Club History
In 1911, the Manursing Island Club was formed as a membership corporation and purchased waterfront property on Long Island Sound in Rye, New York. The new Club's location was part of the land acquired by English colonists from the Siwanoy Native Americans in 1660 that later became the site of the original settlement in Rye.
Manursing opened in June of 1912 with Marselis Parsons, H.F.G Wey and Cornelius Sewall of Rye and Waldron Williams of New York City as its first officers. In addition to its well-designed clubhouse and prime location, Manursing attracted members then and thereafter with its premier tennis facilities, swimming pool, sandy beach and family atmosphere.
During the 1940s, the Club held occasional exhibition tennis matches featuring such well-known professionals as Don Budge, Bill Tilden, Vincent Richards and Alice Marble. Over the years, some of the best amateur tennis players in the area have been Manursing members, making the Club teams perennially strong competitors in the Westchester County Tennis League.
For nearly four decades, beginning in 1933, Manursing hosted the Eastern Inter-scholastics, drawing as many as 100 secondary school tennis players to the annual tournaments. Since 1961, the annual men's doubles tournament, known as the Richardson Invitational, has attracted many ranking professional and amateur players.
In 1934, the American Platform Tennis Association was formed with Fox Meadow Tennis Club in Scarsdale, the Field Club in Greenwich and Manursing as charter members. The ranks of national paddle tennis champions are filled with many former and current members of Manursing.
Competitive swimming also has long played an important part in the Club's activities through both intramural and inter-club meets. The headline of an article about Manursing in the Rye Chronicle issue of July 12, 1924 reported: "Fourth of July celebrated with fine program including water sports, dancing and fireworks in the evening."
For more than 100 years, Manursing continues to succeed in its mission, as stated in its charter: "To promote the social relations among the members…and to encourage a means for the enjoyment of outdoor and indoor sports, games and pastimes of every kind…"
