Merion Cricket Club

Bill Giese of Merion Cricket Club scored a 10-15, 15-10, 15-3, 15-12 victory over William Boyd of Tallahassee, Fla., in the opening round of the 50-and-over division of the 54th annual Atlantic Coast Squash Racquets tournament at Resorts Racquets Clubs. In 60-and-over action, Bill Sykes of Merion Cricket Club defeated Jerry Gervasi of Lower Merion, 15-14, 14-15, 15-13, 15-9. In 65-and-over, Carter Fergusson of Merion Cricket Club scored a 15-11, 15-10, 15-11 win over Charles Palms of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Bill Wilson of Merion defeated John Weissenfluh of Rockville, Md., 15-13, 15-9, 15-10; and Anthony Cantori of Brooklyn, N.Y., defeated Carlos Morales of New York, 15-10, 18-16, 12-15, 15-18 and 15-10.

About 200 people not lucky enough to get a royal invite to the wedding of Prince Williams and his new bride, Princess Kate, donned their finest chapeaux, jewels, tiara and medals to toast the happy couple at a champagne breakfast hosted by the British Military Officers Club of the Main Line at Merion Cricket Club. Never mind that a sliver of moon was still visible when the event started at 5 a.m. "I think they're perfect and they seem so much in love," said Amanda Wolfington, 18, of Malvern, wearing a big floppy hat at a table with her mother and some friends.

SQUASH might not come close to the American traditions of football, baseball and basketball in the public consciousness, but the athleticism needed to excel at the sport is certainly equal to that of the more popular pastimes. It's a sport pursued at such venues as the Merion Cricket Club, where privileged scions of the Main Line meet to challenge each other with racket and ball. One of the greatest squash players of modern times was G. Diehl Mateer Jr., who in a period of two decades cleaned up just about every contest and earned just about every trophy available.

Fifth-seeded Cathy Ramsay of Strafford defeated fourth-seeded Lee Gummeson of Bryn Mawr, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, in the Eleanor Hammonds Cup Tennis Championship quarterfinals yesterday at Merion Cricket Club.

John Frazier of the home club won the Philadelphia District 50-and-over squash racquets championship by rallying past Bill Sykes of Atlantic City Country Club, 10-15, 15-9, 18-15, 15-11, yesterday at the Merion Cricket Club. In other squash action, Jim McCaslin won on his Cynwyd Club court, three games to two, over Allan Terrell of Wilmington Country Club to reach the semifinals of the Philadelphia 45-and-over championship. Charles Baker of the home club advanced to the final of the Philadelphia 60-and-over championship with a 15-8, 15-8, 15-10 victory over Bob Bennis of the Berwyn RC at the Merion Cricket Club.

Henri Salaun of Boston won the Philadelphia Hardball Open 70-and-over Squash Racquets Championship by defeating Charles Baker, 15-10, 11-15, 16-14, 15-7, yesterday at the Merion Cricket Club in the final round. Aside from the final-round match, play was round-robin. Salaun scored triumphs in the round-robin by 15-12, 15-8, 15-5 over Ed Wilford and by 15-7, 15-4, 15-6 over Bob Monihan. Wilford had beaten Monihan by 18-15, 15-9, 15-11. Baker, a Merion Cricket Club member, gained the final by defeating Tom Berry, 15-3, 15-6, 17-14, and by 15-6, 15-12, 15-11 over Carter Fergusson.

Terry Hassall, Merion Cricket Club pro, advanced to the semifinal round of the Radley Run 35-and-over Tennis Championship with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Mike Ray yesterday at Radley Run Country Club. Jim Breech of Bridgeton, N.J., won his quarterfinal, 6-3, 6-2, over Tony Fernandez. Rain prevented the two finals from being played yesterday. Weather permitting, Lucy McAvoy and Lourie Hissey will defend their Mater et Filia (Mother and Daughter) Grass Court Tennis Championship against Sibby Toland and Deenie Kingham today at 10 a.m. at Merion Cricket Club.

Tom Poor of Boston and Jessie Chai of Durham, N.C., won a tight match against Jody Law, a Germantown Cricket Club pro, and Andy Nehrbas of Merion Cricket Club, 15-11, 16-15, 10-15, 15-12, to reach the semifinals of the National Mixed Doubles Squash Racquets Championship yesterday at the Cynwyd Club.

Top-seed Margaret Harris of Harleysville, Pa., advanced to the quarterfinals of the Middle States Girls' 18-and-Under Tennis Championship by defeating Kellie Murphy of Media, 6-3, 6-2, yesterday at the Merion Cricket Club. The other seeded contenders, Lauren Nikolaus of Columbia, Pa.; Jill Breslin of Absecon, N.J., and Lyle Aydin of Coopersburg, Pa., also advanced.

Top-seeded Harriet Madeira of Berwyn advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Eleanor Hammonds Cup women's tennis tournament with a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 victory over Valerie Hayes of West Chester yesterday at Merion Cricket Club. The other seeded players also advanced - Cathy Ramsay of Malvern, Jeanne Craft of Newtown Square, and Laurie Hissey of West Chester.

