Zuoz Fives Club Zurich
25 Years of Fives at the Zuoz Fives Club Zurich
(EFA Annual Report 1989)
The First Court
In 1963 Edward Freytag took the initiative of circulating some 200 invitations "to establish a Club for the promotion of Eton Fives in Zurich". All of two people appeared! These covened a founding meeting on 7th December 1963 in the restaurant Geeren where 21 members gave birth to the Club, appointing Edward Freytag its President and Johnny Grob its Secretary. The construction of our own court was made possible by the generous gift by Andres Bechtler's father of the land and SFr. 10,000 so that on the 3rd May, 1964 we were able to inaugurate our court. This was followed by a changing pavilion with a shower and in 1971 by a roof and illumination enabling us to play at night and through the year. Membership grew from 40 to about 80 players, of which many, however, are not active players.
For a while we even boasted an active ladies team and we had the pleasure of hosting three girls from Harrow-on-the-Hill for the international ladies matches on the Continent.
English ConnectionsWe recall in 1964 two names of British Fives players who were regular guests at the Lyceum Alpinum, Zuoz, when our games Master Edward "Bones" Gordon-Spencer was still alive: Gordon Stringer of the Old Citizens Fives Club in London and Paul Dicker of Berkhamsted School. These early contacts spread to Eton, Harrow, Birmingham's Old Edwardians, Highgate, Westminster School, City of London School and Cranleigh. We are espesially grateful to Tony Hughes of the Old Edwardians and Dale Vargas of The Hill, Housemaster at Harrow. Our periodic Whitsun weekend trips to England would not have been the same without their hospitality and friendship. A few of our players have participated in the Midland Tournament and the Kinnaird Cup.
Fives at ZuozAt the Lyceum Alpinum in Zuoz, the source of our players, we have had the good fortune that since 1978 Tony Hughes has been coming over every year for two weeks to train the boys intensively, assisted at the beginning by Richard Lambert and these last few years by Richard Tyler. This has helped immeasurably to maintain a fair standard at the School and to ensure a flow of younger players. As many other sports are being played at Zuoz such as athletics, tennis, field hockey, football and as the Fives courts are covered with snow during winter, Eton Fives can only be kept flourishing by constant efforts such as made by Tony Hughes. Next to our traditional Old Boys Week-end in July when the Old Boys challenge the School in cricket, Fives, tennis, handball, football and swimming. For the past ten years we have been visiting the School in September or October for an 'Autumn Fives in Zuoz' when members of the Zurich Club play against the School boys. In Zurich we compete annually against each other for victory in the "Mislin Cup".
We always welcome Fives players from England who visit Switzerland. Please do contact us for a good game of our beloved sport at The Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz or The Zuoz Club. See also the Zuoz Fives Club website.
Editors Note:This year, the Millennium Year, the Zurich Eton Fives Club have raised enough capital to embark on the building of a second court.
Constructed by Mike Fenn
5th May 2001
efa@etonfives.co.uk