FREE FOR RESIDENTS JUNE 20, 21, 2010 NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

So I went to the International Tennis Hall of Fame today, thinking it was free. Once a year, local residents are free at different places around the area. Well, it is tomorrow and Monday that the venues are free, but they were nice enough to let me in, today.

I tagged along with a small band of tourists, while the volunteer guide tried to inform us of the Tennis Hall of Fame and what it had to offer - but much of the time - 3 of the 4 people were walking off on their own and she had no one to talk to, but one of us. They others were all from Brazil and I was from ...well, here....where the Hall of Fame is located.

I have never been inside the museum, just to the tennis tournament held on the grass courts there. The inside pictures (below) were taken today. And the grounds pictures were taken in 2009.

The guide wasn't as fond of Rafa as I am - she thinks he should go to Africa like Roddick and Federer and Rafa shouldn't wear the watch that he wore at The French Open. And one of the men from Brazil likes Rafa, but likes his current on-court clothing, which I don't. I started this Facebook page: RAFA NADAL BRING BACK LONG PANTS SLEEVELESS TOPS

But this is the kind of thing that I read and know Rafa is the man.

This is the Hall of Fame and you aren't supposed to be inducted until after you have been retired for five years, although one man was. The guide thought this was because he had some legal problems in his country at the time and they inducted him to let him leave his country. I have no idea. She also didn't like Borg, because he is the only inducted player to choose not to show up for his inductee ceremony - the same year as Billie Jean King.

Rafa was well represented in the museum, although of course, he hasn't been inducted yet. According to the volunteer guide, one of the three main inductees for 2011 will be Andre Agassi.

The court as you enter

The picture below is what is at the base of the pictured statue above.

Picture from the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI
What men once wore.

What women wore to play tennis in at one time. Must have been a slow game.

Free to residents June 20 and 21, 2010
www.onaquidneck.com

Here is what is free for residents......

June 20 & 21 - Newport County Attraction Days - Free Admission to Area Attractions for Residents & hospitality workers
The Attractions Council of Newport County invites all Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry to visit many great local attractions on Sunday, June 20, 2010 and Monday, June 21, 2010. A total of 19 attractions/organizations are participating, including for the first time several attractions located in Bristol. Visitors showing proof of residency (driver's license or other identification with an address) or proof of hospitality employment (business card, employee ID or pay stub) will enjoy free admission or another value as noted when visiting the attractions listed below. Please call the individual attractions for operating schedule and other detailed information.

Amazing Grace Harbor Tours/Oldport Marine 401-662-0082 www.OldPortMarine.com Free harbor tour. Sunday June 20 only. Audubon Society Environmental Education Center 401-245-7500 www.asri.org Free admission Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum 401-253-2707 www.Blithewold.org Free admission Coggeshall Farm Museum 401-253-9062 www.CoggeshallFarm.org Free admission Firehouse Theater 401-849-3473 www.FirehouseTheater.org Special June 21 performance: The Bit Players at 7pm. Limited seating, reservation required Greenvale Vineyards 401-847-3777 www.Greenvale.com Free tasting Historic Fort Adams 401-841-0707 www.FortAdams.org Free admission International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum 401-324-6033 www.TennisFame.com Free admission Museum of Newport History 401-846-0813 www.NewportHistorical.org Free admission Museum of Yachting 401-847-1018 www.MOY.org Free admission Newport Art Museum 401-848-8200 www.NewportArtMuseum.org Free admission Sunday, June 20 only. Closed June 21.

