Childhood Tennis Memories

Yesterday and today I have been busy sorting and filing old business papers, magazines, sheet music, and other miscellaneous 'stuff'. I found many things I've been missing for awhile like my spare keys to my jeep and a $10 American Express Traveller's Check.

I threw away 3 big bags of garbage and junk. Now you can fit both cars in the garage at the same time and there's a finally semblance of order. We still need to hang our tools on the wall but other than that, I'm happy with the way it's turned out!

Ahhhh.... Now I can relax for a couple of hours. Then I want to sort through a couple more boxes I brought in from the garage.

Monica woke up today with a sore back and is taking it easy today. She's in the bedroom in bed but sitting up on a heating pad and working on her laptop. She has three pillows behind her back and one on her lap for the computer. Our new little kitty Gabriel is laying next to her sleeping. They both look very comfortable... Peepers is asleep on the couch in the living room. And Jack is sleeping under atree in the back yard with a little sun shining through the tree branches on him. I'm not sure where Sparky and Hobbes are...

Our little kitty Gabriel has been a little sick, too. He's had upset stomach and we treated him for worms yesterday. If he's not better tomorrow we just might have to take him to the vet.

OK... So... I need to get caught up on my journaling. Let's see... I think I'll recall some childhood memories.... I remember that before I started playing tennis I was a big baseball fan. I played little league from 8 years old to 12 years old and then gave up 13 year old baseball for tennis. I played catcher most of the time. And I was just an average batter/hitter until my last year in little league. I had taken up tennis the summer of my 11th year and when I played the spring little league season I was one of the best hitters in the league because my striking skills had improved so much. But after baseball season I decided to focus on tennis. Tennis was very popular in Bay City in the early eighties and I was fortunate enough to almost always be able to find someone to hit with. And the adults were always very nice and didn't mind playing with a bratty kid who was just starting out.

I have many, many fond memories of playing tennis with my brother and mom growing up in Bay City. I remember how my mom was really horrible until we bought her a new oversize racquet and then she could hit the ball over pretty well. She really loved tennis. But arthritis and lupus forced her to quit playing before her time. I still have my mom's racquet. She had a Wilson Cobra. And instead of the familiar Wilson 'W' stencil she had an 'L' for 'Lynda' stenciled on the strings. Oh my Mom... She always like to be different and stand out a little bit....

Let's see.... My brother John used a Donnay Borg Pro Allwood. And I used the trusty Jack Kramer Prostaff most of the time. I could just about write a whole column on the different racquets I've used over the years. It's amazing how racquets have changed throughout the last 100 years. I have a pretty extensive racquet collection with a few frames dating back to the early 1900's... All totaled I probably have about between 200-300 racquets. I haven't really added any to my collection in the past few years but now that we have a house I might just start keeping my eyes open. Before I had the money but no space. Now I have space but no money...!

Well, I think that will be it for now. I'm going to go join the cats in a nap and then wake up and get back to my filing. Bye for now...

Coach Sam