milford’s attic
Summer and sports just go together. Games with friends can turn into life-long memories and Milford families in the 1900s and earlier were as ready to play as we are today: croquet, tennis, squash, golf, and fishing. The croquet set shown here is from the 1920s. While croquet is often thought of as a genteel game, this set shows the wear of many games of tactical play, just like it should. These tennis racket frames are wooden with plastic “strings” that had to be re-strung to keep them taught. You didn’t just buy a new racket—you fixed it. The smallest racket in the middle is a squash racket that was manufactured by the Moody Co. of Milford. Golf clubs like the ones shown here once
46 Milford Living • Summer
had shafts and club heads made of wood until blacksmiths in about 1900 began experimenting with metal-forged styles. When the tide was just right and the sky so clear, your next thought might have been wishin’ you were fishin’. The thin fishing rod, shown at the right, would likely be close at hand just out in the back shed. Win or lose the game, catch a fish or not, everyone could enjoy snacks from a picnic basket. Imagine all the sandwiches, homemade pies, fresh strawberries, and lemonade packed in that over the years in this blue metal basket. Who cares about the score? —Marilyn May Photographer: Susan Carroll Dwyer