Newport Grand Slots 401-849-5000 www.NewportGrand.com $5 in Reward Points when signing up for a Grand Rewards Card - Points valid for food or beverage within Newport Grand Slots. New Members only, 18+ Newport Mansions 401-847-1000 www.NewportMansions.org Free admission to The Breakers, The Breakers Stable & Carriage House (open Sunday only), Chateau-sur-Mer, Chepstow, The Elms, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, Isaac Bell House, Kingscote, Marble House, and Rosecliff, and a 10% discount at all Newport Mansions Stores. Newport Vineyards & Winery 401-848-5161 www.NewportVineyards.com Free tour & tasting Norman Bird Sanctuary 401-846-2577 www.NormanBirdSanctuary.org Free admission Redwood Library & Athenaeum 401-841-5680 www.RedwoodLibrary.org Free admission & 10% off purchases Sakonnet Vineyards 401-635-8486 www.SakonnetWine.com Tour, tasting & logo wineglass Save The Bay Exploration Center & Aquarium at Easton's Beach 401-324-6020 www.SaveBay.org Free admission Sightsailing of Newport / Bowens Wharf 401-849-3333 www.SightSailing.com Free cruise aboard Schooner Aquidneck Touro Synagogue and Loeb Visitors Center 401-847-4794 www.TouroSynagogue.org Free admission

Suzanne Lenglen at the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Suzanne Lenglen and me
at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 19, 2010

All photo credits: Sandra Hammel

Roland Garros has a court named after Suzanne Lenglen

This is Rafa's actual clothing from the Australian Open 2010
and the trophy isn't Rafa's trophy....it is some other winner's trophy (I can't remember whose) who donated it or loaned it to the museum.
But it is just like the one Rafa won. Also, pictured below.

This is Venus Williams outfit that caused a stir in Paris this year at The French Open. It arrived yesterday at the museum.

I can't remember which tournament this trophy is for.
I think it the trophy that the winner takes home from Wimbledon.




What once was the Library
now is just an exhibit at the Hall of Fame museum

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BdaSailor — June 19, 2010 — The start of the 2010 Bermuda Race which took place on June 18, 2010 of Newport, R.I. in a flood tide and 10kts of southwesterly breeze.

Music: Vanessa Amorosi's Absolutely Everybody


Click post title for a video I made of Sachuest Beach - near my home.

A GRAY DAY IN LONDON - AND IN OUR RAFA-LOVING HEARTS AS HE WITHDRAWS FROM WIMBLEDON 09

RAFA NADAL LISTENS TO HIS BODY
WITHDRAWS FROM WIMBLEDON 09

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June 19, 2009
1:46
Uploaded by tnnews

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Rafael Nadal interview with BBC news
after announcing his withdrawal from Wimbledon 09
2:55
Uploaded by merikob

There are many youtube videos with Rafa announcing his Wimbledon 09 withdrawal.
Above are just two of many.

REPORT - June 19th, 2009.

Rafael Nadal has announced he will not defend his Wimbledon title.

The world number one and top seed had said after the French Open that he would not play Wimbledon if he was not 100% and so it has come to pass.

"Im here and I'm just not 100%. I'm better than what I was a couple of weeks ago but I dont feel right," Nadal told a packed press conference on Friday evening at the All England Club.

"To not play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career."

After suffering a shock defeat in the French Open to Robin Soderling, Nadal received treatment on his knees in Barcelona and skipped the traditional Wimbledon warm-up at Queens in an effort to be fit for The Championships. He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.

"I tried everything. I didn't feel terrible but also not close to my best. When I enter a tournament my goal is winning and my feeling right now is I'm not ready to win.

"It's very painful for me but I can't play at the tournament this year. It's tough but it is what it is."

Nadal's absence will cause a reshuffle in the mens singles draw. Nadal's place will be taken by fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro's place will be taken by the 17th seed James Blake. Blake's place will be taken by Jose Arguso of Argentina and a lucky loser will fill Arguso's spot.

Nadal revealed that he had been playing with considerable pain and he didn't know how long he would be out of tennis. But he said he expected to fully recover from his knee problems and that he would have a "long career".

"I played with some problems on the knee for the last few months. I've been making efforts to play week after week. The truth is that sportsmen always play with pain and don't know where the limit is, where you can get to. I think I reached that limit now.

"I will work very hard to comeback as soon as possible. One of the problems is Im thinking more about the knees than what is happening on court and its very difficult to play like that."

When Nadal was asked about his many fans and how disappointed they would be that he was not appearing at Wimbledon, the 23-year-old replied: "no more than me".

