Charles Ives’ remarkable career as both an athlete and builder of the sport of squash has spanned almost sixty years and is still going strong.
Starting out as a “ball boy” at the Queen’s Club in London, England, Ives became the Club junior professional by the time he was 18. Now in his seventies, Charlie Ives could still probably whip most men half his age on the squash court. That alone is consideration worthy of the Hall of Fame but his contributions to the game in Canada, in general, and in Manitoba, in particular, are the primary reasons he has joined the hallowed ranks.
In 1933, R.S. Swan-Dixon, was discussing the establishment of a squash club in Winnipeg with one of Britain’s great amateur squash players, Frank Strawson. Swan-Dixon needed a junior pro to come to Canada and Strawson immediately knew the perfect man for the job…his regular playing partner and good friend, Charlie Ives. From 1934 to 1942, Ives taught squash as pro of the old Winter Club on Smith Street. His special teaching methods lent the name of “Charlie’s Boys” to all the juniors that passed under his tutelage.
From 1942-49, Ives continued to teach during evenings and weekends at the old Winnipeg Squash Club on Donald Street and the list of “Charlie’s Boys” grew. When the new Winnipeg Winter Club opened its doors in 1949, Ives returned there to teach and actually taught at both the Squash and Winter Clubs from 1958-77.
In 1977 the new Carleton Club opened offering yet another challenge to Charlie Ives. The legacy of being one of “Charlie’s Boys” continued to grow until the list included two and three generations in some families. In recognition of his lifetime commitment, Ives was presented with the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 and made an Honourary Citizen of Winnipeg in 1984.
Information retrieved from the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame