California Tennis Association News FEBRUARY 2004 Manymany Playedplayed AA Rolerole Dodo’S Day Mark Winters Mark Winters
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SoSCTAuthern California Tennis Association news FEBRUARY 2004 ManyMany PlayedPlayed AA RoleRole Dodo’s Day Mark Winters Mark Winters his is the first Southern California 2000 spectators, marked a change, “the Te n nis Association News of 2004. color was erased, (at least temporarily), T Since it coincides with Black for the first time in the history of major History Month, there is no better time American Tennis, yesterday.” to look at the game’s sectional devel- On the Southern California stage, opment in the African American com- Johnson and McDaniel were formidable munity. players. Earthna Jacquet played at the Unfortunately, developing a compre- same level. So did Willis Fennell, once hensive list of the individuals who have considered a better tennis prospect made an impact in tennis locally is than Arthur Ashe. They set the standard bound to neglect – one that established someone. Those men- the benchmark for the tioned in this story are ◗ next generation of significant, not only for “The color was players. their on-court talent, “Af ter I started but also for their playing, I found out diverse personalities. erased, (at least about Earthna,” said Oscar Johnson is a Doug Sykes, the Boy’s name at the top of the temporarily), for 18 National Public list. He became a Parks winner in 1961. Dodo Cheney newsmaker, winning the first time in “He, along with Oscar the Boy’s 18 National and Jimmy, inspired unday, July 11th will be Dodo’s Day Public Parks singles the history of major me.” in Newport, Rhode Island. On that title in 1948.The victo- Sy Allen Browning, S date, the incomparable Dorothy ry was a benchmark. It Fred Nobles, Hollis (Dodo) Bundy Cheney will be inducted is recognized as the American tennis...” Smith and Richard into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, first United States Williams have experi- along with Stefan Edberg and Steffi Graf. Lawn Tennis Associa- ◗ enced tennis’ coming Hall of Fame ceremonies are always mem- tion national champi- of age in the commu- orable, but this year’s will set a new stan- onships win by an African American. nity. (An interesting aside is that dard because the famed location is cele- Eight years before, on July 29, 19 4 0, Browning, Nobles and Smith were brating its 50th Anniversary. In honor of Jimmy McDaniel attracted more atten- responsible for establishing the first the occasion, a “Parade of Hall of Famers” tion. The American Te n nis Association National Junior Tennis League chapter in involving more than 40 enshrinees, will (ATA) champion played Don Budge, the Los Angeles in the late ‘60s.) “There take place. “greatest tennis players in the world”, were five or six black clubs in It is fitting that Cheney will be part of (according to the “Brooklyn Daily California,” said Nobles, whose father the show. The daughter of 1956 Hall of Eagle”), at the Cosmopolitan Tennis Jimmy was one of the Pacific Coast Fame inductee May Sutton Bundy and Club in New York City. The newspaper Championships founders. “The idea was US doubles champion Tom Bundy, she also noted that the match, witnessed by (continued on next page) became the first American to win the .......................................................... (continued on next page) Many Played A Role vor. “There was a time when guys who Buchanan Whitmore and watching lived in Ventura and San Bernardino would young players such as Diana Morrison (continued from previous page) drive to LA to play at Rancho (Dorsey),” and her sister Rochelle, and Cheryl – clubs would play a championship Nobles said. “There has always been a Jones. Earl Prince and Warrick Jones also (PCC) and the winners would have an rivalry between the parks. Dorsey used to played there. Though they are not from automatic entry in the American Tennis take players from Harvard because that Southern California, Benny Sims, (who Association championships. I remember was where the tournament players prac- is Chanda Rubin’s coach), and Stan playing the junior tournament. It would ticed.” Franker, (who attended USC, then was be Doug, myself and two other juniors. Sykes, who attended Cal, has remained the head coach for the Dutch “The basis for growth of Black tennis a Berkeley resident. He remembered his Federation), were regulars at Rancho. was the formation of the clubs that days at Harvard saying, “playing in the ‘60s “A t t he time, I didn’t realize what a became the PCC. I grew up in San was rather uneventful. For me, it was just great opportunity it was. I didn’t realize Diego and remember going to Mountain a matter of trying to win without a game; how good all these people helped me View Park. There