I must admit, as little as I knew about baseball (which I admitted to when discussing
Wrigley and
Fenway) I knew even less about tennis. I knew there are cute skirts, that love means someone got zero points, that Wimbledon is a big deal, and I knew a few names: Gibson and Ashe of course, but only recently the Williams sisters, Agassi, and the chick with the Russian/Eastern European name that sounds like a fancy way of saying "Maury Povich". So when I first found out that the sport had a hall of fame right up the street from the mansions, I wasn't really that interested at first.
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| Rainy and soggy view of the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame |
But then I found out that because I am a member of the
American Alliance of Museums the normal $12 admission would be totally waived and I could get in for free! Right then I altered my itinerary and reduced the time I wanted to dedicate to each mansion so that I could spend at least 30 minutes there- I mean, how big/interesting/exciting could it be, right? And if it's free, I at least wanted to show my face and utilize the privileges of AAM membership.
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| I mean, she looks excited, right? |
How woefully wrong I was!
You already learned how dreadful my experience at the Newport Mansions was, but it was highlighted even further by the fact that I had such an amazing experience at the
International Tennis Hall of Fame! Probably the most professional and visually pleasing small non-art museum I've ever been to, I was thoroughly impressed with EVERYTHING. I got to learn a little bit about the history and origins of the sport of tennis (that pic above is one of the first displays you see after the actual hall of fame and depicts a woman playing the predecessor sport to tennis as we know it today: lawn tennis) and the impact that culture such as music and movies had on the sport- and vice versa.
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| Figure of a woman playing tennis in the 1920s, with a display about flapper fashion behind her |
I enjoyed that not one decade or era was rushed through, there was just as much information about the sport from 1912 as there was for 2012. It also highlighted men and women equally, and discussed racial and cultural growth and progress as a natural part of the sport- not shucked off into a specialized gallery for minorities. There were plenty of shiny silver bowls, plates, and trophies all around (you know, prizes), and tons of memorabilia, including a specialized chair used by players who have lost their leg functions, lots of uniforms and shoes, and player endorsed and branded products throughout.
What was missing was extensive information about the current top active players. So yes, there were clips and stories about Venus and Serena Williams on the videos throughout the museum, but no dedicated displays to them- and rightfully so. They are still earning their spot in the museum and hall of fame, it would be a bit presumptuous to just throw them in there right away.
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| Had to show the guys some love-- I realized I had all lady pics up! |
The staff was also super friendly and knowledgeable. Considering I got there first thing when they opened, I expected them to be a bit groggy. Quite the opposite. The guy who checked me in gave me a ton of brochures and information to take with me and tried to gage how much I was into tennis to see how to best direct me. While walking around, I overheard another woman telling a story about one of the enshrined players in a very animated and enthusiastic manner. The couple she was talking to was totally engaged and were hanging on her every word. It was clear that the people here not only know their sport and it's history, but have a true passion for it as well.
*Crap, I was looking for a picture of old tennis ball tins that I distinctly remember taking a photo of and now I can't find it on my camera or computer. Sorry, side tracked there!*
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| My admission sticker |
In hindsight I have three regrets about my visit:
1. That I didn't double check to see if I had all the pictures I wanted before I left. Danngit I'm really upset about that!
2. That I underestimated this museum and didn't afford myself more time to read the displays and information in depth.
3. That it was so rainy and dreary the day I went that I wasn't able to walk the beautiful grounds and learn about the history of the site as well- because people still play tennis there and it's obviously well maintained.
Well, I'm still plugging away at these entries. Again, this was my most ambitious itinerary to date, traveling between four cities in two states in four days all on public transportation and seeing no less than two sites a day. More Rhode Island and Massachusetts adventures to come- thank you for reading along!
