The post-war period at Wimbledon saw a sudden surge in interest as a flood of new overseas stars appeared. It was during this period that an idea began to crystallise in the mind of Wallis Myers. According to the recollection of the late Ted Tinling, the idea had developed out of earnest conversations between Myers and Dwight Davis, the donor of the Davis Cup. Surely, thought Myers, there should be some way of nurturing and preserving the camaraderie that existed between the young gladiators of so many countries who met in serious but friendly rivalry at tournaments around the world each year. Another who influenced him in this direction was Lord Balfour, the former Prime Minister (1902-1905). So it was that early in November 1924 Myers finally put physical expression to his idea. A fortnight before the inaugural meeting...I sent out letters to some 50 British players who had crossed the seas as members of touring teams. All that were in London at the time attended a gathering over which Sir Leonard Lyle presided. This was an historic occasion. To an attentive and sympathetic gathering Myers explained his ideals. We are in some measure compensated for the temporary loss of supremacy on the courts by the reflection that our early pioneers, through their skill and enthusiasm, had sowed the good seed abroad. We are seeking to cement the ties that bind us to all international players, to exchange greetings with them from time to time, to offer them hospitality when they come in our midst. Hands across the net, in fact, means hands across the ocean. Myers had his audience enraptured. They had all experienced hospitality abroad and were fully in tune with his sentiments as he continued...The I.C. will compete with no other club. It will pay fealty to constitutional authority and will not seek to usurp or overlap the functions of other organisations. We should, in principle and in spirit, be a society of players who have toured in and been educated by overseas countries, co-operating in the course of time with offshoots of the parent, which might be founded abroad for the same object. Our purposes are social, nonpolitical, of a masonic nature. It was considered a great honour to be invited to wear the distinctive grey tie with the single pink stripe. But, as Myers recalled, not every player who had carried his racket abroad automatically became a member. Steadily our panel was enlarged so that by 1932 there were 107 ordinary and 55 honorary members. Election did not necessarily follow qualification; the deed was of more value than the word.