What years were you a Ball Boy? 1965, 1966 What courts did you look after, what age were you? Aged 14
1965 Courts 13 to 13 and spare Did you enjoy the task and why? Yes it was a chance to get away from Goldings and back into the big wide world where life is a little different. I liked meeting the players and the respect we received from them. My best few days were in the Pressroom being a runner as you had the freedom to go all over Wimbledon picking up film and copy to be processed which was all done on site. Being asked for your autograph by young girls and Americans, once you started more people would ask. The second year my mother had a job in the restaurant so I was able to sneak in and have a proper meal and not just the salad that was dished up each day, which was very good but got a bit boring after the first week. Did anything unusual/funny happen whilst you were on court? I had a player nearly land on top of me when he slipped by the net his name was Tom Okker I think that was in 1965. The first year I attended Wimbledon I could bounce a ball right into the hand of a player, I could pick the balls up at the net. But no one ever told me how to keep score and where did I end up with a score board that I didn’t have a clue, plus I was still expected to keep the balls in order. I was moved to the net and didn't see a score board again till 1966. n.b see below. Which player did you most enjoy meeting and why? Arther Ash, Tom Okker, Roy Emerson, Manuel Santana to name but a few. Manuel Santana was the Mens champion in 66 and a few of us had our photo taken with him. Who is your favourite tennis player today Tim Henman Do you play tennis now and if so do you belong to a club? No I never was that good at tennis. Would you like to add any further information? Ball Boys not only looked after the courts they also had other Jobs, you could be placed in the Pressroom or end up in one of the little boxes at the corner of the court changing the numbers to keep score. I never achieved this position as by all account it was a sweat box. Best days for me were in the pressroom and not the courts, as on the lower courts you were on for two to three games before you were relieved. Centre Court you had two hours on one off as they were the stars.One thing that is not talked about is the second day of Wimbledon, you awake stiff as a board with muscles you didn’t know you had and the coach stunk of Raljex, but by the third day your body had got used to running about all day. We were allowed hot showers each morning, which was a real bonus. The trips back to Goldings were the best time and how our coach was never stopped I don't know, I think mooning was quite new in those days and the people of Colindale had quite a few moons. The big thing in my day was to collect as many sweatbands from the players that you looked after. Players who miffed you off for whatever reason did not get their fair share of new balls, some of them knew this and would throw the ball to the side of the court. The hardest thing was we were not allowed to drink on court, but rules were made to be broken by us Goldings boys. In 1966 a few us were used for a photo shoot with the new Ball Boy uniform which consisted of a sports shirt in the Wimbledon clubs colours, which was much brighter than the shirt we had been wearing, shorts and a tracksuit and cap. When the shoot was over we had to return the uniform and get back in the old stuff. We never did see or use those uniforms Goldings closed it's doors after 45 years in 1967 of which 20 years Goldings boys served as Ball-Boys and by all accounts we were the best. One thing I do remember is that Goldings was the best behaved school leading up to the Wimbledon fortnight.
From: Frank Cooke |
