The complete lawn tennis player

Preface

WHEN this volume was contemplated, three objects were kept in view. The first was to demonstrate the evolution and organisation of a game which, in the short space of thirty years, has claimed more votaries and founded more clubs the world over than any other outdoor pastime in existence. The second was to treat methods of play, their developments and their results, their physiological and their psychological aspects, in such manner that both the beginner and the more experienced might derive some benefit. The third was to entertain, with the traditions and the ana of lawn tennis and with memories of some of its best-known exponents, that large army which wields the racket in many lands.

In the more or less didactic chapters, those dealing with strokes in the making, I have received invaluable assistance from the Rev. A. E. Crawley, Headmaster of Derby School, who has made a profound study of their technique and whose practical experience as a player began in the days of Willie Renshaw. The exposition of the principles underlying the American service, its varieties and its complexities, is only one of the contributions in this section for which my acknowledgments to Mr. Crawley are due. These I very gratefully tender.

viii THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

I am indebted to Canon Hartley, Mr. E. G. Meers, Mr. H. S. Scrivener, Mr. W. H. Collins, Mr. Roper Barrett, Mr. Archdale Palmer and others, for various historical data and for personal recollections of events and contemporaries of which they have had intimate knowledge; to Mr. G. L. Orme for the several plans he prepared, and for his information relating to covered courts ; to Mr. Reginald Beale, of Messrs. James Carter & Co., for practical advice on the making and maintenance of grass courts ; to the officials of Foreign and Colonial organisations for facts relating to the game in their countries ; to Mr. Scrivener and Mr. Charles Voigt for their remarks on handicapping ; and to the Badminton volume and Mr. Wilfred Baddeley's all too brief manual.

Finally, I have to acknowledge the kindness, exercised I am afraid at some personal inconvenience, of Mr. Norman Brookes and M. Max Decugis, two of the leading players whose strokes Mr. George Beldam's inimitable camera, working at an exposure of T^Trth fraction of a second, has so graphically delineated. A large number of the seventy action-photographs here reproduced were specially taken for this volume, and I do not doubt they will enhance what success it may achieve.

A. W. M.

ASHTEAD

Chapter I Page

Enter Lawn Tennis ...... i

A mysterious birth and a struggling infancy — Major Wingfield's conception of a court — The All England Club as foster-parent — A game of patience, or pitch and toss — Laws made at Wimbledon —The All England Club as autocrat— The story of the L.T.A.'s advent — Concerning the first championship and its winner — A stroke that evoked an uproar — "Passing by the ladies" — Some recollections of Canon Hartley — The evolution of the racket — A stitch that took some time to find

CHAPTER II Annals of Wimbledon

The glorious reign of Renshaw — The brothers make their debut and are beaten — ^William Renshaw wins a love set against Lawford in eleven minutes — Spectacles that "formed the high- water mark of lawn tennis " — Inauguration of the doubles and the ladies' championships — A young girl who created a record and a sensation — The relative merits of the Renshaws — Pirn v. Wilfred Baddeley — Profits diminish — Mr. E. G. Meers gives his impressions of the early nineties and incidentally relates some stories — Championships lost by one stroke — The ten years' reign of the Dohertys — Frank Riseley plays like one inspired — Norman Brookes comes and conquers — Miss May Sutton fulfils a prophecy — Looking forward

Chapter III

The universal game — America's national pastime — President Roosevelt as a player — The "Tennis Cabinet" at Washington — Schools as recruiting agencies — Popularity in the Colonies — Conditions and progress in Australia — New Zealand's 7000 club members — Nursing budding talent — Continental expansion — 800 players in Hamburg —

X THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

PAGE

Some famous German tournaments — Austria a land of rich promise —A. F. Wilding relates some experiences — Spain and Portugal — The keenness of the late King Carlos — Sweden's proud boast — A recollection of Stockholm and of King Gustav — Switzerland's appeal

Chapter IV

The use and abuse of a standard grip — Norman Brookes' distinctive hold — Principles of forehand grip explained — How the Dohertys hold their rackets — Principles of the backhand grip — The vexed question of the raised thumb — What American authorities say — The grips of Miss Sutton and Mrs. Lambert Chambers : How they differ — Influence of the forefinger in special strokes — Max Decugis and the results of his finger manipulation — Danger of a fixed backhand grip — Proper time to tighten the muscles — Large handles and fancy handles