Nadal also said he was not concerned that his absence would open the door for Roger Federer to reclaim the number one world ranking. "If I lose the number one ranking Im going to accept it like the four years I was number two and work hard to improve and recover."

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The Times

June 20, 2009

Rafael Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon with knee problems

Rafael Nadal will not be able to defend his crown

By Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent

Beneath the surface of the toughest decision of Rafael Nadals career was the realisation that for all the staggering bravado of his tennis and the many honours that it has brought him, the world No 1 and Wimbledon champion has long been asking more of his body than it was able to give in return.

The moment that Nadal, a six-times grand-slam champion, walked into the Wimbledon press room last night with a stern-looking Ian Ritchie, the All England Club chief executive, we knew that the game was up. For only the second time in the modern era, after the retirement from deep-seated shoulder problems of Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 champion, the mens singles title will not be defended by its holder. Nadal tried to put a brave face on it.

Although the 23-year-old Spaniard long contended that those who believe his style of play and remarkable on-court attitude would be his physical undoing were seriously misjudging his fortitude, even he had to admit yesterday that he had made mistakes.

Asked to elaborate, he said: Maybe I played too much, you never know. The truth is that sportsmen always play in pain, you dont know where the limit is and where you can get to. I think I have reached that limit right now. I need to reset and come back stronger.

The enduring wish of those who follow this sport must be that with a period of rest, with the right treatment he is in brilliant hands and with tons of patience, Nadal can do just that.

But we return to the dilemma faced by all players, that racket technology has advanced beyond all recognition that new strings are coming on to the market that will induce yet more spin and that unless a halt is called soon, the choice that the best player in the world has had to make will become a disastrous norm. If Nadals broken heart stands for anything, it is that the tennis authorities must make a stand now.

The Wimbledon Championships have been dealt a shattering blow. When the champion arrived in London on Tuesday, he was fighting an uphill battle to be fit. Tests in Barcelona after his premature exit from the French Open, where he lost to Robin Söderling in the fourth round, had shown that he was suffering from oedemas in both knees. Nadal was not his usual upbeat self and Toni Nadal, his coach and uncle, cut a resigned figure. Two matches at Hurlingham, both of which he lost, only added to his anxiety.

I tried everything, I worked hard in the last week, I tried to arrive here in my best condition, he said. It is my nature to start a tournament like this one, one that is one of the most special in my heart, only if I have a chance to win. This is one of the toughest decisions of my career and the situation makes me sad. There was no option.

I have arrived at one of the most important moments of my year with the worst feelings. I had physical problems at Roland Garros and now I have to miss Wimbledon, too. It is tough to accept. I have amazing memories of this tournament, last year was one of the best moments of my life, this is one of the most special tournaments always. I want to come back with 100 per cent mentality and physically because it is very difficult to play well like this.

The most immediate beneficiary is Andy Murray, the British No 1, who becomes the highest-ranked player in the top half of the draw. One by one as the names were drawn into his section, we ticked them into the box marked very beatable. Robert Kendrick, the American ranked No 76, comes first, then either Ernests Gulbis, of Latvia, or Riccardo Ghedin, an Italian qualifier, while Taylor Dent, an American and his probable third-round foe, has spent much of the past couple of years in a body brace, unable to move, the effect of back surgery.

For the most part, rational commentators do not look beyond the first round of any tennis tournament, and as for peering into the second week, that is asking for a poke in the eye. But with Murray on the verge of this Wimbledon, now that he has become a figure of such genuine respect, the urge is irresistible and there was a real feeling of OK, bring it on when the draw was completed.

