Parker Returns

Jug-eared Bill Talbert, unbeaten in nine tune-up tournaments, admitted that his game was better than ever; the 64th United States Lawn Tennis Champion ships looked like a breeze. Then Sergeant Frank Parker flew in from Guam, 10 lbs. thinner and fitter, razor-sharp from Marianas matches with Wayne Sabin, Don Budge and Bobby Riggs. Said Singles Champion Parker: "My game is better than ever. . . ."

Bits of Brilliance. Except for the practice, there was no good reason why the other 46 entrants in the men's singles bothered to compete at Forest Hills last week. None of them ever had a chance. But between lunges and tumbles, they squeezed in bits of brilliant tennis.

One came the first day when 16-year-old Herb Flam (TIME, Aug. 13) began skidding on the smooth turf, shook off his shoes and blasted Argentina's No. 2 player, Heraldo Weiss off the court. There's a coming Davis Cupper, said wise old tongues. Next day, Lieut. Gardnar Mulloy was an upset victim, succumbing to Major Frank Guernsey, a pint-size fighter pilot who prefers golf to tennis.

Collapsible Francis Xavier Shields ran true to form and collapsed in the third round. Sidney Wood's erratic virtuosity survived four rounds. The semifinals drew the biggest crowd (8,000) in three years, and they cheered as madly as a mannerly tennis crowd could for Elwood Cooke's brave but hopeless stand against methodical Frankie Parker. In the other semifinals, Ecuador s pigeon-toed Pancho Segura learned once again that his two-fisted drives and self-satisfied "Bravos" were no match for Bill Talbert's power strokes. Talbert won easily at the cost of a twisted knee.

That set the stage for the preordained finale. But first Sarah Palfrey Cooke, back at Forest Hills after four years, recovered her abdicated singles throne. With green-ribboned pigtails flying, she beat Pauline Betz 3-6, 8-6, 6-4, and earned a husbandly kiss from Elwood.

Lots of Alibi. Overnight, Talbert's knee stiffened so he could barely walk. But he limped onto the court with a crack: "There's nothing wrong with my knee, except I can't bend it." Somehow, he covered enough ground to beat Parker the first two games. Then, when the count had evened at 4-all, the two battled through 18 games without a break in service. The crowd of 12,000 rose to applaud -- and stretch -- when Talbert's tremendous serve put him ahead, 12-11. But after doing the impossible on one good leg, Talbert didn't have any more. The robot-calm Parker took the set 14-12, the next two 6-1, 6-2.

With Davis Cup play due for resumption next summer, the championships were a useful inventory of U.S. talent. Talbert and Parker seem certain team choices. Their fellow-travelers may well be Champions Lieut. Ted Schroeder and Ensign Jack Kramer, if they are out of uniform by then. Such a foursome seemed a poor bet to win the cup back from the Australians, who have Veterans Jack Bromwich, Adrian Quist and Pat Crawford, as well as an 18-year-old wonder boy named Ducky Pails. The Australians can hardly wait to spring Ducky on the world.

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