Larry Brewster, fondly known to so many of us who played tennis with him over the years as “The Old Salt,” passed away at his home Tuesday, January 23.

I share this brief trip down memory lane with you about Larry, at Don and Dave’s request, not only because Larry meant so much to me as a friend (he was one of the few guys who could put up with me as a doubles partner on the court), but also because Larry was a mainstay of the club, a devoted member who thoroughly enjoyed the friendship of the players.

Larry first showed up in the early 80s at Woodside, as the club was called back then, when Walter White, dubbed by Woodside members “the tennis classic,” invited Larry over from Westside Park where Walter said he found Larry napping on a park bench, waiting for someone, anyone, to come along and offer to play a little tennis.

We were trying to build the Woodside membership back then, and Larry fit right in. Soon we had organized Friday afternoon doubles, devoted entirely to the old guys who couldn’t seem to ever get tennis out of their system: Jack Hairston, Barry Greene, Hal Henderly, Ed Davis, to name a few. We had a great time playing not only at Woodside but also at various private courts in town as well as the many free forming tournaments that seemed to spring up everywhere before the USTA got involved.

Once at one of our many parties upstairs in the club house that recently burned down, I remember Larry showed up in a colorful yellow Hawaiian shirt with palm trees on it, dollar bills in his front pocket, and his ever present cigar. He was ready for a good story and a hearty good time. Larry was the consummate companion, witty, worldly traveled, and wise as only an “Old Salt,” an honest-to-god E-9 Master Chief could be. I was always impressed by his life experiences and honored, as we all were, to be called his buddy.

I shall miss Larry greatly, as I’m sure all of us will who knew him and played with him for three decades on the db courts.

In commemoration of Larry, Don and Dave will have a Celebration of Life Gathering on February 11 at 2:30pm.

Please come and plan to have a good time.

by Ward Scott