Kendrick has won a single set from Murray in their three meetings in the first round of the 2006 US Open and on grass a month before that, when he was a genuine novice, the Scot beat him 6-0, 6-0 in Newport, Rhode Island. It was said, perhaps, that Kendrick had turned up at the Newport Casino, which is the tournaments home, expecting to indulge in a game of craps and, well, thats how his game turned out. Murray clearly has his number.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6538282.ece

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www.wimbledon.org/en_GB

Link to many articles about Rafa's Withdrawal from Wimbledon 09:
http://news.google.com/news/story - Rafael+Nadal+Withdraws+Wimbledon

Emotional-Rafael-Nadal-pulls-Wimbledon-title-defence-knee-injury

Nadal-takes-toughest-decision by pulling out of Wimbledon defence

Nadal-will-bouce-back-after-break

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On June 16, I took my tennis racket and camera to the International Tennis Hall of Fame to take a picture of myself biting my racket to enter the Babolat contest where Rafa Nadal will choose 10 winning pictures.


You can enter too. Send your picture to mordstaraquette@babolat.com by July 15, 2009.

See the entries at http://www.flickr.com/photos/babolatvs/page1/

Here are some pictures I took while at International Tennis Hall of Fame. To enlarge the photos, click on them. ITHoF is about 10 minutes from my house. All photo credits should read: Sandra Hammel.

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

This is the plaque that is below the statue pictured above.
at the
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

International Tennis Hall of Fame
Bellevue Avenue
Newport, Rhode Island
June 16, 2009
Photo credit should read: Sandra Hammel

Website of
International Tennis Hall of Fame

http://www.tennisfame.com/

July 6 - 12, 2009 Campbells Hall of Fame Tennis Championships

Link to Tournament:

www.tennisfame.com/ithof.aspx?pgID=966

The Campbell's Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, scheduled for July 6-12, 2009 will host 32 of the top players in the world on the legendary grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The first American stop on the ATP World Tour following Wimbledon, Newport is the only professional grass court tournament in North America.

Some History

The Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino, site of the first U.S. National Championships in 1881, was founded by tennis innovator James Van Alen in 1954 as "a shrine to the ideals of the game." The Tennis Hall of Fame was officially sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association in 1954 and was recognized by the International Tennis Federation in 1986. Over the last ten years, the Hall of Fame complex and Museum have been restored to their original splendor with the 1997 completion of a five year, $7.5 million renovation and endowment project.

YOU CAN PLAY TENNIS ON THE GRASS COURTS AT THE
INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME

Front Lawn Courts at the Hall of Fame

The International Tennis Hall of Fame is truly unique in that it is one of the only Hall of Fame sporting venues where the public can actually play tennis on Hall of Fame grounds! Players of every age and any ability level have the opportunity to play tennis on the Hall of Fame’s legendary grass courts, where the first U.S. National Tennis Championships were held in 1881. Tennis champions past and present have graced the Hall of Fame’s grass courts including Billie Jean King, Rod Laver, Bill Tilden, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Tony Trabert, Virginia Wade, Tracy Austin, Chris Evert, John Newcombe, Stan Smith -- just to name a few.

The grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame are America's only competitive grass courts which open to the public for play during season May through September. The Hall of Fame offers 13 grass courts, one clay court and three indoor award-winning hard courts. The courts are open to the public via reservations, and we also offer outdoor and indoor club memberships; USPTA/PTR certified instruction for juniors and adults of all ages and ability levels - private and group; adult and junior tennis camps and programming; daily clinics; CardioTennis; and a full service Pro Shop.

To make a reservation or to sign up for one of our programs, contact our professional tennis staff directly by calling 401-846-0642.

