WHITBECK TO LEAD 1926 UNIVERSITY TENNIS TEAM

John Fonda Ward Whitbeck '27 of Bronxville, N. Y., was elected captain of the 1926 University tennis team yesterday. Whitbeck has played number two on the University team during the greater part of this spring.

1925 Season Successful

The Crimson netmen have played through one of the most successful seasons in the history of the sport at the University this year. After a clean up against several strong teams from below Mason and Dixon's line during the Spring trip, the team defeated Williams, Columbia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton in short order. It ran up against unexpectedly stiff opposition from Yale on May 23 and the match ended at a 4 to 4 dead-lock when a downpour of rain interrupted the final doubles match with the score tied at one set apiece between Whitbeck and Ingraham, and Watson and Jones of the Blue.

Whitbeck Defeated Watson

Whitbeck's part in the unblemished record of the University netmen this year has been an important one. He has won every match this year against such sterling opponents as Minary of Princeton, Marsh, number one of the Williams tennis team, Hink of Technology and Watson of Yale, captain of the 1927 Blue netmen last year. The match with Watson, which was decided in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, was the most brilliant feature of the match at New Haven against the Bulldog.

Played Number 1 Against Williams

Before his career at Harvard began last year, Whitbeck had already attracted the attention of followers of the courts game in the East. As a student at Loomis, where he prepared for the University, Whitbeck thrice carried off the top honors in the Yale Interscholastics, and accomplished the same feat twice at the Harvard Interscholastics.

Last summer he startled the tennis world of Newport by defeating Howard Voshell in the Newport invitation Tournament. Voshell is rated one of the steadiest and most experienced players on American courts at present.

This spring Whitbeck has alternated at numbers one, two, and three on the University team. Against Williams he filled the former position in place of Captain Ingraham, who was unable to play. Against the Orange and Black netmen he was displaced by Briggs at number two, but he won back his old position soon after the Princeton match.

He, Ingraham, and probably one or two others, will represent the University at the Intercollegiate Tournament which takes place this month. At that time the deadlock with the Yale pair, Jones and Watson, will be played out.