This year Arnold had his greatest year of his brief career.He journeyed to France and England, as the official junior representative of America, recognized by the National Tennis Association.He played splendidly in France, defeating A.Cousin in the hard court championship of the world and forced Tegner, the Danish Davis Cup star, to a close battle before admitting defeat.His sensational play in the doubles was a great aid in carrying him and me to the semi-final ground, where we lost to Gobert and Laurentz after five terrific sets.In England young Jones played Jacob, Captain of the Indian Davis Cup team, a splendid match.
On his return to America he carved his niche in the Hall of Junior Tennis fame by defeating Harold Godshall of California, W.W.Ingraham of Providence and Morgan Bernstein of New York on successive days in the junior championship.He forced Richards to a bitter fight in final, and again proved beyond question that he is but a step behind Richards today, although he is a full year younger.
Godshall, Ingraham, Charles Wood, Jr., Bernstein, Jerry Lang, Charles Watson III, Fritz Mercur and many other boys are but a step behind Jones.With this list of rising players, need we face the future with anything but the most supreme confidence in our ability to hold our place in the tennis world!
There were two other remarkable features to the tennis season of 1921, both of them in America.The first was the appearance of the Davis Cup team on the court of the White House, Washington, in response to a personal invitation from President and Mrs.Harding.The President, who is a keen sportsman, placed official approval on tennis by this act.On May 8th and 9th, Captain Samuel Hardy, R.N.Williams, Watson Washburn and I, together with Wallace F.Johnson, who understudied for William M.Johnston, met in a series of matches before a brilliant assembly of Diplomatic, Military and Political personages.C.S.Garland was unable to accompany the team owing to illness.Julian S.Myrick, President of the U.
S.L.T.A., and A.Y.Leech completed the party.
Rain, that hoodoo of tennis, attempted to ruin the event for it fell steadily for the five days previous to the match.The court was a sea of mud on the morning scheduled, but the President desired play and theword went on "to play." Mr.Leech and Mr.Myrick, ever ready for emergencies in tennis, called for gasolene, which was forthcoming speedily, and, while the Chief Executive of the United States interviewed men on the destiny of nations, the people of Washington watched nearly 200 barrels of gasolene flare up over the surface of the court.The desired result was attained and at 2 o'clock President Harding personally called play.Singles between Williams and me opened the matches.Then Williams and Washburn decisively defeated Johnson and me, following which Williams and I nosed out Washburn and Johnson to close the program.
The second outstanding feature was the tour for the benefit of the American Committee for Devastated France.The appearance in America of Mlle.Suzanne Lenglen was due primarily to the efforts of Miss Anne Morgan, who secured the services of the famous French champion for a tour of the States, the proceeds to go to Devastated France.Mlle.Lenglen's regrettable collapse and forced departure left the Committee in a serious position.The American Tennis Association, which had co- operated with Miss Morgan in the Lenglen tour, found its clubs eager for a chance to stage matches for France but no matches available.Finally, in October, in response to the voluntary offer of several of the leading players, a team was organized that toured the East for the benefit of Devastated France.It included Mrs.Franklin I.Mallory, American champion, Miss Eleanor Goss, Miss Leslie Bancroft, Mrs.B.F.Cole, Mrs.
F.H.Godfrey, Vincent Richards, Watson Washburn, N.W.Niles, R.N.Williams, W.F.Johnson and myself.Matches were staged at Orange, Short Hills, Morristown and Elizabeth, New Jersey, Green Meadow Club, Jackson Heights Club, Ardsley-on-the-Hudson, New Rochelle, Yonkers, New York, New Haven, and Hartford, Connecticut.They proved a tremendous success financially, and France netted a sum in excess of$10,000.
