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| 1933 poster designed by Frederick Charles Herrick |
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| 1931 poster designed by Herry Perry |
The elegantly clad players and umpires, the grass courts, the Royal Box: Wimbledon.
One can almost taste the strawberries and cream, scones, English tea, fish and chips, Pimm's, and Scottish smoked salmon.
First, a bit of history about the club and its famous tournament…
Wimbledon (the club) is located just south of London in the town of the same name. It began in 1869 as the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. In 1877, the first lawn tennis championship was held here, as was the lawn tennis event of the 1908 Olympic Games. The present site, on Church Road, was established in 1922. The 2012 Olympic Games will also be held at Wimbledon this summer.
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| Mowing the grass courts to perfection |
• Horticulture
Yes, the grass is real (100% rye). Championships playing height is 8mm.
• Food
Strawberries and cream — nothing says "Wimbledon" better. The berries are Grade I from Kent and "of the highest quality." 8,615 punnets (baskets) containing a minimum of 10 berries are consumed daily by spectators. Cost is £2.50 each. Served with fresh cream, naturally.
• Design
White tennis balls were replaced with yellow ones beginning in 1986. 54,250 balls are used during the Championships each year.
The Royal Box seats 74, and is furnished with dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs. Ladies are asked to be "hat-free" so others may enjoy a clear view of the action. Lloyd Loom has an elegant website: http://www.lloydloom.com/
• Purple and Green Colour Scheme
This harmonious pairing of hues, which all designers recognize as a classic secondary colour combination, is a long-standing tradition at Wimbledon. Nobody knows for certain, but the regal purple is probably a nod to the British Monarchy and its support of the Championships, and the green signifies the grass courts. Of course!
• Fashion
"Tennis whites" for players are still the dress code at Wimbledon, although bits of color can be seen on clothes these days (piping, for example). White shoes, socks and hats are a must!
• Souvenirs
When stylish tennis-themed souvenirs are a must, this is the only shop you'll need. Reproductions of posters from the 1930s are especially stylish (see photos above). The Wimbledon Collection at the London Transport Museum:
http://www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk/exclusive-and-vintage/wimbledon.html
• Architecture & Engineering
In 2009, the retractable roof debuted on Centre Court. The tensile, durable fabric has a 40% translucency, allowing light to reach the grass below, and is 100% recyclable.
• Broadcast
Global television audience estimated at 379 million people in 182 countries.
• Rufus the Hawk
A trained bird named Rufus visits the club most weeks during the year to deter local pigeons from roosting. Rufus flies for an hour beginning at 9 a.m. during the Championships, before the gates open.
We wouldn't want the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, in attendance today, to be subjected to pigeon droppings in the Royal Box. Especially since the ladies don't wear hats!
Good show, Rufus!
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