What about tennis club’s contribution?
I WAS away and have only just read The Herald 170th anniversary supplement. I am a past president of the Port Elizabeth Lawn Tennis Club (PELTC) and was most surprised that the club was not mentioned in Alvin Reeves’s article.
This club is the oldest active tennis club in the country and its No 1 court is a heritage site! it was formed in 1879 and in the early days the South African championships were played on the courts, before moving later to Jo’burg. Major tournaments were later played at the Davies Stadium, Humewood.
Jean Coulter, a past president, has written a book on the 100-year history of the club, which happens to be in the Wimbledon librar y.
At the same time that Graeme and Peter Pollock were playing for Eastern Province, another Grey boy was arriving on the scene and later played tennis for South Africa, Cliff Drysdale. Other Port Elizabeth sportspersons from the club to represent South Africa were Owen Williams and Greta Delport!
This club is still active in tennis today, and is used for junior and senior tournaments as well as wheelchair tennis .
The Port Elizabeth cricket, rugby and bowls clubs were mentioned in the supplement article, but not tennis. I understand tennis is not a high-profile sport, but if Chippa United can get a mention after all the mess it is in, then why not the tennis club?
R A Hill, Port Elizabeth
GAME, set and match, Mr Hill. Many thanks for pointing out the omission. It was not intended and we regret not including the tennis club’s history. -- The Herald sports editor Alvin Reeves