SJSRC Annual Wooden Racquet Tennis Social

Wooden Tennis Racquets

Each year, around the 4th of July and Wimbledon, SJSRC Director of Tennis Ken DeHart goes into his storage and pulls out a selection of wooden tennis racquets from his collection of over 2,000 old tennis racquets, gathers up some interesting books on the history of tennis, orders some white tennis balls from Wilson (yes, they still make them), buys some strawberries and crème (whipped cream) and puts out a call for all players to come dressed in white to play some tennis from the past.

Usually about 20-30 San Jose Swim & Racquet Club members show up beside court #4 with their wooden racquets or select from the racquets Ken brings for them to use and get ready for a visit to how tennis was played in the past. At first they are a little unsure if that white tennis ball will really fit on that wooden racquets strings. After a few hits and misses, they are ready to “let the games begin”.

Match play usually consists of a game with the first to with a prescribed number of games the winner. The winning team moves up one court and the non-winning team moves down a court – then they trade partners with the two new players on the court and go at it again.

There are lots of laughs and excuses but play becomes quite good after an hour or so. Sometimes we keep score and sometimes Ken makes up the scores. At the end of the day there is a raffle with more prizes than participants, strawberries, whipped cream as well as an American tradition – pizza and beer.

It’s a Wimbledon and San Jose Swim & Racquet Club tradition.

Photo Credits: sflovestory

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4th of july, dehart, history of tennis, interesting books, old tennis racquets, storage, strawberries, tennis balls, whipped cream, wimbledon

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News and Updates, SJSRC

Posted by Ken DeHart on September 23, 2009 in News and Updates, SJSRC. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.