^{Horseshoe Court and Clocktower Horseshoe Piazza and Horseshoe Court}

^{Front Lawn Courts and Horseshoe Piazza}

FUN FACTS

1. The Newport Casino building -- designed in 1880 by the then fledgling architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White -- was Stanford White's first major commission.
2. The Newport Casino was built as a social and recreational club, not as a place for gambling. In fact, "casina" is an Italian word for farmstead or "little house."
3. The Casino structure had no American architectural precedent and only one possible precursor in England. The concept of renting the building's first floor to local merchants and using space on the second floor for the club was unique.
4. In its heyday, the Casino offered archery, billiards, bowling, concerts, dancing, dining, horse shows, lawn bowling, reading, tea parties and theatricals in addition to the staples of its present day offerings -- lawn tennis and court tennis.
5. In 1881, the Newport Casino hosted the first U.S. National Lawn Tennis Championships. At that time, the championships consisted only of men's singles and doubles. The Casino continued to host the event until 1915, when it moved to Forest Hills, N.Y. The tournament is now known as the U.S. Open.
6. The Casino's historic courts are the world's oldest continuously used competition grass courts and the only competition grass courts open to the public for play.
7. The concept of putting a Tennis Hall of Fame at this site originated with Casino president James Van Alen, who would later invent the tennis tiebreaker and other innovative scoring systems.
8. The International Tennis Hall of Fame Museum is the world's largest tennis museum and owns the world's largest collection of tennis memorabilia.
9. Today, the Hall of Fame hosts the last remaining professional tennis events played on grass in North America.
10. The Tennis Hall of Fame presently hosts the opening night concert of Newport's JVC Jazz Festival. The Casino was the site of the first Newport Jazz Festival in 1954.

Rafa Websites:

http://www.babolat.com/#/tennis/en

Fan Forums
www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=84197&p=1

www.vamosbrigade.com/

www.babolat.com

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You've seen the reports from Iran.

See this under-reported news from the Darfuris...

Live from a Darfuri

refugee camp

Saturday, June 20, 2009

I will be tuning in to watch between 9:00 am and 9:00 p.m.

The live feed will feature I-ACT just over the border from Sudan in Chad from a Darfuri refugee camp - Camp Djabal.

Below is information.

World Refugee Day is a time of celebration. To honor the survivors who were forced from their homes and sought refuge and safety from violence. To recognize them as human beings and not statistics, or worse, an ignored story. World Refugee Day is also a time to reflect on the root causes of mass atrocities and solutions to allow those who were forced to run, back to their homeland in Darfur.

It should be a day of action, as action is the very best way to honor and celebrate the sorrows and triumphs of humanity. We can do this by connecting with humanity, person to person.

World Refugee Day

Saturday June 20th

www.refugeedaylive.org

9am EST
(Right now, there is video up from June 19th's live feed to Washington, D.C. )

Experience the camp, online live
June 20th, 2009

Then contact President Obama and ask him to lead on this vital issue.

Write to President Obama
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

You can also write to the President at:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

President Obama can be called:

202-456-1111
or
1-800-GENOCIDE

The White House comment line is available
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays

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Find USA elected politicians contact information at this link:
www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

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www.stopgenocidenow.org


www.enoughproject.org
www.savedarfur.org
www.eyesondarfur.org

whilewewaitsudan.blogspot.com

Humanity Before Politics.

RAFAEL NADAL ROUND 4 WIMBLEDON 08 PICTURES

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IF uploaded by terrorcide
During the epic Wimbledon 2008 Final Match
the BBC screened a reading of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If"
voiced by these two epic opponents, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

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Rafael Nadal Homecoming after winning Wimbledon 08
Uploaded by mallorcatube
Rafael is being received by the people and the mayor of his hometown, Manacor, in Mallorca, Spain

The pictures are of Wimbledon 2008 Round 4 Rafael Nadal d Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
on June 30, 2008. The following picture credits go to Daylife, Getty Images, Terra, Wimbledon Website and Yahoo Sport:

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Rafael Nadal's website www.rafaelnadal.com
The best place for the lastest and oldest news on Rafa at The Forum

RAFAEL NADAL PICTURES OF WIMBLEDON 2008

Pictures above when Rafa returned to his home
after winning Wimbledon 08

Photo credits of 5 pictures above: Yahoo

Photo credits of 8 picutres above: Diariodemallorca

Rafa in Manacor
Photo credit: Daylife

Photo credit unknown

Above two photo credits to Getty

Above two pictures from Hola Magazine

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Slideshow of Final Match July 6, 2008 Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal versus Roger Federer
Photo credits: Yahoo, Daylife, Getty, el Mundo, Reuters and unknown sources

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Uploaded by xDeeCeex also known as Daniëlle of the Netherlands
Moments of Wimbledon 2008