CHAPTER V Driving : Forehand and Backhand . . . .64

Learning the strokes — First essentials — Evolution of the forehand drive — The forehand drive considered in detail — The parts played by the wrist and the elbow — How the racket should be swung back — Hitting the ball — The follow-through — Fundamental principles of the stroke — The essential factor in timing — How to acquire certainty and mechanical accuracy — Application of weight and its effects — The value of the big stride — Why a chop cannot be a drive — Top or over-spin — The so-called lifting-drive, and how it may be acquired — Half-court shots — The backhand drive — Some advice to beginners — Final instructions

CHAPTER VI The Volley and Its Varieties .... 86

An orderly evolution — Volleys at the height of the waist or shoulder — Variety of direction essential — How Brookes "pigeon-holes" the ball — Principles and practice of the plain straight volley — The oblique or tangential impact — Extremes of elevation — The low volley — Placing the ball at will overhead — The hard smash — The backhand smash — Further points as to method — Cross-court volleys — Stop and drop volleys — The importance of deep volleying — General principles of defence against the volleyer — The half-volley

CONTENTS xi

Chapter VII Page

The Standard Service . . . . . .98

The value of variety — Position of the feet — Need of a light and easy pose — Throwing up the ball — Some important points emphasized — The swing back — The contact of the racket with the ball — After the impact — Where the racket should finish — Body-weight and its distribution — Imparting "devil" to the stroke — Good length essential — The relation of the first service to the second — Placing the service in the corners — Variation by natural spin

CHAPTER VIII Complex Services . . . . . . .104

The ordinary twist service — How the reverse twist may be acquired — American services — Their actions and movements explained — Principles of the American swerve and break — Some truths expounded — The rotation of the ball and what it means — Why the American swerve sometimes fails to break in the proper way — A practical method of acquiring the ordinary and the reverse American services — General tactics for the server — Running-in on the service

CHAPTER IX Match Play in General. . . . . .118

Preliminaries — Winning the toss — Points which ought to be considered — Where the striker-out should stand — The return of the service — Place rather than pace — Dealing with the man who runs in — The use and abuse of the lob — The favourite area of the hard driver — Short and soft shots — Inadequate care over easy returns — The nee^ for a permanent base — Forbidden ground for the volleyer — Handicap singles — Advice to the giver and receiver of odds — Pluck indispensable — Turning the tables at the eleventh hour — "Win when you can " — Recoveries that end in defeat — Will-power on court — " Don't abuse the ball-boy ! "

CHAPTER X Doubles and Mixed Doubles . . . . .132

Spectacular virtues of a good double — Why the general standard of play is not higher — The physical and mental affinity of twins — Systematized formation essential — The primary instinct of both players — Where the server's partner should stand — The server's xii THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

PAGE

advance — A sinister shot — Clearing the feet — Employing the half-volley — The return of the service — The lob as a weapon of defence and attack — The return of the lob — Studying the trigonometry of the court — An alternative to the hard smash — Evolution of mixed doubles not complete — The advance of the lady volleyer — A field for strategy and "bluff" — Some hints to the man at the net — An important service game to win

CHAPTER XI Diet and Training . . . . . .146

Good condition more important than consummate skill — Why the veteran frequently beats the man under thirty — The lungs as the body's engine — The blood's vital element found in the most simple diet — Necessary diet — Influence of climate on condition — Fencing a good adjunct — Ordinary fitness and sporting fitness : ought there to be a difference ? — Bad effects of the heavy lunch — Drinking between matches — The universal popularity of tea — What should a player drink during a match — The example of champions — Sleep a sovereign necessity — Ventilation — Regular play

Chapter XII

Why open meetings make their appeal — Selecting a suitable date — Committees and their duties — What is expected of a referee — Some of his trials and tribulations — Desirability of an order of play — The one-man-in-control method — How it works at Homburg — The duties of the competitor — The equipment of an open tournament — How the courts should be marked out and fitted up — The question of balls — Are there too many prize meetings? — Players and their prizes — The practice of "seeding the draw"; Should it be sanctioned or vetoed ? — The chances of competitors relatively considered — Umpires and linesmen

CHAPTER XIII Handicapping . . . . . . .188

The old bisque system and its defects — Limitations of the "quarter" system — The "sixths" method — Difficulties under which official handicappers labour — Mr. H. S. Scrivener explains his modus operandi and offers some suggestions — Personal experience of players' form desirable — A comparison between English and

CONTENTS xiii

PAGE

foreign handicapping — The methods of a leading Continental handicapper — Is the present system unsound in principle? — The advisability of club handicapping — Some voluntary systems not recognized at tournaments

