The Saturday Tennis League celebrated its founder, Robert Coker in a ceremony following play last Saturday at Tennis Rhode Island. Coker, a retired teacher and tennis coach was a driving force behind starting the league soon after the completion of Toll Gate High School in 1971. The intended purpose of the league was to bring teachers and administrative staff together outside of their jobs at the school - to have fun. The league continues today although many of its members are not teachers. Two longtime players, retired teacher Eddie Blamires and Joe Crowley, retired director of the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center arranged the surprise Coker recognition event. They had to wait for Coker, now 91 years old, got off the court after winning two of three sets of doubles. Crowley did some calculations. He said Coker had overseen 1,750 Saturdays of play and had provided 10,500 cans of balls during his tenure. In recognition of his accomplishment, a plaque now hangs at the club. Here player Mark McKenney and other league members applaud Coker, at left. In the group, although he no longer plays was Clyde Bennett, one of the originals. (Warwick Beacon photo)