First American To win Wimbledon played Tennis Matches In Punta Gorda

Bill Tilden,  who was the first American to win Wimbledon, capturing back-to-back championships in 1920 and 1921 over Australian Gerald Patterson and South African Brian Norton respectively, came to Punta Gorda in 1931 with great fanfare.  He was keeping a promise to Barron Collier, owner at the time of the Hotel Charlotte Harbor, who was using sports events  to attract visitors to Southwest Florida and his hotel.  Tilden had helped design the courts at Collier’s hotel.  

The championship amateur known as “Big Bill” began his professional tennis years at an exhibition match at the hotel in February of 1931.  The new courts there were touted as the best in the state with grandstands to hold 600 people.  Tilden defeated Emmett Pare of Chicago, another early tennis star who toured with Tilden as a professional.  A local, S Jarvis Adams,  played in a doubles match as Tilden’s partner during the event.  

Tennis Court at Hotel  Charlotte Harbor 

Fourth of July 100 Years Ago.

 

Punta Gorda Herald June 3O, 2022 

One hundred years ago Punta Gorda was preparing for the Fourth of July.  The year before 6,000 had attended the Independence Day celebration in 1921 when the Charlotte Harbor Bridge was opened.  

In 1922 they prepared for 10,000 attendees. Advertisements were placed

throughout the area via newspapers inviting everyone in Charlotte County, the United States and the Dominion of Canada. Dinner would be served in the park in front of the Hotel Punta Gorda. Sporting events were to include: water polo, swimming races, tub races, fancy diving,

aquaplaning and aeroplaning, baseball game and maybe a parachute jump from an aeroplane (sic).

The Charlotte Military Band would present concerts at various locations

throughout the day. A dancer in the lobby of the Hotel would conclude the day's festivities.

The City dock was damaged in the October 1921 hurricane, but the planning committee had hoped that the contractor would have it repaired in time for the fourth.  Unfortunately, it was not. The Dock wasn't finished and the watersports didn't attract the number of people as in past. There was a delay in feeding so many people, but there was food for all who were

patient.  An estimated 650 cars were parked in the central business district. An estimated 3,000 people came by private vehicles. A large number came by train the day before. The bulk of the crowd came from DeSoto, Hardies, Highland and Polk counties with Manatee & Sarasota well represented.