A Brief History of Tennis in St. Helena As of April 2019 Tennis Has Been an Integral Part of the St. Helena Community for Well Over a Century
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A brief history of Tennis in St. Helena as of April 2019 Tennis has been an integral part of the St. Helena Community for well over a century. Despite its relatively small size and rural location, St. Helena has produced a long list of winning teams and players of note. In May 1892 the Star reported that “two lawn tennis clubs have been organized”. Early members were F.L. Beringer, G.J. Jursch and F.B. Siegwald. Incidentally, the Jursch family had 5 family members go on to play for St. Helena High from 1920 to 1948 and compile an 89% winning percentage, the highest of any family to play for the Saints. In 1894 Charles Krug played Mr. Frazer in a challenge match on a court behind the Hotel St. Helena. A large crowd gathered, and Krug won. In February 1900 the St. Helena Star reported a meeting at the home of J.G. Johnson had created the St. Helena Tennis Club and the club played Napa that August. The High School team first organized in 1905 when a group of boys built their own court “at the rear of the High School Building” which is now Lyman Park. In various leagues, most with coed play, from 1905 to 2014 the Saints Tennis team compiled a 72% winning percentage and won 37 League titles. Several Saints alums have gone on to compete at the college level. St. Helena adult teams have a long and successful track record of club and USTA play since the early 1980s. Teams out of Crane Park and Meadowood have won various league titles and advanced to Sectional play and are still competing throughout the Bay Area today. St. Helena has had a few legendary tennis residents. Tom Stow was the first Director of Tennis at Meadowood and the NCAA Doubles Champion in 1926. Tom coached Don Budge (won the Grand Slam) and many other champions and is a member of the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame. Maggie Warren was a national champion as a junior and she and fellow local Tate Coulthard made the semifinals of the Pacific Coast Championships in 1946. Jeff Borowiak once lived here and he played number 1 for UCLA, won the NCAAs and reached a world ranking of 20 in 1977. Long-time resident Doug King, a student of Stow, played number 1 for UC Berkeley, was the number 1 ranked professional in Northern California, won the State Championships in 1979 as well as attained a world ranking in 1978. In addition to his reputation as a top instructor in the Bay Area, he founded the Napa Valley Tennis Classic at Meadowood, which future pro stars John Isner (world # 8), Kevin Anderson (world # 5) and Jack Sock (world #8) have competed in. Doug also founded the Vintners Cup, a pro-am event well known in the Bay Area during the 1980s that was held at Meadowood and included tennis legends Fred Stolle and Cliff Drysdale, among others. Fred Miller is a local legend who ran a tennis clinic program at the High School Courts from 1977 to 1997 that taught hundreds of kids and adults each year to play. He opened a tennis store in St. Helena in 1978 with his brother Steve. He also coached the Saints for 16 years compiling an 84% winning percentage overall (League and Post Season play). St. Helena is also currently home to two stand-out junior female tennis players. Allura Zamarripa and Maribella Zamarripa are both nationally ranked in the top 30 and have a National Championship in doubles. St. Helena looks forward to following their tennis careers in the years ahead. Tennis is a social and athletic game. St. Helena’s weather, its citizens love of the outdoors and sport have made it an ideal place for the sport to thrive. .