CHAPTER XIV The Construction of Courts . . . . .204

The good grass court the exception — Essential requirements — What makes the best background? — Relative^ cost of turfing and seedsowing — How to carry out effective draining — Turfing a new lawn — How to sow seed — Some mowing and rolling tips — Renovating a court during the off season — The importance of a turf nursery — Asphalt surfaces compared — A good floor for a covered court — Background for a covered court — Accommodating spectators — Some points from Stockholm — What it costs to construct a covered court

CHAPTER XV Home Tournaments I have Visited . . . .219

Effects of travelling — Respect to local feelings — Minor trials and tribulations — Round the Metropolitan meetings — The danger of too many tournaments — Memories of the Northern — A conception of rus in urbe — The "well idea" at Edgbaston — The boon of a clear Sunday — Some devices at Newcastle — The pseudonym considered — Recollections of Moffat and the Scottish championships — Fitzwilliam week — The pertinacity of the Yorkshireman — The Welsh championships — A full-dress rehearsal of Wimbledon — A holiday tour on the East Coast — Seaside meetings on the South Coast — Some impressions of Eastbourne

CHAPTER XVI The Story of the Davis Cup, 1900-1903 . . . 239

The symbol of international supremacy — Why the first British team failed — Roper Barrett gives his impressions and offers some criticisms — Englishmen taken on the flank — Ward and Davis create a sensation at Wimbledon — The Dohertys and Dr. Pirn go to America — Comments on Dr. Pirn's selection for the internationals — The States team triumphs at Bay Ridge — 10,000 spectators watch a single combat — Dohertys demonstrate their invincible skill in the doubles — The screw service and its effects — " R. F." reaches the challenge round at Newport — England challenges again and the xiv THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

Dohertys "sweep the board" — Another unexpected situation for Mr. Collins — How the issue hung in the balance at Longwood— The cup finally lifted — An American appreciation of " H. L."

CHAPTER XVII The Story of the Davis Cup, 1904-1907 . . .262

Four years' residence of the trophy in England — The coming of the Continental expert — Belgium beaten but not disgraced at Wimbledon — Norman Brookes mentioned as a "dark horse" — America mobilizes an invading team — Beals Wright defeats Brookes at Queen's — The Australian uses an abnormally loose racket — America fiercely attacks the holders at Wimbledon, but is repulsed by Smith and the Dohertys — American training methods — Holcombe Ward's electrical display against H. L. Doherty — A wholesome dread of S. H. Smith-— A fatal blunder at the net— The United States advance again — Grievous accident to Beals Wright — American ladies braced in spirit at Newport — The Wildings are faced with a problem — England again wins the challenge round — Dohertys have a narrow escape in the doubles — A lean year at hand — H. L. Doherty's retirement and its consequences — "Touch-and-go" character of the 1907 matches — Karl Behr's brilliant but erratic attack — Brookes more vulnerable in doubles — The Australian's magnificent record in the singles — The cup goes to the Colonies

CHAPTER XVIII Round the Riviera Courts ..... 286

Differences in conditions — And in the scale of living expenses — The game par excellence on the Continent — The attractions of the Beau Site courts — Royalty at Cannes — Some social attributes and harmless gaieties — Concerning the Nice Club — Tournament administration at home and abroad — Genial personalities at Nice — Memorable matches in the South of France — The Casino element at Monte Carlo — Playing before celebrities — Tom Burke — Mentone a self-owned club — One effect of railway travelling on the Riviera

Appendix

Laws of the game .....

How to mark out a court ....

. 307 . 314

Inception of the Davis Cup ....

Original conditions of the Davis Cup Regulations for the International Championship

. 316 . 319 . 320

. 325

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Champions from Over the Seas .... Frontispiece Fro7n a Photograph by Messrs, J. Russell df Sons, Wimbledon

CHAP.

I. (Enter Lawn Tennis)

Diagram of Major Wingfield's Original Court . Onp.i

The Evolution of the Racket . . . Facing p. id

II. (Annals of Wimbledon)

Wimbledon in 1883 : William Renshaw v. Ernest Renshaw in the Challenge Round of the Championship . . . . . „ 20

From a PJiotograph by Messrs. J. Russell 6^ Sons, Wimbledon

Wimbledon in 1905 : Norman E. Brookes v. H. L. Doherty in the Challenge Round of the Championship . . . . • » 34

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

The First Successful Invasion : Miss Sutton v.

