CAPE TOUR

During and just after the 2^nd World War, five old fellows used to play together every Saturday afternoon at the Port Elizabeth Lawn Tennis Club – Chester Turner, Bill Tough, Cecil Henderson, Edgar Williams and Andrew Gray.

Socializing after a drink during the AGM of the South African Lawn Tennis Association in Johannesburg, our President Marchant Davies made mention that these old chaps, all in their 60’s, played every week and how well they played. Immediately Brigadier Johnny Daniel said he was in a similar group in Cape Town, and challenged our chaps to a match.

This challenge evolved into a twice a year contest, home and away. After several keenly contested matches, there emerged several unusual rules which were to become the hallmark of these matches. Each match consisted of only two short sets with a tiebreaker at 5 all. You played to win, changed partners for every match, and the results were carefully posted. Regardless of which side won an overall match, no mention was made of the result, and in post-match celebration, the result was declared an “honourable draw”!

These matches are as keenly contested today as they were in the 1950’s. One has to be 50 to be eligible, although a few of us have slipped in during our 40’s because we looked like 50. 70 is generally regarded as retirement age, but a few have returned for a 2^nd and 3^rd farewell tour. The incumbent 12 tourers get first dibs for the following year.

Each year we are hosted by the Tennis Clubs of Strand, Kelvin Grove, Constantia, Pinelands and WPCC with the five matches starting each day at 2pm. The year 2000 marked the 50^th anniversary of the inaugural challenge, and in 2010, 60 years of touring was celebrated. 2020, our 70th year, was cancelled due to the Covid Pandemic. So 2021 was celebrated as our 70th year on tour.

It is a truly magnificent and unique achievement!

2023 at Pinelands - Mike Bladen, Jeremy Drake, Mike Border, Bomber Kent, Viv Loest, Pat Hornby, Murray Wrench, Graham Howell, Roy Stephenson, Roger Walsh, Tiaan Joubert, Gavin Hogg

2023 with Pinelands - Jean-Marc Ithier, Craig Robertson, Roy Stephenson, Jeremy Drake, Mike Bladen, Viv Loest, Bomber Kent, Nick Kulenkamph, Graham Howell, Maroi Calvert, Mike Border, Marc Pelteret, Tiaan Joubert, Gavin Hogg, Pat Hornby, Rory Bosman, Murray Wrench, Alistair Wylie, Graham Bransby, Steve Potter

Front - Brian Addison, Roger Walsh

Absent - James Phillipson, Rudi Kimmie

2022 at Strand - Mike Bladen, Appels, Murray Wrench, Arista, Pat Grewar, Mike Fuller, Bomber Kent, Jeremy Drake, Donald Jackson, Viv Loest, Pat Hornby, Roger Walsh, Graham Howell, Ashley Hobson

2021 - (back) Dave Osborne, Donald Jackson, Mike Fuller, Bomber Kent, (middle) Ashley Hobson, Roy Stephenson, Danie Bouwer, Pat Hornby, Graham Howell, Murray Wrench, (front) Anton Bruwer, Mike Bladen

2021 - (back) Dave Osborne, Donald Jackson, Anton Bruwer, Bomber Kent, (middle) Craig Robertson, Sydney Fryer, Mario Calvert, Ashley Hobson, Mike Fuller, Graham Howell, Bob Low, (front) Alistair Wylie, Graham Bransby, Roy Stephenson, Danie Bouwer, Brian Addison, Charles Dearham, Pat Hornby, (ground) Norman McCarthy, James Phillipson, Brett Roach, Rory Bosman, Mike Bladen, Murray Wrench

2019 - (back) Mike Fuller, Murray Wrench, Dave Osborne, (middle) Mike Bladen, Graham Howell, Pat Hornby, Donald Jackson, (front) Bomber Kent, Ashley Hobson, Pat Grewar, Danie Bouwer, Tony van Zyl (Absent Brian Glanvill)

2019 with Pinelands - ( back) Mike Fuller, Murray Wrench, Graham Howell, Mario Calvert, Dave Osborne, (middle) Bob Low, Jumpy Wilmot, Mike Bladen, Alastair Wylie, Rory Bosman, Tony van Zyl, Greg du Preez, Nick Kulenkampff, Kevin Dimech, Norman McCarthy, Donald Jackson, Peter de Beer, (seated) Bomber Kent, Ashley Hobson, Pat Grewar, Brian Addison, Danie Bouwer, (front) Ivan Bridges, Sydney Fryer, Pat Hornby, Mike Shergold-Smith, Charles Dearham

