by James Zug
In mid-December 2021, the Racquet & Tennis Club hosted the twentieth-fourth annual United States Court Tennis Association dinner and auction during the traditional Whitney Cup weekend. One hundred and eighty-four people came to the dinner.
The evening, chaired most ably by Ted Goneos, began with a splendid cocktail hour in the main lounge of the club’s second floor. Especially because of the pandemic, it was a reunion of sorts, with old friends gathering from every club in the U.S. and a half dozen overseas.
As usual, there were a wonderful panoply of silent auction items: a photograph of the East Court at Queens by Freddy Adam; a photograph of a trinquets court by Charles Johnstone; mixed medium artwork by Bill Sullivan; a number of books including a French version of the new history of the Paris court; and a hand-colored lithograph of Lord’s. The most bids (fourteen) were received for the 1993 and 1994 World Championship tournament posters.
For dinner in the south lounge, Peter Pell, the Whitney Cup tournament chair, welcomed everyone to New York for the eighty-seventh Payne Whitney Memorial Intercity Tennis Doubles Cup. As is tradition, he read out the names of the first-time Whitney Cup players, nine players, a number that exceeded anything the Whitney Cup had experienced before: George Wheatley for Greentree; Charlie Hurstel and Anderson Good for Washington; Alex Daigh and Patrick Maxwell for New York; Pete Dickinson for New England; and Freddie Bristowe, Saby Bose and Mike Gorsen for Philadelphia.
The dinner in the south lounge featured smoked salmon, grilled filet mignon with cabernet sauce, julienned mixed vegetables and chocolate cake for dessert.
Mary Livingston, the president of the USCTA, asked for a moment of silence in honor of all the members of the Association who had died since the last annual dinner: Dickey Boardman (Aiken), Bill Broadbent (New York), Temple Grassi (Washington), Otto McGowan (Philadelphia), Harry McVicker (Tuxedo) and Pam Post (Philadelphia).
Livingston welcomed many of the honored guests at the dinner, including a large cohort of professionals: Tim Chisholm, Barney Tanfield, Adrian Kemp, Josh Dodgson, Steve Virgona, Leon Smart, Tony Hollins, Robbie Whitehouse and Mimi Davis, the visiting racquets fellow. She also thanked the former USCTA presidents in the room—Charlie Johnstone, Bill McLaughlin, Greg Van Schaack, Jeremy Wintersteen and Jim Zug.
A special moment was held at the start of dinner, when Bill McLaughlin and Haven Pell, representing the U.S. Court Tennis Preservation Foundation, gave out the second Foundation Award posthumously to Temple Grassi. “A zealous promoter of the game,” according to Pell, Grassi was famous for his lobs when trying to beat a short chase and always saying “just make the effort” for flagging friends on and off the court. He noted that the evening was on what would have been Grassi’s seventy-fifth birthday. Melissa Grassi Purcell, Temple’s daughter, graciously accepted the award on behalf of the family.
During dinner, Livingston announced the winners of the Association’s annual awards. She gave the 2021 Edward J. Hughes & John E. Slater Award, the highest annual award of the Association, to Dan Laukitis. A player and leader in Tuxedo and New York, Laikitis has served on the board of the Association since 2007; chaired the scheduling committee for seven years and the nominating committee for five years; presently serves as vice president, and played a key role in the reorganization of the Association’s governance.
The 2021 winner of the George Plimpton Prize for artistic excellence was Ryan Carey. A longtime leader in Washington, Carey has created many tournament posters and tennis logos, including the USCTA’s logo and is the indefatigable person behind the streaming of major tennis tournaments around the country.
John Lumley was the winner of the 2019 Professional of the Year Award. Based in Philadelphia, Lumley has been a longtime leader in the Player Development Program, the joint Association and Preservation Foundation project which focuses on developing future tennis champions. He had coached the St. Joseph’s Prep squash team in court tennis for the past five seasons and has mentored Bathurst and Van Alen Clothier players. In addition, last month Lumley won the British Open.
Livingston gave the 2021 H. Dickson S. Boenning Award for sportsmanship to John Motz. From Washington Motz is a longtime, avid player always noted for his courtesy, fair play and fellowship on and off the court.
The 2021 Grassi Family Junior of the Year Award was given to Freddie Bristowe. Playing in Philadelphia while attending Penn, Bristowe has become the top U.S. amateur in the game, as evidenced by his win in November in the Silver Racquet.
Livingston gave the Robert M. Goodyear Award to Ellie Grassi. A generous host, Grassi has been a wonderful exemplar of court tennis’ signature welcoming style. “For decades, Ellie has hosted players and events in Washington,” Livingston said.
The 2021 Most Improved Player Award went to Victoria Scott. Playing at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Scott first started the game in February. She recorded forty-two singles matches and eighty-one doubles matches in the next ten months. Her handicap went from a 70 to a 54.
The 2019 Most Improved Junior Player Award went to Theo Yannuzzi. Based in Tuxedo, Yannuzzi dropped from a 52 to a 38. He recorded forty-two matches during the year.
At the conclusion of the annual awards, Brook Hazelton served as auctioneer for the Association’s auction. Outstanding lots included a Harlan wine lot; a weekend at the Black Point Inn in Maine; a week in a flat in London; a weekend in Northeast Harbor; and golf at Maidstone, Shoreacres, the Creek and The Country Club. In addition, Lot 12 was the paddle raise for the USCTA’s national sponsorship program for professionals.
Because of Hazelton’s professional abilities and the exceptional quality of the lots, the auctions raised more than $66,000
The evening ended with the induction of Samuel P. Howe, III and Ralph E. Howe into the International Court Tennis Hall of Fame. The two brothers, now in their early eighties, spoke of their more than half century in the game. Sam talked about first learning of the game as a child at Merion Cricket Club where the legendary tennis pro Jimmy Dunn would spend the summer. Ralph spoke about his first time out on the court at Greentree in 1971, with Jack Hickey marking and how he lost 6-0, 6-0.
The induction of the Howe brothers means the Hall of Fame now has thirty-six members.
Photos by Marco Calderon
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The USCTPF awarded the Foundation Bowl posthumously to Temple Grassi for his extraordinary leadership and generosity in the development of court tennis in the United States.
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Hall of Fame inductees Sam and Ralph Howe
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Sam Howe
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USCTA Treasurer Ken Forton and Dinner Chairman Ted Goneos
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USCTA Auctioneer Brook Hazelton
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2021 Grassi Family Junior of the Year Award Winner - Freddie Bristowe
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Rob Whitehouse accepting the Professional of the Year Award for John Lumley and the Most Improved Player award for Victoria Scott
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2021 H. Dickson S. Boenning Award - John Motz
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Edward J. Hughes & John E. Slater Award Winner Dan Laukitis
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2021 George Plimpton Award Winner - Ryan Carey
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USCTA President Mary Livingston and Melissa Grassi Purcell accepting the Robert M. Goodyear Award on behalf of winner Ellie Grassi
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Walter Deane places a auction bid.
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The USCTPF awarded the Foundation Bowl posthumously to Temple Grassi for his extraordinary leadership and generosity in the development of court tennis in the United States.
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USCTA President Mary Livingston adresses the audience.
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Peter Vogt, Steve and Dru Hufford
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Cocktails before dinner.
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Phoebe Livingston, Amy Wintersteen and Suzy Schwartz
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Robert Bryan, Julie Jensen Bryan and Melissa Grassi Purcell
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Former USCTA President Jeremy Wintersteen and Dinner Chairman Ted Goneos
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USCTA President Mary Livingston
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Peter Pell
