Society’s inaugural croquet event recalls bygone era

Meadville folks wield mallets, raise money

The Meadville Tribune

MEADVILLE, Pa. — Sunday afternoon and the buzz of conversation in the garden, the rustle of tweed, the gentle thwack of mallet striking ball: croquet season in Meadville.

And for those who couldn’t sense the intensity of competitive lawn sports in the air, a leisurely stroll past the mansions of Terrace Street quickly revealed it. The scene resembled a historical postcard from the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club come to life in Tool City: ladies with parasols, gentlemen with suspenders and knickers, all of them wielding mallets beneath the shady trees.

If you were not aware that the last Sunday in July is the day Meadville turns back the fashion clock and pauses to play croquet, you could be forgiven this time — but mark your calendars for next year, says Crawford County Historical Society President Josh Sherretts, as the success of the Inaugural Eleanor Davies Croquet Classic and Garden Party means that plans are already in the works for the second annual version of the event on July 28, 2019.

“To us it’s a success when big sponsors tell you to just count us in for next year,” Mr. Sherretts said as the garden party that followed the championship match beganto wind down.

“This will be the biggest fundraiserof the year put on by the Historical Society,” said Mr. Sherretts, who was quick to note that the more familiar Trees of Christmas event held at the BaldwinReynolds House Museum is organized by the Meadville Garden Club.

The good-natured competition featured 26 teams of three membersplaying on 13 half-size croquet courts spread out over the carefullygroomed lawns of six Terrace Street mansions. After several hours of “league play” in which teams played three matches, the top two finishers faced off in the featuredmatchalongsidetheBaldwinHouse’s front-yard pond.Briefshowersdampenedthe court, adding to the challenging components of a playing surface that fell somewhat outside the range of flatness called for by officialcroquet regulations.

“It was a close one,” said Kevin Parsons,who played on the CrawfordCounty Convention and Visitors Bureau team that vanquished the team representing Hagan Business Machines of Meadville. “Hagan’s put up a good fight, but they didn’t know whothey were messing with.”

The finale drew spectators from around the garden and, according to Mr. Parsons, even featured some of the trash talking that has been associated with croquet since the Queen of Hearts repeatedly proclaimed “Off with their heads!” in “Alice