Ernest Black & the first ever Davis Cup rubber
Alex Ritchie’s 2008 history of our Association tells of ‘Edmund Black’, (actually born Ernest) of Hallamshire club playing in the Davis Cup match of 1900 versus the USA in Boston Mass. As a result of further research this week by Andy Lusis, and more research in Sheffield, it is now clear that this was the first Davis Cup match and was played at the Longwood Cricket Club in Boston in August of that year. Black’s two fellow ‘British Isles’ team members, Arthur Gore and Herbert Roper-Barrett were eventually to win Wimbledon titles and Olympic gold medals between them, and it is suggested Ernest was picked because the Doherty brothers were not available. However, he had the privilege of playing in the opening singles rubber against Dwight Davis, originator of the competition and presenter of the trophy, who must have been surprised to lose the first set against this less well-known player, but eventually winning 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-4. Ernest having given a good account of himself he was selected for the crucial doubles withRoper-Barrett, Gore having lost his singles in three easier sets. That doubles too was lost but only to three sets of 6-4 resulting in a 3-0 win for the US, the dead rubbers not being played. So, our man from Nether Edge and the Hallamshire Club won the first ever set, in the world’s first international tennis competition which in 2015 isthe world’s largest annual international team competition in sport, with 122 nations taking part.
He was born in Sheffield in 1876 to Scottish parents (why does that strike a chord with the 2015 Gt Britain v USA match?) and the family home was 26 Oakhill Rd, Nether Edge, although in 1911 he was lodging in 19 Wiseton Rd, Brocco Bank, within walking distance of his then club, Hallamshire. Qualified as a mining engineer – his father was company secretary to the Nunnery Mine in Sheffield – he played his early tennis at the Brinc(k)liffe Club off Cemetery Rd. He served in WWI as a Captain with both the British and Canadian Infantry (Engineers) and died in Halifax Nova Scotia in 1931 leaving £3868. His marital status remains to be established (see addendum) We have no photo as yet (see addendum)but he is one of the participants in this photo of the Men’s Doubles in that 1900 match.
This Boston Evening Post 9 August extract shows how the Englishmen set standards on endurance by refusing to ‘rub down and brush up’ in between each set; I’ll bet they didn’t ‘brush up’ even after the agreed second set break! The standard of tennis was apparently very high with Black the best of the four players.But were we prepared properly?
Contrasting styles amongst the ‘Englishmen’ but Black played more like an American in getting to the net and volleying.
Strange Black never played Davis Cup again but he won a first round singles at Wimbledon in 1921 aged 45. There is some evidence he became, in 1915, the third husband of a member of the ‘Scottish aristocracy’, and it is known his medal exists somewhere and was once valued at £3000. He has also been referred to as the Scottish Champion. This article is liable to additional future material and will be updated accordingly.
John Andrews March 2015
Addendum Jan 2016
These photos have come to light, the second one wearing the cap presented to the Davis Cup team prior to their departure. It’s also my contention that he is the ringed figure in the 1897 Hallamshire photo on the last page – this now hangs on a wall, (the right way up!) of the club; he was a recorded member.
The 1911 census reveals him - ‘Ernest Douglas Black, Agent for Colliery Stores, Own Account (self-employed) – living, aged 35, as the only boarder at 19 Wiston Rd off Brocco bankwith the housekeeper, a 58 year old widow, and an 18 year old servant girl.In 1917, as Captain Black, aged 41, he married Mary Agnes Cayzer six years his senior, a two-time divorcee and daughter of Sir Charles William Cayzer 1st Bt, a very wealthy shipping magnate, and acquiring Lord Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet, as his brother-in-law.Mary died in the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane in 1930, another indication of the family wealth. (Her first divorce proceedings detailed that although the marriage produced eight children it was unhappy from an early stage with reports of incidents of violent temper, striking wife, adultery with maidservant who subsequently became pregnant, trial separations, ‘etc’. I wonder what the ‘etc’ was!)
Some of his results can be found at
WJA Jan 2016
Another addendum follows
Addendum March 2017
A photo of his grave in Halifax Nova Scotia has been made available on-line. Evidently his parents had moved from Nether Edge to this fine property, 6, Broomfield Rd, Broomhall, now apparently subdivided into living accommodations.