Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Pierre's Book The Game of Court by Pierre Etchebaster Search AbeBooks. We're sorry; the page you requested could not be found. AbeBooks offers millions of new, used, rare and out-of-print books, as well as cheap textbooks from thousands of booksellers around the world. Shopping on AbeBooks is easy, safe and 100% secure - search for your book, purchase a copy via our secure checkout and the bookseller ships it straight to you. Search thousands of booksellers selling millions of new & used books. New & Used Books. New and used copies of new releases, best sellers and award winners. Save money with our huge selection. Rare & Out of Print Books. From scarce first editions to sought-after signatures, find an array of rare, valuable and highly collectible books. Textbooks. Catch a break with big discounts and fantastic deals on new and used textbooks. Pierre's Book. The Game of Court Tennis (SIGNED). Tan patterned boards with black cloth spine. 4to. xxvii, 51pp. Illustrated. Introduction by George Plimpton. Warmly inscribed by Pierre Etchebaster on the title page. Pierre Etchebaster came upon the game of court tennis when he was nearly 30 years old, but 6 years later his irrefutable talent elevated him to the status of world champion. The diminutive Frenchman of Basque country origin garnered the World Court Tennis Champions title seven times between 1928 and 1952. He retired undefeated at age 60 in 1954. This book is the distillation of his long and incomparable experience on the court and includes a series of tributes and recollections of the game's most spectacular player. A very good copy with some wear to the spine tips. The text is very good with some light soiling. The jacket is good with some chipping to the spine tips and edges. The rear panel has some soiling and a small ink scribble and there is a ring-mark on the front panel. Seller Inventory # 7376. Bibliographic Details. Title: Pierre's Book. The Game of Court Tennis (. Publisher: Barre: Barre Publishers. Publication Date: 1971 Binding: Hardcover Book Condition: Very Good Dust Jacket Condition: Good Signed: Inscribed by Author(s) Edition: 1st Edition. Pierre Etchebaster. Pierre Etchebaster (December 8, 1893 - March 24, 1980) is widely considered history's greatest player of real tennis (in ), the original racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis (which has usurped the name "tennis"), is descended. Born in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France, a Basque fishing village, he served in the French Army during World War I before returning home to become the French champion in main nués , pala and chistera , all varieties of Basque pelota. In 1922, Etchebaster was encouraged by tennis player Jacques Worth (a president of a court club) to take up the game of real tennis. His first time on the court was during his audition to be the head professional of the club. After a few minutes of play, he was selected to fill the role. George Plimpton wrote that this was equivalent to "picking up a baseball bat in the morning and playing for the New York Yankees in the afternoon." Despite losing to Fred Covey in 1927, Etchebaster returned in his customary blue beret to win the world championship in in 1928. He emigrated to in 1930 where he played as a professional at the . Etchebaster proceeded to dominate the sport. He was world champion for a record-breaking 26 years (1928–1954) until his retirement at the age of 60. He defended the title seven times — a feat unmatched until 2006 when Robert Fahey made his seventh title defense (Fahey has now (2010) successfully defended his title nine times). He was an excellent athlete who would spend hours a day on court practising his many shots, and studying the spin effects of the various surfaces of the court had on the ball. In 1955 he was awarded the Légion d'honneur for his achievements, and in 1978 he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Some years after his retirement a book of his coaching advice, Pierre's Book , was published. It including accolades from many of the world's best players. He died in Saint-Jean-de-Luz. While Etchbaster was still at his peak he was nevertheless hard pressed financially. For several years after WWII he rented a dusty clay court behind a diner in Glen Cove, NY, where he gave lawn tennis lessons to high school students in the area -- for $10 an hour. The Racquet & Tennis Club made a video (1954) featuring Etchebaster, Ogden Phipps, Francis X. Shields, and Alastair B. Martin, playing singles and doubles. Hayward Hale Broun appears in it, sporting a CBS microphone. Pierre's Book (Barre Publishers, Barre MA 1971) was Edited and Introduced by George Plimpton. Search AbeBooks. We're sorry; the page you requested could not be found. AbeBooks offers millions of new, used, rare and out-of-print books, as well as cheap textbooks from thousands of booksellers around the world. Shopping on AbeBooks is easy, safe and 100% secure - search for your book, purchase a copy via our secure checkout and the bookseller ships it straight to you. Search thousands of booksellers selling millions of new & used books. New & Used Books. New and used copies of new releases, best sellers and award winners. Save money with our huge selection. Rare & Out of Print Books. From scarce first editions to sought-after signatures, find an array of rare, valuable and highly collectible books. Textbooks. Catch a break with big discounts and fantastic deals on new and used textbooks. Etchebaster, Pierre. Pierre's Book: The Game of Court Tennis. Pierre Etchebaster. Published by Barre Publishers (1971) About this Item: Condition: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Seller Inventory # 18683674-75. Pierre's Book: The Game of Court Tennis. Edited and Introduced by George Plimpton. Etchebaster, Pierre. Published by Barre Publishers, Barre, MA (1971) About this Item: Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Harfcouver with dust jacket. Jacket has light wear with some chipping along top edge, small amount of loss at top of spine and wear at edge of spine. Name written in pencil top front corner of dust jacket. Not price clipped. Light foxing on endpapers. Seller Inventory # ABE-1622686772607.