The Sydney Hermant Tennis Trophy

1934-1935. U of T Men's Tennis Team (L to R): A. H. Crowson, H. K. Black, A. Y. Eaton, W. P. Piggott, S. M. Hermant.

Sydney Morris Hermant was born in Toronto in 1912. He attended the Unitversity of Toronto, where he completed an Honours B.A. in law through University College, graduating in 1935. Throughout his undergraduate years he was very active in student affairs, serving as President of the University College Literary and Athletic Society, as Vice-President of the Students’ Administrative Council, and representing the University on the debating team. He had long been an enthusiastic tennis player, and for four years he was on the U of T Senior Tennis Team. In 1932, he won the interfaculty individual tennis title, the McEachern Cup.

After graduation, Sydney Hermant joined the Imperial Optical Company of Canada, a firm founded by his father in 1900, which, with its subsidiaries, grew to be the largest of its kind in the Commonwealth. Later, he succeeded his father as its president. He was well respected in the business community, and served on the boards of numerous large companies. He was a champion of the city of Toronto, was elected the 86th President of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Toronto, and also served as a member of the Metropolitan Planning Board. He deplored political apathy, and was actively involved in, and a generous supporter of, a variety of community organizations.

After his graduation, Mr. Hermant also remained extremely active in university affairs. In 1939-40, he assumed the presidency of the Students’ Administrative Council at U of T, a post which at that time was always held by a graduate, and, in the same year, he was elected President of the National Federation of Canadian University Students. In 1943, he was elected as an alumni representative to the Senate of the U of T, where he served until he was appointed to the Board of Governors in 1962. In 1972, he became one of the original government appointees to the new Governing Council, and served as its Vice-Chairman until he resigned in 1977 to become Chairman of the Board of the Royal Ontario Museum. At that time, he commented, “I may have graduated in 1935 but I guess I never left.” ! He retained a special interest in university athletics, lending his enthusiastic support to programs that encouraged both men and women students to excel in their chosen sport. In 1973, the University recognized his exceptional contributions by conferring on him the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa. In his acceptance speech, he reflected on the importance of academic freedom, an unusual theme for a businessman.

Sydney Hermant also remained passionate about tennis. He was the driving member of the group who founded the Queen City Indoor Tennis Club in 1957, the first indoor tennis club in Toronto, with the purchase of the property of the Toronto Skating Club at 568 Dupont Street. He contributed hundreds of hours of his valuable time and substantial funds in establishing and supervising the modus operandi of the Queen’s Club, and in developing the two separated Har-Tru courts that continue to provide members with an exceptional facility for the enjoyment of the game of tennis. From the beginning, he attracted many fine men and women players to the Club.

Sydney Hermant died in December, 1992, just two days before his eightieth birthday, leaving many friends who remember him as a man of character and achievement. A man of great generosity of spirit, he was the anonymous source of personal help in uncounted cases where he had learned of serious need. He and his wife Madge hosted innumerable gatherings appreciated for their informality and friendliness.

In order to honour Sydney Hermant as founder of the Queens’ Club and as a dedicated benefactor of tennis generally, and recognizing his devotion to the ideals of the university, the Board of Directors of the Queen’s Club has established in the year 2001 the Sydney Hermant Memorial trophy for an annual invitational intercollegiate tennis competition between Ontario Universities, including by tradition McGill University.

Following the founder’s active encouragement of both women and men in this sport, and to promote the playing of mixed doubles in intercollegiate tennis, each team will consist of two women and two men who will play in women’s singles, men’s singles, and mixed doubles events.

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