Miss Douglass, Wimbledon, 1905 . - ?> 3^

III. (Lawn Tennis in Other Lands)

The Lady Champion's Home Court at Pasadena, California — Miss Sutton and her Sisters in a Double ....... 40

Horace Rice (Champion of New South Wales,

1907), serving on the Sydney Ground . . „ 41

Homburg's International Tournament, 1907 : Germany (O. Froitzheim and Baron K. von Lersner) winning the Doubles Championship of Europe . . . . . „ 46 / xvi THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

The Courts and Clubhouse at Marienbad

Facing p. 48

Two of Europe's Leading Patrons : Prince and

Princess Batthyany Strattmann . . „ 49

The late King Carlos of Portugal in a Mixed

Double at Cascaes, 1901 . . . „ 50

The late King Carlos Distributing Prizes at

King Gustav of Sweden and other Competitors at

the Saro Tournament, 1907 . . . „ 52

From a Photograph by Mr. Harry Lindbohm, Goteborg

The Courts at Les Avants, Switzerland . . „ 53

IV. (Hold of the Racket)

R. F. Doherty (England) : Forehand grip R. F. Doherty (England) : Backhand grip Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Forehand grip Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Backhand grip M. Ddcugis (France) : Forehand grip M. Decugis (France) : Backhand grip

From Photographs by Mr. G. W. Beldam

Miss Sutton (America) : Forehand grip

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

56 56 56 56 56 56

V. (Driving)

PLATE

I. ^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Beginning of

Forehand Drive .....

II. W. A. Larned (America) : Finish of Forehand

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

III. Mrs. Lambert Chambers (England) : Beginning of Forehand Drive ....

Frovi a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

IV. S. H. Smith (England): Finish of Forehand Drive ......

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

V. *H. L. Doherty (England) : Finish of Forehand Drive ......

VI. *A. W. Gore (England) : Middle of Forehand Drive ......

66 66

70 71

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xvi;

VII. *G. W. Hillyard (England) : Finish of Forehand

Drive ...... Fac\

VIII. *M. Decugis (France) : Finish of Backhand Drive ......

IX. *R. F. Doherty (England) : Beginning of Backhand Drive .....

X. "^M. Decugis (France) : Finish of Forehand Drive

XL *A. F. Wilding (New Zealand) : Middle of

Lifting Drive .....

xil«. "^P. de Borman (Belgium) : Beginning of Lifting Drive ......

Xll(5. *P. de Borman (Belgium) : Finish of Lifting Drive ......

XIII. "^G. A. Caridia (England) : Middle of Backhand

Drive ....

XIV. *M. J. G. Ritchie (England) : Middle of Backhand

XV. Miss Sutton (America) : Beginning of Forehand Drive ......

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

XVI. *R. F. Doherty (England) : Finish of Backhand Drive ......

XVII. *H. L. Doherty (England) : Beginning of Low Backhand Drive ....

XVIII. *M. Decugis (France) : Beginning of Backhand Drive ......

XIX. *M. Decugis (France) : Finish of Forehand Drive XX. *Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Finish of Backhand Drive .....

74 77

H

84 85

CHAP.

VI. (Volleying)

PLATE

I. *Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Beginning of

Backhand Volley ....

II. Beals Wright (America) : Beginning of Forehand

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

III. ^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Low Forehand

IV. *H. L. Doherty (England) : Low Backhand

" Draw " Volley

V. ^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Running in to

Kill

b

88 88 90 / xviii THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

PLATE

VI. *H. L. Doherty (England) : Running Smash . Facing p. 90 "

VII. *M. Decugis (France) : Beginning of Backhand

VIII. *M. Decugis (France) : Low Forehand Drop- Volley ....... 92

IX. *Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Low Backhand

Hook- Volley . . . . . „ 92 '

X. ^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Low Backhand

Stop-Volley . . . , . „ 94

XI. *W. V. Eaves (England) : Low Backhand " Drag "

CHAP.

VI L (Standard Service)

PLATE

I. *R. F. Doherty (England) : Beginning of Service

II. "^Mrs. Lambert Chambers (England) : Beginning

of Service ....

III. "^F. L. Riseley (England) : Beginning of Service

IV. *R. F. Doherty (England) : Middle of Service V. *M. Decugis (France) : Middle of Service

VI. "^M. Decugis (France) : Finish of Service . VII. *R. F. Doherty (England) : Finish of Service VIII. H. L. Doherty (England) : Finish of Service From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros,

3>

J)

lOI lOI

VIII. (Complex Services)

la and b. "^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Reverse Twist Service .....

li<3t, b^ and c. Miss Sutton (American) : Reverse Twist Service ......

