Philadelphia Cricket Club

The Philadelphia Cricket Club is the oldest cricket club in the US city of Philadelphia, and one of the oldest country clubs in the nation. It was founded in 1854 by a group of English expatriates while studying in the University of Pennsylvania. It was one of the founding members of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), holding the women's singles championship (today the U.S. Open) for many years, and its original golf course was the site of two U.S. Open golf championships.

The Philadelphia Cricket Club has two locations: one in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia where the main offices are located along with the tennis and squash facilities and the eight-lane, twenty-five meter swimming pool. There is also a short, nine-hole golf course there too. The second location is ten minutes away in Flourtown, which holds two 18-hole golf courses.

Originally, the cricket team did not own any grounds to play on and used various venues as available. This changed in 1883, when grounds and a clubhouse were donated by Henry H. Houston. The team was disbanded in 1924 as the club's other sports became more prevalent, but cricket was revived in 1998.

Throughout this time, swimming, golf, tennis, and squash have also thrived at the country club. It is highly dedicated to the growth of juniors in these sports. In 2006, for example, the junior swimming team placed fourth at the Country Club Swimming Association of Greater Philadelphia's League Championships led by the William Penn Charter's high school swimming coach Kevin Berkoff.

Tennis

In 1881, the club was one of the founding members of the United States Lawn Tennis Association, today the USTA. The club held the inaugural U.S. Women's National Singles Championship in 1887, and continued to hold the event until 1921 when it moved to Forest Hills. The Women's National Doubles Championship (which started in 1889) and Mixed Doubles Championship (which started in 1892) were also held at the club until 1921. These events later combined with the men's singles and doubles championships to form the U.S. Open.

Trapshooting

Trapshooting has become more and more of a prevailing sport at PCC. Shooting dates are held November through April on Militia Hill golf course.

Golf

The Philadelphia Cricket Club was one of the founding members of the Golf Association of Philadelphia when it was organized in 1897. Today it operates three courses, each opened in a different century.

The club originally opened a 9-hole course in 1895, which was quickly replaced by the 18-hole St. Martin's course in 1898, designed by Willie Tucker. This course hosted the U.S. Open championships in 1907 and 1910, won by Alec Ross and Alex Smith respectively. Today, this course has been reduced to a 9-hole layout.

Because the St. Martin's course was built on land not owned by the club, an additional tract of land in Flourtown was bought in 1920. In 1922, a new course designed by A. W. Tillinghast was opened. It is known today as the Wissahickon course, and has hosted several local tournaments.

The Militia Hill course was opened in 2002, also at the Flourtown site. It was built on an old Revolutionary War encampment, and was designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. The Flourtown complex is complete with a driving range (also used by the trapshooters in the fall), practice chipping area, and putting green.

President

Babara M. Daly is the current president of the Philadelphia Cricket Club, and is the first ever woman president.

ee also

*Philadelphian cricket team
*Merion Cricket Club
*Germantown Cricket Club
*Belmont Cricket Club

External links

* [http://www.philacricket.com/ Philadelphia Cricket Club]
* [http://www.chestnuthillacademy.org/about_cha/overview/default.asp?groupid=1084 History of Chestnut Hill Academy] , which is across the street and shares some history