Walter Merrill Hall

He was the only child of John Walter Hall (organist, vocal instructor) and Louise Hanford Merrill.^[3] He married Mary Story "Vandy" Cape in Manhattan on April 11, 1925.^[4] She was also a tennis player. Hall took a middle-ground approach to the proposed rule redefining amateurism in 1924.^[5] It was a volatile issue for most of the year. Hall served as president of the West Side Tennis Club, 1929–31. He was an administrator with the now-United States Tennis Association. Treasure: 1931–33. President: 1934–36.^[6] He then served the game in various capacities, including as chairman of the Davis Cup Committee. He worked in New York City as a banker, broker, and investment adviser.^[2] Hall died at the Bayberry Nursing Home in New Rochelle, New York, at age 92.^[7]

Hall was ranked in the U.S. Top Ten in 1911, 1915 and 1918.^[8][9] Hall was a singles quarterfinalist and finalist at the Tri-State tournament (Cincinnati Open) in 1910 and 1911.^[10] He won a doubles (with Harold Hackett) and two singles runner-ups in the Clay Court Championships between 1910 and 1913.^[11] He won three Middle States Championships (1911, 1918, and 1919). He reached the quarterfinals at the U.S. National Championships in 1918 and 1919. The first was a five-set close loss to Bill Tilden, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5, 5-7, 1-6. Hall was leading in the fourth set, 5-3. Tilden then won four straight games. Hall won the New Hampshire State Championships in singles at age 45 (1933).^[12]