Cache is not at posted coordinates. Use those for parking.
Dawn to Dusk only - Extremely heavy muggle activity during nice/warm weather - BYOP
Tennis in Manheim dates back to 1899. The first court was at East Park School. After two years the court was relocated at "The Rafters", Elwyn Terrace. In 1905 the court was moved to the rear of the Red Front Park which was 17 S. Main St. Several years later it was rebuilt next to the Grade School on East High St., and by 1915 relocated on the White property which is now the parking lot of the Beck Funeral Home, 21 Market Square. The earliest players were Abe Young, Jess Gingrich, Bob Hershey, John Boyd, A. K. Kaufmann, John Hamaker, Guy Obetz, Stanley Biemesderfer, and John Shull.
By 1915 Henry Brandt, Paul Hummer and John Hunter joined the group and in 1923 these men along with Jess Gingrich built the two first courts at the present location, the athletic field in the Veterans Memorial Park. Later a third court was built. This third court was later replaced by two courts built by Elden Rettew and Paul Stern.
From 1915 to 1940 Henry Brandt was responsible for the successful operation of the club. In 1940 Elden Rettew was elected President of the club and for the last 22 years due to his efforts the club has thrived and maintained four of the best clay courts in the county.
Since 1936 club tournaments were conducted and champion-ships were won by Paul Stern, Oscar Achey, Richard Young, Gilbert Young, Dave Young, John Blanck Jr., and Don Royer, the present champion.
The Club is a member of the United States Lawn Tennis Association and has maintained a team in the Inter-County Tennis League since its formation in 1925. In the spring the Boys and Girls High School teams use the courts for practice and matches.
Three of the courts are for exclusive use of club members and the fourth is open to the public. About one fourth of the maintenance is paid by the Manheim Field Commission and the balance by the club members. Two of the courts are flood lighted for night playing.
N40 10.ABC
W76 23.DEF
A= third digit of year court moved to rear of Red Front Park
B = total # of earliest players
C = last digit the Manheim Tennis Club dates to
D = # of men who in 1923 built first two courts at present location
E = first digit of year Elden Rettew was elected President of the club
F = # of courts suited for night playing
Checksum A+B+C+D+E+F = 25
Congratulations to jimkirk for FTF!
This cache is dedicated to my father, William Loercher who turns 80 this year (2022). He served as MTC secretary/treasurer for 55 years until stepping down in 2016. He began in 1960 — the year he graduated from Manheim Central — and held the post through college and his teaching and administrative careers. For 20-plus years, he also assumed the roles of groundskeeper and tournament director.
(As of 2016) He remains one of the top players in his age group in the USTA Middle States section, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware and parts of New Jersey and West Virginia. In a 1999 survey of the best tennis players in Lancaster County history, Loercher was rated sixth.
He only lost four matches while playing for Millersville University in the mid-1960s.
Following college, he reached a high of No. 10 in the USTA Middle States open division, and has been ranked No. 1 in various age groups.
He was a member of three local teams — one from Hershey and two from Manheim — that have won USTA League national championships.
He won 20 club championships and the first of his five Lancaster County singles titles in 1970. He also won the Intercounty League singles title five times, the Harrisburg Open four times, the Mount Gretna Open four times and was a Pennsylvania Hard Courts and Eastern Clay Courts champion.
His singles record over parts of three decades in the now-defunct Intercounty League, which included teams from Harrisburg, Hershey, Carlisle, York and Lancaster, among others, was 194-4.
He and Don Royer were the No. 1-ranked USTA Middle States doubles team in the 35-over and 45-over age groups.