William J. Moore Tennis Center

Historic Cape May Tennis Club

“Recollections”

by Robert C. Alexander (1912-1988)

 

Our History

         The William J. Moore Tennis Center is located on Washington Street

in Cape May, New Jersey, amid the surroundings of a fine old estate

with its large shade trees, hedges, lawn and garden once owned by Dr.

Emlen Physick.

         The location was selected from several places under consideration in

the autumn of 1961 by Mr. Thomas W. Harris, Jr., who thought there

was a need for a tennis center in the seashore resort.

In December of that year, nearly one and three quarter acres of

ground in the estate were given to the City of Cape May by Mr. & Mrs.

Thomas W. Harris, Jr., Dr. & Mrs. Sidney Newcomer and Mr. Robert C.

Alexander, with the stipulation that the land must be used for tennis and

related activities.

         In 1962, in the middle of April, construction of tennis courts and

renovation of buildings at the center were begun under Mr. Harris’s

supervision. The work was financed entirely by private contributions.

In May, the Cape May Tennis Club was organized and incorporated

for the purpose of leasing, operating and maintaining the city-owned

center as public tennis courts. A twenty-year lease was obtained from the

city by the Club.

         The court next to Washington Street, the first one to be completed,

was ready for play by the second week of June 1962.

In the summer of 1962, the new tennis center consisted of five tennis

courts built of local clay; the frame “Pro-Shop” moved from the old

courts on Lafayette Street; a one-story frame tool house which was

converted into a shower and lavatory facility; a small two-story red-brick

building erected in 1895, said to have been the gardener’s potting house,

remodeled for a clubhouse; and a driveway and parking area.

An unusual feature at the center was the arrangement of four of the

tennis courts in pairs. Each pair was surrounded by tall, private hedges in

what had once been a part of the garden of the estate. The hedges

provided protection from the wind and glare of the seashore, and the

courts in pairs limited the number of players walking behind and across

the courts or retrieving errant tennis balls.

         Mr. William J. Moore, known as “William” by his many tennis

friends, was put in charge of building the courts. He had been a tennis

pro and manager of the clay courts at the Cape May Golf Club on

Lafayette Street for nearly half a century. After that golf club failed, he

had leased and operated the courts there himself on a year to year basis.

This summer, 1962, William was in the “Pro-Shop” at the new tennis

center having been hired as pro and manager. He was assisted by his son

“Ossie”, who replaced him as pro and manager when he retired at 94