Thursday, June 30th, 1977, Mercersburg Academy

That McEnroe kid beat Sandy Mayer at Wimbledon! This is a major upset and this morning Mr. Brennan talked about that match and how in tournaments underdogs sneak through the draws because no one expects much because there’s no pressure. He says the underdog plays point by point, doesn’t think far ahead nor dwells on the past. Id love to see this kid play Borg.

This is the final preparation day before the tournament so Mr. Brennan let us teach what ever the campers wanted to work on. On my court we did the serve and service return. Mr. B. says that the most important part of the return is already knowing where you’re going to hit the ball, on fast courts chip and charge especially off the second serve. On clay its deep down the middle, Brennan says just get it back to cut down on errors. When serving its a fluid, slow to fast motion. Mr. B talks a lot about pronation and the whipping towel affect. I love to teach that serve to the kids and really snap the ball. It was a great day on the teaching courts.

As soon as Roger Dickinson got off the courts he went upstairs to the second floor lobby and started working on the camper draw. He had the roll call list all laid out, he went around and asked counselors about the various players. He had his trusty radio at his side and a big liter bottle of coke, Roger was excused for duties, he had the draw to complete.

Xavier will run the tournament, keep the kids on the courts and do results and run the draw sheet. The rest of the counselors will stand at the net posts and call out the score and referee each match. This is a huge production and its done right and the kids are so excited. We’re running a few different divisions so the little kids don’t have to play the big ones, so everyone is happy.

At four o’clock there wasn’t an empty, all the kids were practicing and almost all the counselors were still on the courts helping the kids. Mr. B drove by in the Z and was amazed, I think he’s just as excited. Just before dinner he called me into his apartment, Riley was sitting there having a beer with the boss. Mr. B asked me if I wanted a beer, I hardly drink but I said sure afterall the drinking age in Idaho is 19! We talked for an hour, Mr. B wanted to hear the camp gossip, which kids were players, who to watch. I felt as though I been invited to Buckingham palace, it was so much fun. Then Mr. B talked at length about Wimbledon and McEnroe beating Mayer again, next up Connors, Mr. B says Connors should beat him. I guess he knows Sandy Mayer’s dad, he’s a teaching pro too. Mr. B didn’t have to many kind words for him, but said that Sandy and Gene are swell kids.

I had dorm duty and spent the night writing all my old friends. I wrote my Mom, my Dad, Pam Davies, Jim Hall, Mike Zaladonis. Im hoping that if I write a lot, I will get a lot of mail, Im not a dummy.

After we got the kids in bed we all went to Tibbits Hall and gathered in the Lobby. Roger briefed us on the draw and we were able to get the girls draw done too. Tom had a little meeting and it was fun and exciting. Afterwards I stuck around and talked to Bevin. She's such a sweet girl with the bluest eyes.