The Hill Club's 1982 Continental Tour
(Extract from Eton Fives Annual Report 1981-1982)Having introduced the Art of Coarse Fives to England during the last three years, the idea was advanced at one of the Clubs apres-tournamant soirees, of letting Europe in on this innovation to the ancient game.
Some weeks later eight club members were found who had no recollection of events of that night. They were duly informed that they had, indeed, agreed to join this expeditionary party and all had been arranged, so would they now hand over the tour money they had promised on that fateful night.
On a Friday evening in July eight Players (?) duly set off from "The Castle", first stop being Epsom Downs, for champagne. After all, the team had been 'on the road' for at least 25 minutes! Dover was reached, the Channel crossed, followed by an all night drive to Freiburg in the Black Forest where that day and evening were spent relaxing in the usual Hill Club manner.
Next morning, at the peak of physical fitness, the team set off for Zurich where, after lunching with the Zuoz Club, Zurich, the afternoon was spent playing excellent Fives before adjourning to a superb barbecue party which was great fun.
The following day found us at Zuoz. 7,000 ft up. in the Engadine, ready to play the Lyceum Alpinum. Here, our previous altitude training at Harrow-on-the-Hill, (406 ft), ensured our success. Good matches were played by all, followed by a visit to St Moritz and a night of eating and drinking, Engadiner style, in Zuoz.
Three hours sleep. then via Liechtenstein and Austria. to Germany and to the City of Augsburg. There we were entertained to a fine lunch by the Prince and Princess Fugger-Babenhausen at their family home, Schloss Wellenburg. Then a most enjoyable afternoon playing Fives with the Prince at his court in the castle. We had by now been joined by a further Hill Club member to ensure that our complement of players was the usual odd number. A fine dinner in beautiful surroundings at the castle was then enjoyed by all.
A couple of hours sleep, then a six hour drive to play the Zuoz-Rhineland Club at their two newly-built courts in Dusseldorf. News of such an illustrious touring team had spread, for awaiting our arrival were camera crews from the ZDF and WDR German television channels. The match was duly played under the tensions of spectators and spotlights and to the Hill Club battle cries of. "Is my nose shiny!": "Can I wave to Mum!", and "I hope they take my best side!" A tremendous game was played by all but the deprivations and hardships already suffered by the tourists slowly took their toll and the match was narrowly lost. However, recovery was rapid and an entertaining evening followed at the Rhine Drinking Fair.
The next two days were spent sampling the hostelries of Cologne and Monshau in the Eifel, before heading home to Harrow, so ending a thoroughly enjoyable week. Our thanks to all our hosts for making it such a memorable tour, especially to Werner Ahrens in Zurich: Roger Myrsep in Zuoz: Prince Fugger-Babenhausen in Augsberg and to Richard Dorrenberg in Dusseldorf and we conclude by misquoting the famous words of General MacArther in 1942 "We shall return!"
The Hill Club 1982 Continental Tour
Constructed 20th November 2001
efa@etonfives.co.uk