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

lll«, b^ and c. "^P. de Borman (Belgium) : Reverse

Twist Service .....

iva, ^, c^ d, e, f. ^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) :

American Service ....

V. Holcombe Ward (America) : American Service .

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

vi<a:, b, and c. "^Norman E. Brookes (Australia) : Reverse American Service . . . .

VII. H. A. Parker (New Zealand) : Reverse American Service ......

„ 104 „ 106

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xix

CHAF.

X. (Doubles).

The Doubles Championship at Wimbledon, 1906 : The Dohertys v. S. H. Smith and F. L. Riseley ..... .Facing p. 134

From a Photograph by Messrs, Bowden Bros.

Mixed Doubles at Wimbledon : Miss Sutton as a

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

XII. (Tournament Control)

The Referee marking up Results at Les Avants,

Switzerland . . . . . „ 167

Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, fitted out with

Twenty Courts . . . . . „ 172

Plan of the All England Ground, Wimbledon,

arranged for the Championships . . On p. 176

The Scoring Board at the Championships, Wimbledon ...... Facing p. 180

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

XIV. (Construction of Courts)

Plan of the New Court at Queen's Club . . On p. 2i\

Cross Section of the New Court at Queen's Club . ,,216

XV. (Home Tournaments)

London Championship at Queen's Club, 1905 :

Beals Wright z/. N. E. Brookes . . Facing p. 224

From a Photograph by Messrs, Bowden Bros.

Finals of th6 Northern Championships at Manchester, 1907 ...... 232

From a Photograph by Half-tones Ltd.

XVI. (Davis Cup)

The Dohertys in America, 1902 (Group taken at

Nahant, near Boston, soon after arrival) . „ 248

Ten Thousand Spectators watching the Dohertys play Davis and Ward in the International Doubles at the Crescent Athletic Club, New York, August 8, 1902 . . . . „ 254

From a Photograph by Mr. Burr Mchitosh

XX THE COMPLETE LAWN TENNIS PLAYER

CHAP. <

XVII. (Davis Cup)

Davis Cup Challenge Round, Wimbledon, 1904 :

British and Belgium Teams . . . Facing p^ph^

The American Davis Cup Team, 1905 . . „ 270

From a Photograph by Messrs. J. Russell (&* Sons, Wimbledon

A Memorable International Double at Wimbledon, 1907: A. W. Gore and H. Roper Barrett (England) v. N. E. Brookes and A. F. Wilding (Australia) . . . . „ 284

From a Photograph by Messrs. Bowden Bros.

XVIII. (Round the Riviera)

The Beau Site Courts at Cannes . . . „ 290

The Lounge at the Nice Club-house . . „ 296

Final of the Mixed Doubles Championship at

The Illustrations marked with an asterisk are from action-photographs by Mr. G. W. Beldam.

Chapter I Enter Lawn Tennis!

A mysterious birth and a struggling infancy —Major Wingfield's conception of a court — The All England Club as foster-parent — A game of patience, or pitch and toss — Laws made at Wimbledon — The All England Club as autocrat — The story of the L.T.A.'s advent — Concerning the first championship and its winner — A stroke that evoked an uproar — "Passing by the Ladies" — Some recollections of Canon Hartley — The evolution of the racket — A stitch that took some time to find

THE career of lawn tennis is somewhat akin to that of a nameless foundling who, buffeted and burked in early life, achieves by dint of inherent virtues and a good constitution, fortune and world-wide celebrity. What its lineage was, who were its progenitors, how it survived the manifold struggles of its youth, are mysteries which no man has convincingly solved. That the game had a less strenuous existence in another age and in another form there Is some evidence to suppose. Somersetshire men, in a square green court, we are told,^ before Queen Elizabeth's wliidows, ''did hang up lines, squaring out the form of a tennis court, and making

^ Badminton volume.

a cross line in the middle " ; and in this square with handball, bord and cord played *'to the great liking of Her Highness." As far back as the end of the eighteenth century ** field tennis" is mentioned as a dangerous rival even to cricket, and when the late Queen came to the throne a pastime described as

"long tennis" was in

M^ ttt o

21feet

DiqQv^m of Major Wmjffeld^ Orjgmal Courtexistence. Nor is it less certain that a game, called la longue paume, the object of which was to strike a cork ball over a bank of mud, had some vogue in France several centuries ago, or that in Russia, of more recent date, a game similar in principle to modern lawn tennis was practised.