2017 - (back) Brian Glanvill, Pat Hornby, Murray Wrench, Bomber Kent, (middle) Keith Murcott, Mike Bladen, Andrew McLean, Graham Howell, (front) Ashley Hobson, Pat Grewar, Arhur Short, Pete Ellis

2017 with WPCC - Pete Ellis, Graham Howell, Ashley Hobson, Arthur Short, Mike Bladen, Andrew McLean, Pat Hornby, Murray Wrench, Tim Southey, Pat Grewar, Bomber Kent, Rusty Clements, Paul Offerman, Ron Langdon, ?, Pierre Joubert, John van der Spuy, Scotch Gibb

2015 with Pinelands - (back) Ian Hill, Graham Bransby, Brian Addison, Peter de Boer, Geoff Hatt, Jumpy Wilmot, Tony Butt, Norman McCarthey, (middle) Mike Shergold-Smith, Dick Barnes, Bomber Kent, Murray Wrench, Patt Grewar, Ashley Hobson, Pete Ellis, Neville Balfour, (seated) Kevin Dimech, Arthur Short, Hein Sevenster, (front) Graham Howell, Charles Dearham, Alastair Wylie, Mike Bladen, Pat Hornby, Andrew McLean, Neville Eden, Bob Low

2014 with Pinelands - (back) Arthur Short, Dave Emslie, Bomber Kent, Murray Wrench, Jumpy Wilmot, Brian Glanvill, Geoff Hatt, Gary Loader, Alastair Wiley, Brett Roach, Bokkie du Plessis, Ian Pattinson, James Phillipson, Dick Barnes, Norman McCarthey, Peter de Boer, Ian Hill, (front) Mike Shergold-Smith, Charles Dearham, Donald Jackson, Brian Addison, Mike Bladen, Pat Hornby, Kevin Dimech

2013 - (back) Brian Glanvill, Mike Godlonton, Dave Emslie, Tony Wildman, Roy Stephenson, Mike Duxbury, (front) Arthur Short, Mike Bladen, Wally Wessels, Bomber Kent, Danie Bouwer, Hugh Collett

2012 - (back) Danie Bouwer, Tony Wildman, Arthur Short, Bomber Kent, Pete Ellis, Ward Hobson, Mike Bladen,
(front) Rod Schulze, Isaac Cronje, Keith Murcott, Ronnie Hill, Billy Kehl

2011 - (back) Anthony de la Harpe, Bomber Kent, Tony Wildman, Pete Ellis, Mike Bladen, Rod Schulze,
(front) Danie Bouwer, Mike Sherran, Brian Philip, Pat Hornby, Isaac Cronje, Ronnie Hill

2010 - (back) Bomber Kent, Mike Bladen, Pete Ellis, Rod Schulze, Ward Hobson, Anthony de la Harpe, Brian Glanvill,
(front)Tony Wildman, Ronnie Hill, Pat Hornby, Mike Sherran, Brian Philip

2009 - (back) Gary Loader, Georgie, Pete Ellis, Mike Bladen, Bomber Kent, Ward Hobson, Rod Schulze,
(front) Tony Wildman, mike Sherran, James Luscombe, Chippie Biggs, Danie Bouwer, Ronnie Hill

2008 - (back) Brian Philip, Bomber Kent, Gary Loader, Anthony de la Harpe, Mike Bladen, Rod Schulze,
(front) Ward Hobson, Danie Bouwer, Chippie Biggs, Ronnie Hill, Noel Harvey, Mike Sherran

1984 - (back) Donny Durham, Roger Richardson, Gert Buys, Philip Wessels, Brian Meehan
(front) Pat Grewar, Jack Berman, Niel Bouwer, Gerald Harvey, Paul Morgan-Smith

1979 with Pinelands

1968 with WP – (back) Joe Jones (WP), Bob Baker (WP), Bossie Bekker (WP), Seymour Pearson (WP), Brig Johnny Daniel (Manager WP), Tiger Boast (EP), Jack Galpin (EP), Willard Coltman (EP), Fred Millier (WP), Ron Andrew (EP), (front) Jack Large (EP), Dudley Morris (WP), Gerald Harvey (EP), Rev Vossie Becker (WP), Charlie Freeman (WP), Billy Muller (WP), Herbie Jones (EP)

1950 - First team from PE Tennis Club to tour Cape Town – Cecil Henderson, Andrew Gray, Chester Turner, Edgar Williams, Bill Tough