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From: The Racketeer 42, July 2001

Lethal Spin [6]

by Frank Raistrick

The happy club?
There are many facets to a tennis club, but it is virtually impossible to have them all running smoothly together at once. The highest priority is to keep all members happy and contented - there you are - I've proved my point already!

Slightly lesser objectives are keeping the courts busy for club, social and match practices, plus having successful league teams. Well run tournaments, healthy finances, quality catering, plus fund and morale-building social activities such as jumble sales, raffles, parties, treasure hunts barbecues and regular low-key fun tournaments. This means hard but rewarding work and requires a keen committee.

I personally favour a benevolent dictatorship and glancing through the Notts Handbook, I was surprised to find from my personal knowledge how many clubs have just that - one person with a deep affection and loyalty to the club, and without whom the whole thing could collapse. The danger is, with human nature being what it is, that the dictatorship can easily become non-benevolent, so they need to be very special people, able to ride through the ever-present pin-pricks and criticisms.

Golden spell
All clubs have their ups and downs, and Mapperley Park had a golden spell in the late seventies, early eighties, when most of the above criteria were met. Despite the handicap of poor courts - two ancient, crumbling hard courts and two evil-bouncing grass ones, they were in great demand, the league teams were highly successful, particularly the Men's First.

There was the ultra fit Paul Levin, the classical Lee Lloyd, the keenly competitive Pat Darlaston, evergreen Robin Gibbons still executing his mad trademark forays to the net at Musters, despite his dodgy knees. There were short spells of brilliance from John Woodfine and John Church, and the onset of what should have been a much more effective career from the ebullient, erratic Chris Taylor - now a golfing father-of-three. And two young brothers named Lusis just moving on to the scene.

The Ladies were strong too, the indefatigable Shirley Darlaston covering the ground with easy anticipation, the powerful, ever-smiling teenager Lisa, scaring people at the net, fighters like Fiona Sansom. Kay Brindle, Shelagh Playford (now Mitchell) and Caroline Darlaston. Fleeting glances of Oona Campbell and our own County player, Rebecca Darlaston, Kate Ratcliffe and her daughter, Jane, with youngsters Sarah Connolly and Jane Barton making their first appearances. My first partner on joining was Pat Darlaston, His brisk footwork and brilliant overheads made him easy to fit in with, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. With our first two pairs, Paul Levin and our captain, the ill-fated Chris Rose, plus Robin Gibbons and John Woodfine virtually unbeatable we strolled the championship of our division.

Captain courageous
Soon after this I was very flattered when our unique Chairman, Robert Pullman, suggested me as Club captain, and fired by the general enthusiasm and buzz about the club, I accepted eagerly. I soon discovered that not all the duties were pleasurable. My brief included things I had never dreamt of.

One sunny weekend, with all four courts full, and people waiting, somebody told me that one four on the far court had started a second set - verboten! I was told that I must intervene, but I hesitated when I saw that one of the four was the Forest footballer, Justin Fashanu, there as a visitor. Built like a brick outhouse, and an ex-boxer - a clone for Frank Bruno, I had to go and show the million-pound man the red card. I am still waiting for the medal.

Then, during a close encounter between Lee Lloyd and Paul Levin on Finals Day, I was urged to go and inform Paul that he was foot-faulting. I chickened out of that one - nobody ever believes they are, anyway.

The worst job was trying to see that everyone had a fair share of good tennis, which affected my own playing pleasure, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time as Captain, and was sad when it came to an end.

Memories are flooding back, but they'll have to wait for another time.

Eye on the...
One bizarre memory which now seems hard to believe is that the men's Sunday morning sessions were considerably enhanced by the regular appearance of a nubile young lady at the bedroom window of a house on Mapperley Hall Drive overlooking our club-house. She would sit for some time watching us, clearly topless, causing a suspicious number of contrived deuces at the far end. If you think I'm fantasising, the next time you see Geoff Firmin, ask him - he once pointed out with undisguised relish that my flies were undone!

Mixed teams
Unavailability of the best men could cost the first team dear, and they need at least one win over strong opposition in Magdala [lost, 22 July, -ed.] and Woodthorpe A to avoid relegation. The second team's chances of another promotion were virtually wrecked by an horrendous 17-1 defeat by Magdala A in the death-trap of Division 4B.

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