Toward the turn of the century, Stephan J. Feron, of New York became fascinated with the possibility of the speeded up version of Squash and has been given the credit for creating the lighter Squash Tennis racquet and the famous (or infamous) inflated ball with the knitted webbing surrounding the regular cover.

The last decade of the 1800s saw, therefore, two Squash games being played.  Very quickly, however, Squash Tennis became more popular and widely played than Squash Racquets because of the more exciting pace and action of the play.  Private courts were built on estates owned by such millionaires as William C. Whitney and J. P. Morgan.  The famous Tuxedo Club, Tuxedo Park, New York, installed the first formal Club court in 1898.  By 1905, the Racquet and Tennis Club, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia Clubs in Manhattan had courts, as did Brooklyn’s Crescent A. C. and the Heights Casino.

In 1911 the National Squash Tennis Association was founded and organized by the banker, John W. Prentiss, Harvard Club of New York.  The following year inter-club league competition was started in New York City—­56 years ago!  The sport also gained popularity and some limited play in other cities such as Buffalo, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, but the real nucleus of activity was pretty much confined to “The Big City.”

The halcyon days of Squash Tennis were the 1920s and 1930s.  Such names as Fillmore Van S. Hyde, Rowland B. Haines, Thomas R. Coward, William Rand, Jr., and R. Earl Fink dominated the amateur ranks during the Golden Twenties.  New York Athletic Club’s Harry F. Wolf reigned alone and supreme as the amateur champion during the ensuing decade.

The professionals, however, “owned” the best of the amateurs.  Walter Kinsella, Robert L. Cahill, Tommy Iannicelli, Johnny Jacobs, Frank Lafforgue, Rowland Dufton, were the outstanding “play for pay” performers.  And, the unquestioned king of the Squash Tennis courts was the legendary Frank Ward, who never lost a match in tournament competition.

Because of the desire by the expert Squash Tennis players for more and more speed and a higher pressurized ball, a novice quickly became discouraged with his initial efforts at playing the game.  For many crucial years, therefore, the game was not adopted by new players and there was no broad base of tyros.  Plainly and simply the avid duffers, which every sport must have if it is to survive and retain its popularity, took up a less frustrating, easier to master sport for their exercise.

World War II saw the demise of this lightning fast webbed ball because of the shortage of rubber and the game all but died.  Simultaneously Squash Racquets thrived during the War.  Organized play and competition were established at service bases, colleges, schools and YMCAs.  A new breed of young, active Americans became enamored with Squash Racquets and the pendulum swung away from Squash Tennis.  After all, what is a racquet game without an appropriate ball?  The now aging professionals saw the wave of interest in Squash Racquets and climbed aboard.