were two courts in running down a lot of balls. I would play in become. When Andrea went out and the Black community and we played the morning and there would be guys bet- started winning on the pro tour, it from 8:00 AM until sunset on Saturday ting on me. I would finish my match, get my began to make sense. People improved and Sunday. In the early afternoon, the lunch money from the winners and come just being around all the players.” older players started the barbeque. On back to play in the afternoon.” Any story about African American the weekend, there was a lot of eating With every location there are tradi- tennis in Southern California must men- and drinking. It was a festive time.” tions, amusing stories to be told and char- tion Eleese Thornton. It would be diffi- In the old days, Exposition, Harvard, acters to talk about. According to Nobles, cult, if not impossible, to find an African Rancho Cienega, (for some, synony- there were a number of players with mem- American woman who influenced more mous with Dorsey, since the high school orable nicknames, “there were two people or did more for the game in the courts are across from the facility), Ross “Smitty’s”,one was Larry Smith; the other section than Thornton. As a player and Snyder and Will Rogers (renamed Ted was Hollis Smith. “Schoolboy” Mitchell was a goodwill ambassador, she was in a Watkins) Parks were the places to play. another, and so was “Stocks”. Ted Stoglin league of her own. “My last year in high Up until the tennis courts were replaced was a fixture at Harvard. He started the school (1943) a friend got a tennis rac- by the Sports Center in 1959, Exposition Stoglin Cup, a rivalry between Harvard and quet for Christmas,” Jeannette Park was stroking ground for those with Dorsey.” Washington said.“She gave me one a big time game (players such as Jacquet, This year’s annual Frank Simmon’s No. 1 because she didn’t have anyone to play Johnson and McDaniel along with New Year’s Day Tournament at Harvard with. Eleese was a great influence. She Pancho Gonzalez). In the original agree- Park was a very special affair according to helped me and many others. Thanks to ment between the City and the Parks & Dee Williams-Horne, “more than 200 Black her, I became a fair player, not an out- Recreation Department, replacement players turned out in his memory. It was a standing one. I played with the fellas courts were part of the overall plan, but wonderful salute to a great guy.” because not many ladies played. It was a the needs of the community have Williams-Horne is encyclopedic when hobby. I love the game.” changed over the years, making the ten- she talks about playing at Rancho Cienega Asentiment, it seems, that every- nis court addition a dead issue. and Harvard Parks. “I have recollections of one in the Southern California African Anyone who has spent time playing so many people; people like Jean American tennis community would park tennis knows that each venue has Richardson who influenced me,” she said. “I support. its own set of rules and competitive fer- remember playing with the late Andrea .......................................................... Dodo’s Day a Wimbledon mixed finalist in ’46. ionship having to default in the final at 9-9 in Though Cheney was ranked in the US the pre-Tie-Break third set because of a (continued from previous page) top 10 on 11occasions, she didn’t really hit pulled muscle. Australian National Championships in her stride until she moved into the senior When I officially heard, I think I took it 1938, and from ’ 37- 39 was a member of ranks. “I started playing the National Hard pretty calmly,” Cheney admitted. “I think I the winning Wightman Cup team. She Court Championships at La Jolla when I was said, ‘oh isn’t that wonderful. That’s great’. I was US Indoor doubles champion in 1941; 39,” she remembered. “I won the singles title hope I deserve it. All the other inductees US Clay Court singles winner in ’44 and 13 ye a r s i n a r ow. I was finally dethroned have been champions of the world.” US Hard Court doubles titlist in ’54. Her when I was 53.” Cheney continued, “what an honor. I’m Grand Slam record is impressive having The year before, the charming Cheney very flattered to be in there with Steffi and been a US doubles finalist in 1940 and ’41; was a finalist in the Southern California Stefan. I’m very fortunate.” a mixed doubles finalist in ’40 and ’44 and Te n nis Association Open Women’s Champ- And so is the game of tennis. 2 Mercedes- New To The Team Benz Cup Mark Winters Showcase The Mercedes-Benz Cup, an ATP International Series event which bene- fits Southern California Te n nis Association programming, will show- case the best in men’s professional tennis at the Los Angeles Tennis Center-UCLA from July 12 t h t hrough July 18th.