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 2016 has drawn to a close, The standings record of these three units, traveling up and down the Pacific ocean is as follows:
- Oregon: 22
- B.C.: 16
- Washington: 16
- Four ties, and in 2001, an unprecedented 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.”
Long Live the “Star Spangled Banner” and “O Canada.”
Document Source: Gordon Ballantyne (2004), Warren Oliver (2008), John Popplewell (2018)
Related Document:
| Winners of the competition |
| 1958 Washington |
| 1959 Tie B.C., Washington |
| 1960 Washington |
| 1961 Washington |
| 1962 B.C. |
| 1963 B.C. |
| 1964 Washington |
| 1965 Washington |
| 1966 B.C. |
| 1967 Oregon |
| 1968 Oregon |
| 1969 Oregon |
| 1970 Washington |
| 1971 Oregon |
| 1972 Oregon |
| 1973 B.C. |
| 1974 B.C. |
| 1975 Oregon |
| 1976 Tie B.C., Oregon |
| 1977 Oregon |
| 1978 Oregon |
| 1979 Oregon |
| 1980 Tie Oregon, Washington |
| 1981 Oregon |
| 1982 Oregon |
| 1983 Oregon |
| 1984 Oregon |
| 1985 B.C. |
| 1986 Washington |
| 1987 B.C. |
| 1988 Oregon |
| 1989 B.C. |
| 1990 B.C. |
| 1991 Oregon |
| 1992 B.C. |
| 1993 B.C. |
| 1994 Oregon |
| 1995 Washington |
| 1996 Oregon |
| 1997 B.C. |
| 1998 Washington |
| 1999 Washington |
| 2000 Washington |
| 2001 Tie 3 way |
| 2002 Oregon |
| 2003 B.C. |
| 2004 Washington |
| 2005 Oregon |
| 2006 Oregon |
| 2007 Washington |
| 2008 Oregon |
| 2009 B.C. |
| 2010 Washington |
| 2011 Washington |
| 2012 B.C. |
| 2013 Oregon |
| 2014 Washington |
| 2015 B.C. |
| 2016 Oregon/Washington – tie |
| 2017 – Oregon |
| 2018 – Oregon/BC – tie |