National Championships

The 1941 Finalists, Holbrook (Hobey) Hyde and Leland (Lee) Wiley from Hartford GC, CT, capture the Men’s over the 1940 winners from Manursing, Witherbee Black and Paul Hicks. The steady play of the winners and their lobbing skill finally offset the speed of Hicks and the reliable play of Black. Hicks won the Mixed with Madeline Price and FMTC teams again dominated the Women’s with Madge Beck and Marie Walker adding a fifth consecutive title – a record that still stands.

It was in the semifinals of that same tournament that Sidney B. Wood (former Wimbledon tennis champion) and Kenneth Ward beat the lobbing game of Sutter and Maguire, the defending champions, by Sid’s hard-driving and Ward’s deceptive chops. This was a match in which the offense of the winning team overcame the largely defensive play of the losers. Perhaps they were inspired by a remark that Sid made to Ken before the match. Sid and Cliff Sutter had been tennis rivals for many years. “Cliff has never beaten me yet,” said Sid, “and damned if he is going to now.” Sid turned out to be a good forecaster.

Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

Historical Factoid: A native of New Orleans, Clifford Sutter was a superb tennis player, winning the NCAA singles championships for Tulane University in 1930 and 1932. He was undefeated in United States Davis Cup play (1931-33; 3-0 in singles), and was ranked No. 5 in the world in 1932.