Carol Bentley

As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary this year, we continue to look back on our history. This month, we include an article that ran in 1981 featuring the Pauline Betz Addie Cup and how the event came about. This year’s Addie Cup results can be found below under Tournament Recaps.

The Pauline Betz Addie Cup for senior women, 40 and over, is appropriately named in honor of one of the greatest tennis players of our time. The first U.S. senior women’s cup competition was the idea of Carol Bentley of the Middle Atlantic team. In October 1980 she discussed the idea with two other seniors and they thought it would be great. She then involved Pauline and things started mushrooming. Carol Wood handled the correspondence with the three other sections involved and they agreed on a convenient date. This was just the beginning.

An intersectional competition, the Betz Addie Cup is to be held annually between New England, Eastern, Middle States, and the Middle Atlantic tennis associations. The two-day format is six singles matches and three doubles.

The Pauline Betz Addie Cup was graciously donated by Bob Addie, Pauline’s husband, in her honor. Pauline won Wimbledon in 1946 and during the 1940s she won the U.S. National Championship four times, the U.S. Clay twice, and the USTA Indoor twice. In addition, she has many titles in women’s doubles as well as mixed doubles. As a touring pro, Pauline defeated Gussie Moran, Doris Hart, and Althea Gibson, to name a few.

Pauline operates the Pauline and Gary Addie Tennis Camp at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. On a 12-month basis, she manages and teaches at two indoor facilities. For pleasure, she loves to read, is an ardent golfer (the golfers also have a cup in her name), master bridge player, excels at piano, is studying the flute, and taking computer courses!

Middle Atlantic hosted the first Pauline Betz Addie Cup matches at Stanley Hoffberger’s Aspen Hill Racquet Club in Silver Spring, Maryland, on June 5-6, 1981. Team members included:

• Eastern: E. Wright, L. Cillia, S. Clark, L. Burling, N. Jones, P. Nichaus

• Middle Atlantic: C. Bentley, S. Harrison, S. Shelburn, D. Briggs, S. Harcher, S. Milbank, Carole Herrick, P. Addie, C. Wood

• Middle States: B. Vosters, R. Diamond, B. Weiss, L.Sharp, L. McAvoy, B. Russell, P. Hammer, D. Licht, J. Kimball, A. Watson, B. Goodell, L. Wroblewski

• New England: J. Butler, S. Weinstock, S. Apostolon, B. Foster, P. Garrido, E. Lauterbach

After the draw was made, Middle Atlantic defeated Middle States 6-3. In the other half, Eastern defeated New England 7-2. The next day’s finals were won by Middle Atlantic over Eastern 6-3. The consolations were won by Middle States 5-4 over New England.  

Pauline very kindly agreed to play doubles with Carol Bentley in the number two spot for the Middle Atlantic team. Remember that beautiful backhand? It is still alive! When they finished, Carol remarked to Pauline that someone was applauding and yelling for them. Pauline said, “Yes, that was my mother.” Mrs. Betz was there, 88 years young, cheering her favorite team to victory. 

After the presentation of the Cup to the captains by Pauline, there was an interesting film from Bill Stern’s movie news showing Pauline at Forest Hills, playing singles and doubles.

Mrs. Betz, Pauline’s mother, took the podium and gave a marvelous testimony on why she has always been proud of her daughter, Pauline. She, like Pauline, is a super person.

Mrs. Elsa Jablonski, who represents the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, gave support to the Pauline Betz Addie Cup and generously presented handsome plaques to each individual player on the winning team on behalf of the Brinker Tennis Foundation.

The next Pauline Betz Addie Cup will be hosted by Eastern in 1982 on May 14-15.