cient days when Greek met Greek, it |
|was the dynamic power, resourcefulness, and stroke |
|of Californian against Californian, with no quarter |
|asked or given. Two months before the two had played|
|for the Exposition championship at San Francisco, |
|and at that time McLoughlin had carried the match |
|and title after five of the hardest sets which the |
|tournament produced. Then "The Comet" was on his old|
|field of asphalt with the ball bounding so high that|
|he could bring off his overhanders and where such a |
|thing as ground strokes were unknown. |
| |
|Probably never in all the years of the historic All |
|Comers has a player displayed such phenomenal |
|command of the ball with a forehand stroke. There |
|were many competent judges present yesterday who |
|declared that its equal was not to be found on the |
|courts anywhere.... |
| |
|It was a stroke that stood the test, for no less |
|than eight times in the fourth set was Johnston |
|within a point of claiming the All Comers as his own|
|when McLoughlin made thrilling stands as of old, and|
|pushed the victory on a little further. When he |
|moved up to the net in the ever-flashing rallies all|
|the power and certainty of Johnston's forehand came |
|into action. Alert, with the eye of an eagle that |
|saw every move and the flight of the ball as |
|McLoughlin drove it at him with all his might, the |
|younger player whipped the returns into the corners.|
|He was like a cat on his feet, quick and sure, never|
|making a false move. There were times when he |
|nipped the best drives that the Comet sent over, and|
|turned them back for passes. Repeatedly McLoughlin |
|overhanded the ball for what to him seemed a certain|
|ace, so that he relaxed and dropped his racquet to |
|rest, as if the point were finished. Johnston made |
|his recovery, however, and sending the ball back |
|found McLoughlin off his guard and so scored the |
|point. |
| |
|The cross volleys into the corners, the spots that |