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money for the Red Cross； were granted leave from their various stations to
take part in the competition。 Among the most notable were Wallace F。
Johnson； Conrad B。 Doyle； Harold Throckmorton； S。 Howard Voshell； and
myself； all of whom were granted leave of two weeks or a month。 Captain
R。 N。 Williams and Ensigns William M。 Johnston and Maurice E。
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M'Loughlin； and many other stars； were overseas。 Official recognition at
such a time puts a stamp of approval on the game which goes far to justify
its world…wide popularity。
The tennis world lost many of its best in that titanic struggle。 The
passing of so many from its ranks left gaps that will be hard to fill。
The gallant death of Anthony F。 Wilding in Flanders cost the game one
of its greatest players； and finest men。 I had not the pleasure of knowing
Wilding personally yet I； like all the tennis world； felt a sense of keen
personal loss at his heroic passing。 Wilding was a man whose sterling
qualities gave even more to the game than his play； and tennis is better for
his all too brief career。
America lost some of its finest manhood in the War； and tennis paid its
toll。 No player was a more likeable personality nor popular figure among
the rising stars than John Plaffman； the young Harvard man who gave his
life in Flanders fields。 I cannot touch on the many heroes who made
everlasting fame in a bigger game than that which they loved so well。
Time is too short。 It is sufficient to know that the tennis players of the
world dropped their sport at the call of War； and played as well with death
as ever they did on the tennis court。
The War is over； please God never to return； and the men are back
from their marvellous task。 The game of War is done； the games of Peace
are again being played。 Tennis suffered the world over from war's blight；
but everywhere the game sprang up in renewed life at the close of
hostilities。 The season of 1919 was one of reconstruction after the
devastation。 New figures were standing in prominence where old stars
were accustomed to be seen。 The question on the lips of all the tennis
players was whether the stars of pre…War days would return to their former
greatness。
The Championship of the World for 1919 at Wimbledon was anxiously
awaited。 Who would stand forth as the shining light of that meeting？
Gerald Patterson； the 〃Australian Hurricane；〃 as the press called him；
came through a notable field and successfully challenged Norman Brookes
for the title。 Gobert and Kingscote fell before him； and the press hailed
him as a player of transcendent powers。
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The Australian team of Brookes； Patterson； R。 V。 Thomas； and
Randolph Lycett journeyed home to the Antipodes by way of America to
compete in the American Championship。 Meanwhile R。 N。 Williams； W。
M。 Johnston； and Maurice E。 M'Loughlin were demobilized； and were
again on the courts。 The American Championships assumed an importance
equal to that of the Wimbledon event。
The Australian team of Brookes and Patterson successfully challenged
the American title…holders in doubles； Vincent Richards and myself； after
defeating the best teams in America； including W。 M。 Johnston and C。 J。
Griffin； the former champions。 Speculation was rife as to Patterson's
ability to triumph in the Singles Championship； and public interest ran
high。
The Singles Championship proved a notable triumph for W。 M。
Johnston； who won a decisive； clear…cut； and deserved victory from a field
never equalled in the history of tennis。 Johnston defeated Patterson in a
marvellous 5…set struggle； while Brookes lost to me in four sets。
M'Loughlin went down to Williams in a match that showed the famous
Comet but a faint shadow of his former self。 Williams was defeated in
sequence sets by me。 The final round found Johnston in miraculous form
and complete master of the match from start to finish； and he defeated me
in three sequence sets。
Immediately following the championship； the Australian…American
team match took place。 In this Brookes went down to defeat before
Johnston in four close sets； while I succeeded in scoring another point by
nosing out Patterson by the same score。 Thus 1919 gave Johnston a clear
claim to the title of the World's Premier Tennis Player。 The whole season
saw marked increase in tennis interest throughout the entire world。
I have gone into more detail concerning the season of 1919 than I
otherwise would； to attempt to show the revival of the tennis game in the
public interest； and why it is so。
The evolution of the tennis game is a natural logical one。 There is a
definite cycle of events that can be traced。 The picture is clearest in
America as the steps of advancements are more definitely defined。 It is
from America that I am going to analyse the growth of modern tennis。
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The old saying； 〃Three generations from shirt sleeves to shirt sleeves；〃
may well be parodied to 〃Three decades from ground strokes to ground
strokes。〃 The game of tennis is one great circle that never quite closes。
Progress will not allow a complete return to the old style。 Yet the style；
without the method of thirty years ago； is coming back in vogue。 It is a
polished； decorated version of the old type game。 It is expanded and
developed。 History tells us that the civilization of the old Greeks and
Romans held many so…called modern luxuries； but not the methods of
acquiring them we have to…day。 Just so with tennis； for the ground。 stroke
game was the style of the past； just as it will be the style of the future； but
the modern method of making ground strokes is a very different thing
from the one used by the