G. Diehl Mateer Jr., 84, a champion U.S. squash player from the Main Line who was once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, died Saturday, Sept. 22, of heart failure at his home in Virginia. Mr. Mateer graduated from Episcopal Academy in 1946 and from Haverford College in 1950. As a teen, he was a rising star in tennis. But his interest shifted to hardball squash, which he learned at the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford. Mr. Mateer went on to win three U.S. National singles squash championships, two intercollegiate titles, and a record 11 U.S. National doubles championships with five partners.

SQUASH might not come close to the American traditions of football, baseball and basketball in the public consciousness, but the athleticism needed to excel at the sport is certainly equal to that of the more popular pastimes. It's a sport pursued at such venues as the Merion Cricket Club, where privileged scions of the Main Line meet to challenge each other with racket and ball. One of the greatest squash players of modern times was G. Diehl Mateer Jr., who in a period of two decades cleaned up just about every contest and earned just about every trophy available.

About 200 people not lucky enough to get a royal invite to the wedding of Prince Williams and his new bride, Princess Kate, donned their finest chapeaux, jewels, tiara and medals to toast the happy couple at a champagne breakfast hosted by the British Military Officers Club of the Main Line at Merion Cricket Club. Never mind that a sliver of moon was still visible when the event started at 5 a.m. "I think they're perfect and they seem so much in love," said Amanda Wolfington, 18, of Malvern, wearing a big floppy hat at a table with her mother and some friends.

Richard C. Sorlien, 85, of Villanova, a lawyer and an amateur tennis champion who promoted the game for more than 50 years, died of a neurological illness Monday at Shannondell in Audubon, Montgomery County, where he had resided since October. Mr. Sorlien began playing tennis at age 7 on a makeshift court in St. Cloud, Minn. He first competed nationally in high school and later won a New England Intercollegiate Tennis Championship doubles title. During World War II, he served in the Army Air Force and won an Air Force tennis championship in the Philippines.

The heavyweights of the men's professional doubles squash tour, defending U.S. Open champions Garu Waite of Canada and Damien Mudge of Australia, were knocked out of the draw in the first round yesterday at the Sotheby's International Realty U.S. doubles squash championships at the Merion Cricket Club. Unseeded Tyler Millard and Michael Pirnak of Canada shocked the defending champions in straight games. "Tyler played the match of his life," said Pirnak, a 13-year-tour veteran.

When his son asked him once what he considered his greatest achievements, H. Hunter Lott Jr. did not hesitate when giving his answer: Marrying Virginia Sharp Lott, his wife of 63 years. Surviving four years in the Army during World War II, when he participated in battles throughout the European theater, including the D-Day invasion. And winning the 1949 National Squash Championship. "He knew exactly what the three greatest things in his life were," said Mr. Lott's son, H. Hunter Lott 3d. "He was an amazing man and an amazing athlete.

Eleanor Jones Hammonds, 90, of Bryn Mawr, a former tennis tournament organizer and official and ham radio operator, died of heart failure Saturday at home. For more than 25 years, Mrs. Hammonds was a referee for lawn tennis tournaments in Pennsylvania. She chaired the Middle States Tennis Association Women's Intercollegiate Championships for many years and served several terms as chairwoman of the Women's Interclub Tennis Association of Philadelphia. The Eleanor Hammonds Trophy is awarded annually to the winner of the association's tournament at the Merion Cricket Club.

E. Howard York 3d, 86, a retired advertising executive, decorated World War II veteran, and civic activist, died of cardiovascular disease Saturday at Beaumont, a retirement home in Bryn Mawr. Mr. York, a longtime resident of Villanova, grew up in Haverford across the street from the Merion Cricket Club. He spent much of his childhood on the club's tennis courts and would remain a lifelong player. He competed in national and international tournaments including Wimbledon, and in 1938 he and his father were finalists in the national father-and-son doubles tournament.

Former University of Pennsylvania squash coach Ann D. Wetzel will be inducted into the United States Squash Hall of Fame in ceremonies tonight at the Merion Cricket Club. Wetzel was the national champion in the sport in 1964; she had reached the tournament final in each of the previous five years. Wetzel also was part of national-championship doubles teams in 1952, 1956, 1959 and 1964. Wetzel started the women's team at Penn in 1968 and coached there until 1994. She is retired, living six months in Ocean City, N.J., and six months in South Florida.

William J. Clothier 2d, 86, a master of the gentleman's game of tennis and a player in the not-so-gentle game of international espionage, died Saturday of leukemia at his home in Valley Forge. A true first son of Philadelphia, Mr. Clothier was the grandson of Isaac Clothier, co-founder of Strawbridge & Clothier department stores. Many identified Mr. Clothier with tennis in Philadelphia, both as a player who once won a national doubles championship against the founder of the Davis Cup tournament and as an official who helped bring men's professional tennis to the city.