A FAMOUS TROPHY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18600, 30 December 1920, Page 9

A FAMOUS TROPHY.

HISTORY OF THE DAVIS CUP, The Davis Cup itself has an interesting history. Originally Presented by Dwight F. Davis, of St Louis. U.S.A., it has travelled over the world a distance of about 36.000 miles, creating keen rivalry among the various nations and arousing world-wide interest which has been of inestimable value m increasing .the popularity of. the game and its status among athletic sports. The inaugural contest took place at Longwood. Boston, United States of 1 America, on August 8, 9. and 10. 1900, tho contestants being the British Isles and America. The challengers team, consisted of A. W. Gore. F T). Flack, and M. Boner Barrett (called 'he J>aunt!e c s Th^eo 5 * l>v English Jjflwn Tennis whilst that of tlm defenders was made up of M. D. Whiteman. Dwight F. Davis, and Holcombe W ard It will he noted that the donor of the cup was one of Amfenca’s chosen in this the initial contest. The match resulted in a victorv for America bv three matches to none. It was in this contest that the overhead break service, now generally'known as tbe American service, first achieved fame. The English nlnyers wore taken bv surprise, and unite astounded by it. It was fitting that tbe first ball in the now lengthy series of contests, fer the cun should be served by the donor. Dwight. F Davis. Tt foil to Block’s lot to receive It., The ball broke fullv a card, and Black was left standing, much*to +v, o amusement of tbe snoetato’>. Whitman’s reverse American service proved quite n<» disastrous, to (tore, ns it wa« ronorted that be fail* d to touch thirty of Whitman’s first services. Tbe rpculte wore ns follow: IV[. D. Whitman defeated ' W. Gore H —l, 6—3. 6—2: T>. F- Davis defeated K. I). Black. 4-6. 6-2. 6- L H-~* • Davis and Ward defeated Black am! Rbpor-Hnrrett. 6—4. 6—l. 6 4: A. 'V. Gore v. Dwight Davis. 9 7; 9 9. Tbe last game was stunned hr rain, and .declared a (Paw. Totals: America H-co matches. 19 sots. 76 games: British Isles, no matches. I sot. 60 "onios. Tho year 190“ is memorable for the fact that Australia, with New Zealand, suddenly hurst forth on He term’® fir,,,, ament. Towards the end of 1901 the Australasian Association was formed, and one of the first "of-* y-a« to ept«r a challenge for the 1005 contests, the Wavers of His nionee’ - '"’in being Norman E. Brookes. A. W. Dunlop I Australia), pud Anfhonv F. (New ZmilnndV The other ehoilpo-ot-B were Franco (Ah Decum's e«d E. Gc'*moth America (Holcombe Ward. Beals tk Wright, and W. - T . Clothlo-O. Austria (R. T\inz! -"wl H von BVcelevV pud Belgium. r r , *n 1-cf-nampU rot>'*'*d. ~\ ror,-,'or, d.-feated France bv five matoi)o« fr> pr><-. and Air-'-'i-o,^ similarly triimjHafl over Austria.-

America finally beat Australasia by five matches to love.

Then came the year 1907, undoubtedly the most memorable in the history of Australasian lawn tennis, when the redoubtable Norman E. Brookes. ably assisted by Anthony F. Wilding, successfully invaded England, thereby placing Australasian lawn tennis on the pinnacle of international fame, and at Wimbledon, the “Mecca” of lawn tennis, gained for themselves a worldwide renown, which has been well and worthily maintained ever since. The following were the results of the Aus-trafasian-British Isleß match N. E. Brookes defeated A.-W. Gore. 7—5, b—l, 7— 5; A. F. Wilding defeated Roper-Barrett. I—6, 6—4, 6—3, 7—5; Brookes and Wilding lost to Gore and Barrett. 6—3, 6—4, 5—7, 2—6, 11—13; N, E. Brookes defeated Roper-Barrett 6—2, 6-0. 6—3; A. F. Wilding lost to A. W. Gore, 6—3, 3—6, 5—7. 2—6. Totals: Australasia, three matches 12' sets, 104 games; British Isles, two matches, 7 sets, 87 games. Australasia defeated teams representing America in 1908. .1909. and 1911, the last time in Christchurch, where the defenders won bv five matches to love. In 1912 the British Isles defeated the holder.', by three matches to two, and in the following year America captured the trophy. In 1914 Australasia wrested the cup from America by a margin of one match, and the next match in 1919 also resulted in a win for the Southern Hemisphere ngainst Britain by four matches to one.