The next bio appearing in the pages of Pastime is that of George Hillyard.
Hillyard is quite a physical specimen, standing 6ft 2in tall and weighing in at 13 stone 6lbs (188lbs) - probably a good share of which is down to his prodigious moustache. In an era of sub-six footers who rarely tip the scales much above 11 stone (154lbs), George is a heavyweight.
His singles and doubles career really commenced in earnest after he married Blanche Hillyard, the two of them being the most formidable husband and wife tennis partnership I can think of. His on-court successes to date are listed by Pastime but it’s really his other pursuits that makes Hillyard so noteworthy at this time, whether that’s his time in the Navy or his cricketing pedigree.
Alongside the Doherty brothers, Hillyard is one of the few subjects of Pastime’s biographies whose most significant achievements lie in the future.
On court, Hillyard and his partner Wilberforce Eaves are the first pair on the eastern shore of the Atlantic to find themselves on the receiving end of the new American kick serve. This was in a doubles match at Wimbledon in 1901, their opponents being Holcombe Ward and Dwight Davis (of eponymous Cup fame). The Americans had played some practice matches up at the Hillyards’ place in Thorpe Satchville the previous week - but had kept their new weapon under wraps until the match pictured below.
Hillyard is receiving serve in the photo. According to US publication Golf and Lawn Tennis in 1901, his cricketing abilities were on full view as he tried to get a racket on the wildly veering ball and knocked it off the side of court. Incidentally,
@Arrie , I think you asked about the history of unusual doubles positions on a Facebook page - suggest you take a look at the second page below.
Before finally hanging up his boots, Hillyard succeeds in winning a 1908 Olympic gold in doubles with Reggie Doherty.
Ideally suited to administrative roles with his military bearing, stentorian tones and willingness to put in a serious shift at work or play, Commander Hillyard rockets up the pole at the All England Club where he serves as Honorary Secretary and then tournament director of the Championships. As Bruce Tarran’s book, “The Man who Moved Wimbledon” details (it pains me to admit that I don’t have a copy), Hillyard is the driving force behind the club’s relocation to Church Road and the enormously costly development project that results in today’s site.
He serves his time in the high chair, umpiring countless important matches at Wimbledon and elsewhere. He is the man tasked with umpiring the Match of the Century between Lenglen and Wills at Cannes in 1926, quelling a near revolt when he orders the match to be continued after the crowd and players think Lenglen has won.
While running Wimbledon, he also has the misfortune of getting caught up in “L’affaire Lenglen” when an unfortunate series of misunderstandings and miscommunications results in the French star’s retirement from Wimbledon in 1926, never to return.
Last but not least, Hillyard is the author of an essential early text on tennis, “Forty Years of First Class Lawn Tennis”.
