Denny Cardinall

Document Source:
Gordon Ballantyne
(2004) & Warren
Oliver (2008)

The oldest international team tennis tournament in the United States.

Beginning in 1958 to 1966, Washington and British Columbia senior men's tennis 45 and over, played Senior men's tennis annual for the Denny Cardinall trophy.

The trophy was donated to the tournament by Victor Denny past president of the United States Tennis Association for 1958-1959, and for 13 years was president of the Pacific Northwest Tennis Association and E.J.H. Cardinall, past secretary-treasurer of the Pacific Northwest section, 1924-1963.

During the first 9 years, Washington held the trophy for 5 years and British Columbia for 4 years.  In 1967, Oregon was invited to join the festivities.

The format has changed a number of times. Originally, the matches were on a home/away basis, for six confrontations a year. The day long affair produced great competition. The evenings were famous for great comraderie and sometimes ribald presentations as part of sumptuous banquets.

Typical of the original rivalry:

• Five singles: 45's 
• Four doubles: 45's 
• One singles: 55's 
• Three doubles: 55's 
• One singles: 60's

British Columbia 

• Vancouver Lawn Tennis Club (grass, carpet, hard surface)
• Jerico (hartru)
• Hollyburn (hard)
• Western Club (hard)

Washington 

• Seattle Tennis Club 
• Galleria 
• Mercer island (bubble) 
• Boeing Hangar (rubber)

Oregon 

• Irvington Club 
• Multnomah Athletic Club

As time ticked away, the players aged and as a result, 65's were added and finally now, we are playing 80's. A few years ago, the players lobbied for 85's, and a few matches were played, but the 85's are not playing as of now.

After 25 years, the home and away format became a scheduling problem. It was solved by one tourney a year, alternating sites, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia. A tourney is now 2 days, featuring 48 matches, all doubles, 45's to 80's. Each team to play four matches in each division.

As 2003 has drawn to a close, The standings record of these three units, traveling up and down the Pacific ocean is as follows:

• Oregon: 18 
• B.C.: 13 
• Washington: 11 
• Three ties, and in 2001, an unprecidented three-way tie. 16-16-16

This international series is noted for bringing together the top senior players in the Northwest. over the years, many nationally ranked senior players of the United States and Canada have been part of the competition.

Friendships have been internationally cemented in every Denny Cardinall meeting. Two days of tennis complete with a Saturday night banquets are too good to miss. Quoting from the Pacific Northwest Tennis Times in 1988, "The B.C. masters are to be complimented for staging the event magnificently. Both the tennis and the banquet Saturday night were attended by over 150 guests. All agreed that the ice sculpture of the trophy cup was spectacular."