By many people, as Mr. C. G. Heathcote observes, lawn tennis was assumed to have sprung ''like Minerva from the head of Jove, fully grown and equipped with the newest pattern of racket and the last championship ball in or about the year 1874." This is probably only a convenient modern legend, but there is some excuse for its circulation in that at a Christmas party in 1873 one, Major Wingfield, introduced into a country house at Nantclwyd, a game called Sphairistike, which, though probably a lineal descendant of a former pastime, was sufficiently novel to excite interest and attract votaries. The Major s conception of a playing area, first marked out with tape and pegged with hair-pins, does not bear much resemblance to the present court. It was shaped like an hour-glass ; that is to say, the width of the court at its base was more than the width at the net, which was no less than 5 feet high at the posts and only 4 inches lower in the centre. On one side the court had a line at an undefined distance from the net, which was bisected by a centre line running parallel to the side lines. On the other side of the net, however, there were no dividing lines, but only a little diamond-shaped compartment in which the server stood to project the light india-rubber ball over the net. Racket scoring was adopted. The first disciples of this gentle pastime appear to have much appreciated the fun, some indeed even contemplating its pursuit on ice ! ^ But Sphairistike, with its ungainly name (shortened by the scornful to ** Sticky ") and its hour-glass court did not long survive in its original form. It retired in favour of a more practical pastime founded on its principles. Once wrought into acceptable shape this pastime was to make itself known in almost every civilised land and ultimately to become the only really cosmopolitan game in existence.

The history of lawn tennis may be said to have

been written on the courts of the All England Club

at Wimbledon. To this famous battle-ground,

•hallowed by thirty-one championship meetings, have

^ Badminton volume.

come the skilled warriors of all nations. Round its centre court, the classic arena in which every champion from William Renshaw to Norman Brookes has won the blue riband of the lawn, thousands have watched and cheered the prowess of international heroes. An enduring monument to the progress and evolution of lawn tennis, the club has survived all changes in the laws as well as in the methods of the game. It has stood the test of adversity ; in prosperity it has been prudent. Its fabric has proved invulnerable alike to the open assault of the builder and to the more insidious sapping of the detractor. Its exchequer has withstood all the vicissitudes of fortune through which the championships have passed and is now replenished by the profits of recent gala years. Attracting Society to its tournaments, it has entertained Royalty and received the personal patronage of the Prince of Wales, its first president and the donor of one of its chief trophies. The Mecca of all lovers and students of lawn tennis, Wimbledon has been both the centre of its universe and its most potent educational force.

I have said that the history of lawn tennis has been inscribed on the courts of Wimbledon. If the members of this club did not actually create the game they at least nourished and protected it in early infancy, guided its footsteps in youth and brought it to a maturity which has developed and actualised its possibilities in strokes and in tactics as well as in general organisation. And though twenty years ago the legislative government of lawn tennis passed into the hands of a National Association — not without some heartburning on the part of its former guardians: — I do not think anyone will deny that, practically speaking, the All England Club was its foster-parent.

Yet lawn tennis was not the first child of the All England Club. It had another, upon which the younger, to advance its own ends, may be said to have committed fratricide. The name of this first child was Croquet, and as the All England Croquet Club the leading institution connected with lawn tennis first drew breath. That was in the winter of 1869, when the promoters^ secured the present site off the Worple Road, Wimbledon, on a lease of seven years and at a rental of ^120 per annum, plus a proportion of club subscriptions and gate money. It may be mentioned, in view of the world-wide celebrity this ground was subsequently to achieve, that several other districts were proposed and considered, including the Crystal Palace, the Toxophillte Society's ground, a site adjoining the old Prince's Racquet Club and the ** fields between Holland House, Kensington, and Addison Road."^ The first croquet meeting held on the ground in 1871 does not seem to have caused a sensation, two commissionaires and one policeman being deemed adequate to control the crowd and the players. A year later efforts were made to purchase the ground,

^ The All England Croquet Club was actually conceived in the summer of 1868, the following being prominently associated with its formation :— Capt. R. F. Dalton, J. Hindo Hale, Rev. A. Law, Mr. S. H. C. Maddock, Mr. J. H. Walsh, Mr. W. J. V^hitmore, Mr. E. B. Michell, Rev. D. I. Heath, Rev. H. W. Miller Henry and Mr. Daniel Jones.