GLIMPSES OF ANKLES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 268, 27 October 1932, Page 10

GLIMPSES OF ANKLES

••IMMODESTY” AT TENNIS. Tq be told that her frock was im modest because occasional glimpses a. her ankles could be seen was an experience recalled by Miss J. A. Mowbray, who was one of the foundation members of the Parnell Lawn Tennis Club, which celebrates its 60th anni▼•nary on 29th October (states the “New Zealand Herald”). The incident occurred during a tennis match in which Miss Mowbray was partnering another Auckland player. The partner wore a voluminous skirt with a long train, which she was obliged to hold up with one hand throughout the whole game. During an interval in the match the umpire asked the lady with the train why she did not wear a skirt similar to Miss Mowbray’s, which was just. short enough to avoid the danger of tripping her or otherwise impeding her progress. ‘‘Excuse me,” the lady said, turning to Miss Mowbray, ‘‘but I confess I think your frock is immodest. On occasions I distinctly caught a glimpse of your ankles!” The regulation tennis wear for member! of the Parnell Club in those days was a blouse and skirt in the club colours of crimson and cream. The blouse had long, plain sleeves, innocent of puffs or padding, and the crimson skirt was fully kilted and reached the tops of the shoes. Miss Mowbray said she cannot confess to liking the presentday tennis wear of the young girls. Instead of striking a happy medium with the changes of fashion, she thinks they have inclined rather to extreme measures, and she cannot see the necessary for the excessive scantiness of some of the frocks. In a report of the 1891 opening of th* elub there is an account of one gentleman player being attired in ‘‘a well-cut suit of white flannel with a crimson sash tied tastefully round his waist.” The report concludes:—“l noticed the president, Mrs. Buck, looking extra niee in a dark blue cloth with short silk vest and becoming bonnet of pale pink heather and feathers. A member of the younger set was present in a crushed strawberry gown ’and black lace hat with black velvet strings. ” Such descriptions go to show that the opening of the Parnell Lawn Tennis Club was in the nature of a much looked for social function rather than a day for serious-minded players. An enthusiastic and energetic player. Miss Mowbray won her first tennis championship of Auckland in 1886 ami •ucceeded in retaining the title for he ensuing five years. The importance f good tennis players playing with ‘hm of indifferent calibre wns stressed v Mias Mowbray, who said she was very to notice that in recent years, certain amownt of selfishness w;is • in tennis clubs in this re--i.oet, K appm.ed that the good remvii'jcd in clioues, more or leaf stsUaciciag the InKrior players, tAut dmee ol improving

their game. Again, in the present day, the men appeared to play together most of the time, refusing to play with the women unless more or less forced to do so. The danger of spoiling one’s game, by playing against a weaker op ponent could be easily obviated by the system of giving and owing points, a method which was constantly brought into use in the Parnell Club in earlier days, Miss Mowbray said. By this means the stronger player, commencing w-ith a loss of points, was compelled to play his best to retrieve them, while the weaker player would naturally put his best effort into maintaining his original advantage.