A long-time volunteer in the solicitation of business support and financial guarantees needed to hold major tennis events in Cleveland, he helped make possible the staging of seven Davis Cup matches, five Wightman Cup matches and 17 other major national and international tennis events in the city since 1964.
One of the first great female tennis players, Mary K. Browne was a three timesNational Singles champion and five time National Ladies Doubles champion, won the Ladies Doubles championship of England at Wimbledon and twice captained the International Wightman Cup Team. She was also the first female tennis player to turn professional, started the first woman’s tennis clinic in America and was one of the first women to be enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
One of the first Cleveland natives to win the Ohio high school state championship (1945) and the first player to win four tennis letters at Michigan State University, Robert Malaga captained the U.S. Junior Davis Cup Team. He competed in numerous major tournaments, including the USLTA National Championships at Forest Hills and won several Cleveland City championships in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
One of area’s most successful players, Monte Gagner reigned as Cleveland and Ohio Junior Doubles champion (with Paul Atkinson) from 1921 to 1924 and as Men’s Ohio and Cleveland Doubles champion (with brother “Dutch” and John Dorr) from 1933 to 1946. Began Senior competition in 1951 and was a finalist in 30 USLTA National Championships events, winning 14 national age group championships.
Two-time winner of the National Clay Court Father-Son Doubles Championships and a National Clay Court champion in the Senior 45 doubles, Kirk Reid won ten Greater Cleveland singles crowns and 12 doubles titles between 1920 and 1932. He also captured 20 Ohio and New York State or Regional championships, plus approximately 60 lesser titles. Kirk ranked as high as 13th nationally in men’s singles, third in Senior 45 singles, fifth in father-son doubles and sixth in Senior 45 doubles.
Clark Graebner served as player-coach for the Cleveland Nets in World Team Tennis in 1974 and also played in 1975. He won three U.S. Men’s national singles titles and six doubles titles between 1963 and 1971. He recorded 16 singles wins and four doubles wins in 11 Davis Cup ties over a five year period. Clark was ranked in the Top Ten in U.S. Men’s Singles eight times in nine years between 1964 and 1972, and was in the Top Ten in doubles nine times between 1962 and 1971, including the top ranking from 1965 to 1967.
Jack March brought big-time tennis to Cleveland by promoting the World Pro Championships from 1959 through 1964. They were staged at the Shaker Racquet Club, Cleveland Skating Club, Lakewood Park and the old Cleveland Arena. John’s tournaments opened the door for Davis Cup matches in Cleveland by proving that Cleveland was a major league tennis town.
David Dickenson played on and captained the University of Virginia tennis team and in 1962 moved to Cleveland. He became the Greater Cleveland Men’s Champion in 1962, 1963 and 1964, and the Ohio State Claycourt Champion in 1962. He coached the Northeastern Ohio Junior Davis Cup Team in 1963 and 1964. David won the National 50’s Claycourt Championship in 1989 and has played in numerous national and international tennis competitions. He and his wife Francis are a nationally ranked senior mixed doubles team.