England’s Last Tennis Ball Maker

For the Geo Quiz, we’re looking for a city in the county of Somerset, in South West England. This city sits at the bottom of the Avon Valley, surrounded by hot springs. The town was built by the Romans shortly after they invaded Britain in AD 43. They turned the place into the spa it is still today.

And the city we’re looking for is Bath. Not terribly far from Bath, British tennis player Andy Murray won his quarterfinals match at Wimbledon. The British haven’t crowned one of their own as Wimbledon champ since 1936. That’s when Fred Perry won the title. It’s also when a small factory near Bath began making tennis balls. It’s now the last tennis ball maker in Britain. The World’s Laura Lynch reports.

British men’s tennis star Andy Murray won another match at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The British have been waiting to crown a new men’s Wimbledon champion since 1936.

That’s when Fred Perry won the title, but it is also the year that a small factory near Bath, England began making tennis balls. 75 years later, Derek Price carries on the family business as the last tennis ball maker in the Britain. He is doing it despite overwhelming odds, because at the age of 80, he still wants to win.

For fans it is mesmerizing. Every year, tennis masters duel it out on Centre Court at Wimbledon, powering a small yellow ball over the net. In years past, those balls were made in England. Now, the factories have shut down or transferred operations to Asia; except for one plant run by one very stubborn man.