Tennis trophy returned in time for centenary

When Margaret McDonald, secretary of the Tetoora Road Community Centre, received a text from a complete stranger 539km away in Wagga Wagga, it’s safe to say she was a little surprised.

The message, from Wagga Wagga local Mick Bromham, had attached to it a photo of a tennis trophy won at the Tetoora Tennis Club in 1939 by an E. Clarke. Mr Bromham found the trophy buried in the mud around Lake Albert, and decided to get in contact with some locals to return it to its rightful home.

After some more messages back and forth, and a few weeks later, the cup has now been returned to the centre, looking much cleaner and shinier than when it was first discovered in the mud. How exactly the trophy, given for winning a men’s doubles competition, found its way to Wagga Wagga after over 70 years remains a mystery.

Reports of the Tetoora Club first appeared in March 1927, when a Mr Spong had a tennis court built on his property and called for all willing players to join him to form a club. An organising committee was then elected, with Mr Spong taking on the role of treasurer and a Mr Clark being the club’s president. Members of the Tetoora Road Community Centre have guessed that this is the same E. Clarke on the elusive trophy.

The club officially opened in April that year, with its colours being blue and gold.

The court itself was located in Lardners Track, about 1.5km from the current courts at the centre. Tetoora Road no longer has a tennis club, but the hall’s courts remain available for public use.

Like the trophy, the details or Mr Clarke have remained difficult to locate, as has the other trophy for the men’s doubles that year. Readers are highly encouraged to get in contact with the centre should they have any information or tips that may assist with this search and shine new light on the tennis club’s history.

The recently returned cup will be displayed quite prominently and with pride when the centre holds its centenary celebration this weekend.

The centenary celebrations will include a “back-to” and family fun day on October 15 and 16 between 1.30pm and 5.30pm on both days.

Above: Tennis day at the old Tetoora Road tennis court around 60 years ago. Seated on swing: Pat Mirams, Mary (Walker) Warren, Jessie (Mirams) Wade, Noel Pratt. Seated right: Bruce Pratt, Elvie (Parkinson) Pratt. Behind swing: Chris Hodge. Right: The trophy, all cleaned up and looking good as new, back in the scenic area of Baw Baw.