By the Decade

AAC’s Tennis Champion From 1901-1918 , Nat Thornton wins 20 singles and doubles tennis tournaments throughout the U.S. In addition, Thornton also played on AAC’s Baseball and Basketball Teams.

Pictured:The 1908 AAC Baseball Team

1909 AAC basketball players become a rough and rugged team, coached into winning form by John Heisman, AAC’s physical director and coach.

1916 Alexa Stirling breaks into prominence winning the first of three U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships.

Pictured: Alexa Stirling and the Robert Cox Trophy

Pictured: John Heisman

1911 AAC hires new physical director and coach, Joe Bean. The now dominant AAC Basketball Team becomes nicknamed “The Bean Boys.”

Pictured: Bobby Jones, Age 6, and Stewart Maiden

Pictured: Clubhouse destroyed in fire

Pictured: AAC Men’s Basketball Team and coach Joe Bean

Ups and Downs... were common in this era for AAC. While the baseball, basketball and tennis teams thrived and the highly anticipated course opened, the club was also plagued by setbacks such as the 1914 fire that destroyed the clubhouse. The golf course renovations, by Donald Ross, created the fire, halting all renovation work. Despite this, AAC and its loyal members continued to perservere and became a haven, especially once WWI began in 1914.