Hawthorn Tennis Club Inc

Club History

Hawthorn Tennis Club – A History – 1905 to 2005

The Hawthorn Tennis Club has just celebrated its 100th year and published a Centenary History to mark this milestone. The book starts by tracing the history of the Hawthorn Sports Grounds and then moves into a history of this Hawthorn based Club. The early chapter on the sports grounds will be of value to anyone who has an interest in the history of Hawthorn. If you would like to read about wide ranging topics such as what was the Hawthorn Goat Cup, concerts of over 8,000 people and the big celebration of Hawthorn’s Jubilee in 1910, then the book will interest you. Other topics include:

  • Information of the Clubs significant contribution to Hawthorn and indeed Australian tennis:
    • Charlie Hollis who played for Hawthorn in the 1930s coached Rod Laver. Charlie was a very significant figure in the development of Rod Laver from the age of 11. Rod Laver went on to win two Grand Slams. Charlie went on to coach Wally Masur and Mark Edmondson.
    • Davis Club players who played at Hawthorn.
    • Members who were Australian champions and even one Iris Open mens title
  • There are stories about the great characters of the club and how the Club developed. One great contributor to the Club was knighted for his contribution to the Arts – Sir William Dargie.
  • Not just about tennis playing, it covers topics as varied as
    • Cows on tennis courts
    • Members winning gold medals at the Commonwealth Games
    • Winning gold medals at the Olympic games
    • Appeals to Council to allow Sunday play.
  • It describes the notable difference between the Club and others with its formal recognition of the role of women. Women were on the Club’s first Committee in 1905, three years before women were allowed to vote in Victoria and decades before most of the bigger name tennis clubs.

The 250 page book is filled with several hundred photographs with over 50 pages in colour. It is a unique and very detailed history of a Club and is selling for $20.