After the war Frank Lafforgue, of the Yale Club, attempted to renew interest in Squash Tennis by utilizing a standard Lawn Tennis ball.  While it was a far easier game for the novice to learn and a marvelous form of indoor exercise for the otherwise sedentary businessman, the “old timers,” remembering the Golden Age of the 1920s and 1930s, became completely disenchanted with the slow, heavy, “make shift” orb.  They left their love and were contented to talk wistfully about the “good old days.”

Competition, though comparatively limited, continued.  Some of the outstanding players who competed right after the War in a dwindling number of tourneys were eight times national champion H. Robert Reeve, Barry Ryan, Frank Hanson, Joseph Sullivan, Howard Rose, (still very active in his sixties) J. Lennox Porter, and John Powers.

Norman F. Torrance, Harvard Club, Secretary of the Association in 1919-1934 and the NSTA’s President up until 1954, despite his love for the game and his efforts to rejuvenate it during the 1950s, was a voice in the wilderness.

(The following was extracted from an article written by Robert H. Lehman, Editor of the 1966-7 edition of the NSTA Yearbook.)

“The present starts its story less than two years ago.  For many years, well known, long known figures had tried to revive the game, revamp the ball, attract new players.  Still active in administration and competition were Willard Rice, Howard Rose, Larry Pratt, Rodney Fiske, Frank Wadelton, Dave Smith and others.

“Suddenly after protracted doldrums dominated mostly by conversation, a spark was fired.  Back to his old Eastern haunts came volatile, enthusiastic Dick Squires, a National Junior Davis Cupper while at school in Bronxville, a nationally ranked Squash Racquets player 10 years ago, now in mid-thirties and still a ‘natural.’  Exposed to our game at the Rye Squash Barn in early 1965, he went whole hog for his new love, roamed around crying, ‘How long has this been going on?’ Mr. Torrance must have known something when, way back in 1951, he said the game would come back.

“The ebullient red-head lit a fire under everyone.  He talked a ‘Rejuvenation Committee’ into existence, headed it, and started the ball rocketing.  Fund-raising letters to Patrons, membership solicitations to clubs and individuals, colorful posters broadcasting the game’s delights on squash bulletin boards all over, letters to pros outlining advantages and opportunities, revision and updating of Official Rules and Association By-Laws, publicity releases to papers and magazines—­all were dreamed up and implemented by Squires and his now famous ‘NSTA-RC,’ a dedicated, hard working bunch.

“One of the most imaginative programs, instigated during the winter of 1965-6, was the running of exhibitions (over 22!), which dramatically exposed the game to the uninitiated, attracted sizable galleries and converts.  Dick’s buddy, Bill Moncrieff, conducted running commentaries, stopping play to explain fine points, while such as Dick, John Powers, Gavin Murphy, Dave Smith, Jim Prigoff and Henry Stanton roamed the East to such spots as Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Washington and Rochester to spread the word.