NAHANT — Tennis historians from around the country gathered at Nahant Country Club on Friday afternoon to visit the birthplace of the first-ever match played in the United States.
The visitors were members of the Tennis Collectors of America, a volunteer organization composed of approximately 100 people from a total of eight different states. President Mike Eden, from Kentucky, said the group’s main purpose is to promote the history of tennis. On their way to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI, the club decided to pay its first visit to Nahant.
In 1874, Dr. James Dwight and Richard Sears played the first match of lawn tennis in American history, squaring off with wooden rackets. One year later, the Nahant Invitational began its two-decade run, during which six players competed in a tournament at the Nahant club. In July, the country club organized a special tournament to celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary of the inaugural game.
“With Sears and Dwight having their summer homes here and playing, that’s why we’re here,” Eden said.
A presentation was given on the historic matchup between Dwight and Sears by Nahant Tennnis board president Andrea Gogolos, Board of Selectmen Chair Josh Antrim, and Nahant Historical Society Executive Director Julie Tarmy.
Antrim presented the visitors with a resolution from the Massachusetts General Court, which recognizes the town for being the location for the game’s domestic conception.
Gogolos admitted that she had not heard of the group prior to their interest in visiting Nahant, but hopes to stay connected with them moving forward.
“What’s interesting about this group is that they’re collectors and authors on different things about tennis,” Gogolos said.
Eden said the 19th century “tilt racket,” which was used in the era of Dwight and Sears, is currently the most sought-after piece of memorabilia by him and his fellow collectors.
