Cincinnati Tennis Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cincinnati Tennis Club
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Entrance in 2023
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| Location | Dexter and Wold Avenues Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| NRHP reference No. | 83001979 |
| Added to NRHP | March 23, 1983 |
The Cincinnati Tennis Club is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the United States. It was started in 1880, just five years after the sport of tennis first came to America. Today, it's still a very active club!
Contents
The Club's Early Days
How it All Started
The idea for the club came from Stewart Shillito. He was the son of a famous department store owner in Cincinnati. Stewart saw tennis being played during a vacation in Rhode Island in 1878. He thought it looked fun, so he built a tennis court at his father's house in Cincinnati.
Soon, many of Stewart's friends became excited about tennis. By 1880, there was enough interest to start a club. On December 3, 1880, a meeting was held to create the Cincinnati Tennis Club. They chose Jeptha Garrand as their first President.
First Indoor Courts
Within a week, 86 people joined the new club! They even found a place to play indoors during the winter. They leased a part of Music Hall until May 1881. This made Cincinnati one of the first places in America to have indoor tennis. The club played there for two years, but then decided to move because the roof leaked.
Finding a Home
After the indoor courts, the club moved to a new outdoor spot. One of the club's officers, Howard S. Winslow, let them use land behind his house. They built three grass courts there. The city even named the nearby street "Tennis Lane" because of all the activity! That street still has the same name today.
The club moved a couple more times over the next 13 years. During this time, more people joined, and the club became very popular. They even hosted the Ohio State Adult Championship in 1891 and 1893. By 1898, the club wanted a more permanent home.
Two club members, John B. Keys and John Scarborough, owned land they wanted to develop. They both offered land to the club. John Scarborough offered the club its current location, letting them use it for free at first. He also agreed to build four courts and a clubhouse. In 1899, the club accepted Scarborough's offer. Keys' land was thought to be "too far out in the country."
Growing the Club
When the club opened at its new location, it had 186 members. They started with four courts. By 1904, three more courts were added. In 1925, three more courts were built, bringing the total to ten. The first clubhouse was replaced with the building you see today in 1906.
The Tri-State Tournament
A Famous Competition
From 1903 to 1968, the Cincinnati Tennis Club hosted a very popular event called the Tri-State Tennis Tournament. This tournament was a big deal! It brought many of the best male and female tennis players from all over the country and even the world to Cincinnati. It was one of the most important tennis events before the "Open Era" of tennis began.
In 1904, a local newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, said that the Tri-State Tournament was second only to the National Lawn Tennis Association Tournament in importance.
Tennis Legends Played Here
Many famous tennis players competed in this tournament. The list of winners includes true tennis legends like Bill Tilden, Bobby Riggs, Alice Marble, and Tony Trabert. These players are known for their amazing skills and achievements in tennis history.
The Tri-State Tournament eventually grew into what is now called the Cincinnati Open. This big tournament is now held in Mason, a suburb of Cincinnati. It's special because it's the oldest tennis tournament in the nation that is still played in its original city!
Famous Players from the Club
The Cincinnati Tennis Club has been home to many nationally ranked players.
- Nat Emerson was one of the first. He won the Tri-State Tournament in 1899 and was ranked No. 7 in Men's Singles in the U.S. in 1908.
- Reuben A. Holden Jr. won the NCAA Singles Championship in 1910 while at Yale University.
- Tony Trabert was another incredible player. He won the NCAA Singles title in 1951 while playing for the University of Cincinnati. Tony won the French Open singles twice (1954-55), and also Wimbledon and the U.S. singles in 1955. This made him one of only nine men in tennis history to win three of the four major titles in one year! He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970. Court 2 at the club is named in his honor.
- Bill Talbert was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 many times. He won nine Grand Slam doubles titles. He was also a successful Davis Cup player and captain. Bill was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1967.
- Both Tony Trabert and Bill Talbert were coached by Howard Zaeh, who helped many players succeed.
Hosting Big Events
Davis Cup Matches
The club has always brought world-class tennis to Cincinnati. In 1952, it hosted a Davis Cup tie. This was the first time a Davis Cup match was ever played in Cincinnati! These events helped make tennis more popular in the area.
National Father & Son Championships
Since 1974, the Cincinnati Tennis Club has hosted the United States Tennis Association's National Father & Son Clay Court Championships. This is a special tournament where fathers and sons team up to play tennis together.
Special Recognition
A Historic Place
The Cincinnati Tennis Club has been at its current location since 1899. Because of its important role in developing tennis in Cincinnati and the Ohio Valley, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1983. This means it's recognized as a place important to American history.
Important Members
Beyond great players, many distinguished citizens have been members of the club. These include:
- William Howard Taft, who was the 27th President of the United States and later a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
- Potter Stewart, who was also a Justice of the Supreme Court.
- Neil McElroy, who served as the Secretary of Defense and was the President of the Procter & Gamble Company.
Other members have been leaders in business, medicine, law, and education. J. Howard "Bumpy" Frazer, a member from 1993 to 1995, was the first person from Cincinnati to lead the USTA (United States Tennis Association). Another member, Alvin Bunis, started the first senior tour in tennis.
