WWII hostilities cease – Sept. 1945

The Barnes Sisters, Lucie Bel and Sally

The young tennis stars of Fox Meadow's post-war years included three teenage girls, Anne Wofford and the Barnes sisters, Lucie Bel and Sally. Anne Wofford placed first in the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association (ELTA) Junior Girls' Singles rankings in 1947 and won the Anita Lucas Trophy. The next year belonged to the Barnes girls, who won the Eastern Open Doubles championship, the Ardsley Invitational Junior Doubles, and the New York State Doubles. Sally also took the Ardsley Singles championship, winning the Anita Lucas Trophy. To cap her 1948 triumphs, Sally Barnes recovered from a disastrous first set to win the New York State Junior Girls' tournament 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. That year she ranked second in the 15-18 division of ELTA, and sister Lucie Bel ranked fourth. When the FMTC Women's Singles championships were instituted in 1948, it was the younger generation who dominated. For fo[...]

National Championships

There is no record of a Mixed event being held and there was no Women’s event. The Men’s was one of the longest finals on record – 67 games – with Kip Couch and Charlie O’Hearn finally prevailing over John Moses and Rawle Deland. Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

John A. Stephenson elected APTA President (1948-1949)

John Stephenson, a member at the Manursing Island Club, Rye, NY, served as Vice President of the APTA from 1941 to 1946, and as its President from 1948-49. An avid player and tough competitor, he won many local tournaments, and was very active in promoting paddle at the Manursing Island Club, and organized some of the first night play under lights. He was a leader in organizing the annual Westchester-New Jersey inter-team matches held in Englewood, NJ, and participated actively in exhibition matches to help promote the game.

Long-range plan for courts developed

In 1948, when there were seven courts, Killy Kilmarx prepared a long-range plan for moving and refurbishing these courts and adding two others. Source: Diana Reische, Fox Meadow Tennis Club - The First Hundred Years, 1983

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes 1947

Will J. Price elected APTA President (1949-1950)

National Championships

The Hebard era had begun. Dick Hebard and Fred Walker won their first title, defeating the previous year’s winners, Kip Couch and Charlie O’Hearn. The Women’s Championship was reinstated after a hiatus of six years and Madeline Beck resumed winning. She had won the last five events (1938-1942) with Marie Walker and now won with her sister Maizie Moore. The Mixed was won by the husband and wife team, Ronald and Elfi Carroll, a portent of things to come. Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

W. Putnam Livingston elected FMTC President (1949-1950)

Livingston (1905-1987) grew up in CT and ME and attended Williams College. He retired from Bankers Trust as a vice president after a long career where he focused on using technology to improve efficiency and customer services. He was recognized as a leader in this field. He retired to NH where he died after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes 1948