Five California tennis stars took over the exhibition court and gave expert performances before an enthusiastic gallery.
The Village recreational department was instrumental in bringing Edward Moylan, Clarence Carter, Helen Pastall, Louise Snow and Beverly Baker, all of whom held honored places in the tennis world, to the club.
While the Club had employed tennis pros off and on since 1931, most taught only a day or two a week and remained at the Club a short while before moving on. The pattern changed when Robert Stubbs arrived to teach daily in May and June of 1947, during Charlie O’Hearn’s presidency.
One of the nation’s leading clay court players, Stubbs won the U.S. Professional Lawn Tennis Association Singles title in 1947 and 1948, and with partner Mitch Gornto he won the Doubles title in 1953 and 1954, the second year against Bobby Riggs and Frank Kovacks. He played the pro tour with Donald Budge and Pancho Segura.
Stubbs’ lessons were so popular that one of the Club’s five existing courts was being taken over, and the need for an extra court became urgent. When the original paddle courts on the Club’s Church Street property finally were torn down, a new clay practice court and backstop were built there in 1953.
In his nine years as FMTC pro, Bob Stubbs greatly improved the caliber of tennis at the Club and sharpened the skills of a generation of Club youngsters. His particular strength was an ability to improve and inspire young players and hone their game to a fine competitive edge.
Source: Diana Reische, Fox Meadow Tennis Club-The First Hundred Years, 1983
In 1947, sixty-four teams entered the Parent-Child tournament, with Charlie O’Hearn and his son Michael defeating Lamar Fearing and his son John to take the crown. The newspaper reported on the event that children come in all sizes, from pint-size to towering specimens and that referring to the latter as “children” somehow didn’t seem right.
Source: Diana Reische, Fox Meadow Tennis Club – The First Hundred Years, 1983
Charley O’Hearn (1901-2001) turned down an offer to be the Red Sox’s GM. Both FMTC and paddle benefitted from this decision.
Charles O’Hearn dominated the game from 1935 through to 1950 and won ten National Championships—four times in Men’s, five times in Mixed, partnering with his wife Ginnie for four of them, and the last Singles Championship. When he moved to New Haven, CT, in 1951, his involvement in the game declined, although he remained an excellent player.
His son Michael O’Hearn was also an active FMTC member and a Club and National Champion.
As in 1946 the Women’s was again not played.
The Fox Meadow team of Moses and Grout overcame the 1942 and 1944 champions Hyde and Wiley from Hartford, CT.
The New Jersey husband and wife team Elwood and Sarah Cooke easily won the Mixed over a Fox Meadow team.
Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959
Historical Factoid: At the time Moses was 23 and became the youngest player in the history of the game to win a National championship; he was the recipient of the APTA Honor Award in 1976.
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