[1][2] Sands was educated at Columbia College, where he played tennis and golf, and graduated in 1887.

Sands also participated as a lawn tennis player in July 1890 when he won the Northwestern Championships played at the Hotel St. Louis, Minnetonka, Minnesota.

In 1891 he won the Middle States Championships held in Hoboken against Howard Taylor.

Sands and his British partner Archibald Warden were also eliminated in the first round of the doubles event.

Eight years later Sands was again eliminated in the first round, this time from the real tennis tournament.