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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 30, 1963)
Wimbledon'i tetting is an ivy-covered stadium with ivy-covered tradition. THE WHIMS OF WIMBLEDON Even the rigid rules of the world's most snobbish tennis tournament can't repress players with penchants for such things as gorgeous golden panties By BILL SURFACE An edie of Karol Fageros' golden panties is visible beneath white ones Wimbledon decreed she must wear. In a world that is increasingly fa miliar with fast-moving change, one of Great Britain's hallowed traditions continues supreme the snob appeal of a very special tennis tournament cur rently being played in the London sub urb of Wimbledon. Officially named the All-England Tennis Cham pionships, Wimbledon is governed by rules so rigid that Gertrude "Gussie" Moran (of lace panty fame) calls the 95-year-old tournament "czaristic and a blow to democracy." Players' uniforms have been checked for prop er starch, and newspapers have been advised to capitalize the "T" in The Wimbledon Champion ships. Even today, the 500 invited tennis players are chauffeured in Rolls-Royces during the tour nament to insure dignity. British society, from Queen Elizabeth down, finds attendance a must. Places near the royal area in the 17,000-seat ivy-covered concrete sta dium are immeasurably precious. Box-seat tick ets are included in wills, and prices are listed on the London Stock Exchange. But the pomp of Wimbledon's annual two weeks of tennis is always enlivened by the wild capers of devil-may-care players. As historians note, the first tournaments at Wimbledon's pres ent arena were "defaced by scandals." An Amer ican, John Hennessey, was threatened with expul sion for wearing "shocking striped pants" in stead of the standard white ones. Randolph Ly cett, an Australian star who did not like the tea stands, planted a pint of gin on the side lines and grabbed snorts between sets. Jack Kramer, a Wimbledon champion, says: "There are two groups that make Wimbledon such a good side show the headline hunters and those hit by stage fright. Tennis players aren't used to such crowds, let alone the king or queen out there inspecting them. "Just as we began playing in the 1947 finals, my opponent and I were told that King George was coming out to see us and to stop the instant we heard the signal. I was so electrified that I couldn't have played worse if I was handcuffed. But it didn't keep me from winning; my oppo nent was scared, too." One of the most embarrassed players in Wim bledon's history was Nicola Pietrangeli. In 1960, Nicola became so excited after upsetting Barry Mackay of the United States (making him the first Italian to reach Wimbledon's finals) that he threw his racket high in the air, shook Mac kay's hand, and as he pivoted toward the audi ence, his racket fell right on his head ! Wimbledon's most recent problems have been good-looking girls and the revolution in tennis clothing. That fad began in 1949 when Gussie Moran 19, shapely, and courting a movie ca reerappeared in a tight tee shirt and white lace panties under a short ballerina skirt. When an entry clerk questioned her lace, she said: "People here see your underwear for two weeks,' so you might as well have them see something with lace on it Besides, it helps my tennis." In Wimbledon's bylaws, there was no restric tion against lace panties, and Gussie became an overnight celebrity. The fans enjoyed it, but it was understood that Queen Elizabeth" (now the Queen Mother) would not attend during the "panty scandal." Gussie wore plain panties dur ing the Queen's attendance. And she lost In 1958, Karol Fageros, a tall blonde from Mi ami, entered Wimbledon as the self-styled "Gold en Goddess of Tennis." A better model than play er, she wore a tight knit jersey and gold-lame panties trimmed in black lace. The panties were promptly banned. But there was no way to stop rumors that Karol, playing in white-lace panties, would do a strip tease in retaliation. Karol didn't, but she shocked some tennis people much more: she won a match. Her opponent, Silvana Lazzarino, blamed the loss on the fuss created by photographers taking pic tures of the anticipated "show." Last year, after two female players tried to outdo Karol's costume by wearing leopard skins and mink trimmings, Wimbledon finally an nounced that only plain white uniforms would be allowed. But the whims of Wimbledon probably will never cease. Gardnar Mulloy, a star of llhjv 1940s, had his jacket monogrammed: "If You Can't Beat Me, You Need Lessons." And an American girl wore plain white panties with a Confederate flag sewed on the seat COVER Jack Zehri snapped a young tennis player at the high point of elation after she de livered a smashing forehand drive. For a look at the wacky world of tournament tennis, see the Wimbledon story ubove. Family WecJcly I. June 30. 1MJ loard of Editors LEONARD S. OAVIDOW CmiM od P.Mukrr WALTER C. DREYFUS Vir PrttUmt PATRICK t. OtOUIKi Ainrtuinl Dirvrtor MORTON FRANK DirMor FuMUArr Rrlotiou Sond oil ooVortilina (ommumcattofts to Fomihf Wnllt. IS N. Mkfaaoo An. Chicoao I. III. Addrou oil rommywicotiowt obovt d1toriol foafvrot to rWirr Wooohr. 60 i. Mtk Si. Now York 22, N. t. It, FAMILY WEEKIY MAOAIINE. INC, in N. Mkhioar. An. ERNEST V. HEYN iJilor.(-Ci- EN KARTMAN Enrnlire Editor ROSERT FITZOIMON llnapi'K Erfit" HUIIF DYKSTRA Art Nrrctor MEIANIE OE PROFT Food Editor Roaohm Abroroyo, Ardon Tidtll. rial london. Jock tram Poor J. Opprf oimor, Halhrwood. CMcoao I. III. All rlahtl ratocvod.
