Fording have all shown
pood material and much progress.
KEEP TO THE RIGHT
SOME day ere long the tireless guard
Ian angel that has so faithfully and
most miraculously " protected the
wayfarer on the streets of Portland, will
lose patience, and then what horrible
records we shall have of mangling,
maiming of bodies, and the sudden crush
ing out of innocent lives.
The .city is full of a host of inexperi
enced, reckless, careless and ignorant
drivers and Tiders, also of pedestrians
whose knowledge, of proper deportment
on a crowded sidewalk or crossing Is
remarkably deficient. Portland 13 becom
ing a busy city, with thoroughfares full
of bustling crowds, and the time Is long
past due when the authorities should en
force the common rules in street travel.
Miraculous escapes are almost moment
arily taking place on the downtown
streets and crossings, to say nothing
of the accidents that do happen through
sheer disregard of some for the rights
and safety of others.
Driving on the wrong side of the street
is a common cause, of grief and trouble,
but the most dangerous practice Indulged
In is that of the greedy fellow who is
always in a, hurry and wants to cut the
corners short, which is, of course, always
done at a clip that Is most dangerous to
I? 4
AS .:L
other drivers, to say nothing of those on
foot. The following diagram shows how
it is done.
X The arrows show how tha. short-cut J
fool risks not only his own life but that
of those who may be in his path. The
approaching arrow indicates the point of
frequent collisions from this cause. Such
a case' was witnessed recently on a
crowded crossing whereby the offender
almost lost his life, and is probably
maimed for the rest of his time. The
dotted lines show the course he should
have and could have taken with safety.
The practice Is a most dangerous one,
and should bo promptly stopped. A very
few good examples made would be ample
and any officer could pick up a dozen
In an hour's time without going beyond
the range of Third and Morrison or Third
and Washington streets, especially to
ward the evenings hour?, when every
one Is hurrying to get home.'
There Is also the greatest lack of de
portment on the part of foot passengers
on the sidewalks which Is very annoy
ing and confusing. To those who have
been accustomed to life in the big older
cities it is temporarily amusing to watch
the crowds on a busy Portland street.
There appears no system to their mode
of passage, only a confused, jumbled
mass, some being crowded out Into the
half-pennies for a penny quickly she
might be in time to obtain more light
while he still lived.
Mrs. Tranter seized the half-pennies
from the mantelpiece of the humble
bedroom, and. without hat or boots,
rushed into the streets In the hope of
finding some passerby who could
change the coins.
Clerkson street, however. Is one of
those poor and dismal thoroughfares
with which Canning town abounds and.
as It was well past midnight, the roads
were almost deserted.
The distracted woman had to run at
least a quarter of a mile before she
met a man. "For the love of God." she
cried, "give me a penny for these two
half-pence. I must see my husband
again. I must have "light."
Strange though the woman's actions
must have seemed, the man did as he
was asked, and Mrs. Tranter ran back
to her dying husband's bedside.
Slipping her last penny into tha
meter-slot, she lit the gas a'galn. and
was overjoyed to find that he was still
alive.
"Fred." she said, "I have come back
to you. What can I do? Is there any
thing I can get?"
The only response was a feeble move
ment of the head, and a moment later her
husband died.
The man's death was caused by pneu-
guttcrs and others into doorways, whilst ' monla, due to want of proper food. His
still others are dodging and bumping Into
each other. All this can be easily avoid
ed by simply remembering to keep to the
right. Practice It. MULTNOMAH.
IN CHRISTIAN ENGLAND.
Starving "Woman Spends Last Penny
to See Dying Husband.
London Dally Mail.
With the dwindling light from a pen-ny-In-the-slot
gas meter casting its
last flickers on her fast dying husband,
Mrs. Tranter, a starving woman with
four young children, living in Clerkson
street, Canning town, made the tragic
discovery that she had but two half
pennies left In the world.
A few moments later the light went
out, and left the weeping wife In ter
ror that she might never see her hus
band alive again.
There was but one alternative, which
involved a desperate race with death.
If Mrs. Tranter could, change her. Jfewo-
wife and children have been practically
starving for weeks, and he had been out
of work for more than six months.
Xooks Known of Old.
Youth's Companion.
I want to go back to the sweet, mysterious
places.
The crook in the creek bed nobody knsw
but me.
Where the roots In the bank thrust out
strange, knotty faces.
Scaring the squirrels who stole there
timidly.
I want to lie under the corn and hear it
rustle.
Cool and green In 3. long, straight, sol
dierly row,
I am tired o white-faced women and men
of iron,
I want to so back where the country
grasses grow.
To the well-remembered pasture's shadiest
corner.
Where under the trees the wild ferns wove
their laces
Hearing, the whlppoorwlll's voice. In" Its
strange, rich sadness,
X want to go back to the . old, beloved
slace. '
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