Ramsgate: Campaign to honour Wimbledon's first tennis champion
Restore Grave Of First Wimbledon Champ
Picture credit, Keystone Features
British tennis player Spencer Gore emerged victorious in the inaugural Wimbledon championship in the year 1877.
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A fundraising effort was started to renovate the run-down tomb of the inaugural winner of the Wimbledon men's singles tennis championship in Kent. So far, they have collected more than £1,500.
Spencer Gore won the tournament in 1877 and is thought to be the first player to start volleying during matches.
He passed away at the age of 56 in Ramsgate in 1906 and was laid to rest in the cemetery in town.
The people running the campaign expressed their sadness over the poor condition of Gore's grave site, noting that it is neglected and not properly recognized for his accomplishments.
Gavid Vickers, the founder of Infinity Tennis in east Kent, is involved in the effort to honor Gore.
He stated that his accomplishments are an important part of sports history, but unfortunately, his tomb has deteriorated.
Fixing it is not only about showing respect for a tennis trailblazer, but also about recognizing a community tie to a globally significant figure from history.
Picture credits go to Jo Burn from BBC.
Spencer Gore's tombstone does not talk about his success in playing tennis.
Following his victory at Wimbledon, Gore only participated in one more match at the renowned tournament and did not make a comeback after 1878.
He was a skilled cricket player and competed for Surrey at the county level.
Dominic Murphy, a member of the Friends of Spencer Square in Ramsgate, expressed deep sorrow upon discovering the gravestone.
He mentioned that they are suggesting a design for the new one that is sleek and uncomplicated, featuring a green base and honey-colored stone. The design will include a new engraving of the Wimbledon logo.
The two men are working towards collecting £5,000 to enhance the visibility and recognition of where Spencer Gore is buried.
They are aiming for the renovation to be completed before the upcoming Wimbledon tournament next year.
Mr. Vickers expressed that he thinks it is really interesting that the first Wimbledon champion is buried on our land. He added that he didn't want to make too big of a deal about it, but from a tennis point of view, it is a pretty special occurrence.
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