LETTERS CONTINUED
Readers are reminded that the views expressed in the letters pages of the Gazette are those of the authors only, and not those of their clubs, unless specifically indicated.
WHY HISTORY MATTERS It is often said that our history is nothing more than a record of times past: important to get it right when celebrating anniversaries and compiling record books, but otherwise of no real practical relevance to us today. The dusty facts are not always dull, of course. Knowing that the club at Hurlingham was initially called the New Red House Club, for example, suggesting a connection with a not entirely salubrious hostelry which once stood on the other side of the Thames near what had by then become the eastern edge of Battersea Park; or that the players at the Ryde tournament of 1911 were able to watch the departure of the RMS Olympic (sister ship of the Titanic) from Southampton on her maiden voyage; or that the Delves Broughton Cups were donated by Sir Jock Delves Broughton, gambler, suspected insurance fraudster and chief suspect in the murder of the Earl of Erroll in Kenya in 1941: each of these echoes from the past surely adds something of interest. But our history has more to offer. Why is the bisque so called? Where did automatic handicapping come from? Why do we call an all‐play‐all an American? Why can we peel any ball through its hoop in order at any time, but only peg it out if we too are a rover? Those are questions which history can answer, and are still very much with us today. And that in turn is a key reason for taking an interest in history: we owe much, good and bad, to what has preceded us. Understanding that legacy helps us not only to appreciate why things are as they are, but also to make good decisions for the future. It is perhaps naive to talk of the lessons of history, because circumstances – and objectives – change. Apparent similarities between past and present are not always what they seem. But many issues have arisen before (often on several occasions) and it can be instructive to see how others have tackled them. Slow play, making the game more challenging for the top players, handicapping players properly, players’ lack of engagement with the administration of the sport: none of these problems is new. If we start with a blank sheet of paper each time we address them, we are wasting the valuable resource of our predecessors’ attempts to find workable solutions. Ian Bond, 4 May 2025 CROQUET CHAINS One of Sheffield U3A’s Croquet Club members (90) is visually impaired and has had trouble with the convention of coin tossing to determine partnerships and playing order. She now uses a device comprising 4 small equally long chains hanging from a key ring, each chain colour coded near the key ring with electrical insulating tape (see photo). At the start of play the chains hang down from a closed fist which conceals the coloured tapes. Each player chooses a chain, and the colours are then revealed, identifying partnerships and playing order. It works first time every time, with no ambiguity or lost coinage. It is simple, cheap and portable, and is also suitable for players with 20‐20 vision. Regards, Ken Bond
EARLY OFF COURT MEMORY
Well, actually, not exactly off. To prevent you reading while misled, perhaps I should explain. With my friendly opponent seated near the south boundary, I attempted a long take off to a ball near the second corner, instantly realizing I’d played the shot far too hard. The question wasn’t, “Will it trickle over the boundary?” but rather, “Will it be stopped by the hedge?” In fact I was so concerned that, whilst hurrying in pursuit, I found myself mentally rehearsing “Please may I have my ball back?” to the non‐ croquet playing neighbours next door. But then, amazingly, the ball stopped dead in its tracks and just sat there without even bothering to look round. It had been waylaid by something approaching a chasm and was now relaxing up to its middle in the warm earth. “Er, can I move it out of this hole?” I called somewhat hesitantly to my distant adversary, conscious of rather more than a twinge of guilt. With permission granted, I duly repositioned both my ball and its next intended target to adjacent points of less disadvantage. The outcome of the following stroke is long forgotten. Guilty or not in the eyes of the prevailing law, hopefully it was as bad as true justice demanded. Laurence V Latham
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