Southern Tennis Hall of Fame Inductees 2001 - 2005

Lester M. Sack, Jr., Mississippi & Louisiana, 2005

Lester M. Sack JR, Mississippi & Louisiana, inducted in 2005 Lester M Sack Jr

Played number 3 singles and number 1 doubles for Tulane University from 1956 to 1958 when the Green Wave won 3 Southeastern Conference Championships and he and was ranked number 1 in doubles in the conference with partner Ron Holmberg
Joined the professional tour and won singles titles in England and Germany, won the 1965 Canadian Open Doubles Championships and reached the 3rd round of the 1966 French Open
Mississippi resident until 1977 and one of the most dominant players of his generation, winning the Mississippi Open or Mississippi Closed every year and ranked number 1 in Mississippi Men’s Open Singles and top 10 in the South every year from 1959 to 1975
Won numerous state and section age group tournaments and ranked 2nd in the nation in Men’s 45 singles in 1984, won the 1984 Men’s 45 Singles National Championship and ranked 7th and was a finalist at the Men’s 55 National Clay Court Singles Championship in 1987
Represented the United States on the Dubler Cup, Gordon Cup and Stevens Cup teams
Served as the head coach of the USTA New Orleans Area Training Center and was an assistant pro for the Racquet Club of Memphis and the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club
Inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 2009

James T. Russell, South Carolina, inducted in 2005 James T Russell023

Begin playing tennis at age 25 but quickly became a good player and was a member of the 1979 National Champion Cobb’s Glen Adult League team
Volunteered to help with the 1974 Palmetto Championships, South Carolina’s state junior qualifying tournament, and became the tournament referee in 1976 and served 32 of the next 33 years in that position leading the tournament to tremendous growth and Junior Tournament of the Year awards from both South Carolina and USTA Southern
Joined the South Carolina Tennis Association Board in the 1970’s and was elected President in 1982 and established the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation and the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in the Belton Depot during his 2 year term
Elected to the Southern Tennis Association Management Committee in 1984, became President in 1993 and received the USTA Southern Jacobs Bowl in 1994 and Charles Morris Volunteer Service Award in 1999
USTA Southern Delegate in 1995 and 1996, elected to the USTA Board of Directors in 1997-1998 and served as a member of the USTA Executive Committee in 1995-1996 and 1999-2000
Well known official and referee, especially at the college level and refereed the Atlantic Coast Conference, College All-American and NCAA Men’s Championships
Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association College Hall of Fame in 2003

Lucy Garvin, South Carolina, inducted in 2005

Moved to South Carolina in 1974 and managed several tennis facilities, volunteered with USTA South Carolina and USTA Southern and worked as a certified referee for over 35 years at local, state section and national tournaments, including the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta
Chaired numerous committees for the South Carolina Tennis Association and served as President and Chairman of the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation
President of USTA Southern in 1999 and 2000, chaired the Section Presidents, Section Delegates, USA Tennis and Adult/Senior Recreation national committees and was honored with the USTA Southern Jacobs Bowl and the USTA Southern Charles Morris Service Award
Elected to the USTA Board of Directors in 2003, Vice-President in 2005, Executive Vice-President in 2007 and President and Chairman of the Board in 2009 and served a 2 year term with the theme “One Team….One Goal”
Served on the Board of the International Tennis Federation and chaired the Junior Committee
Earned numerous awards, including USTA South Carolina Official of the Year, 2 USTA South Carolina President’s Awards, and in 1996 USTA South Carolina established the Lucy Garvin Volunteer of the Year Award and made her the first recipient
Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the 2010 USTA Barbara Williams Leadership Award

Bill Tym, Tennessee, inducted in 2004

Involved in tennis as a player, coach and administrator for over 50 years and regarded as one of the most influential and respected people in the game
Dominant player in Tennessee and attended the University of Florida winning the Southeastern Conference Championship
Joined the men’s professional tour in the late 1960’s and won 10 international titles
Following the pro tour became head pro at Manker Patten in Chattanooga and became known as a top coach and teaching professional, later served as President of the United States Professional Tennis Association, was one of the first members to receive the distinguished Master Professional Classification and was honored with the USPTA Lifetime Achievement Award
Won numerous USTA national championships and repeatedly ranked number 1 in his age group by USTA and USPTA
Coached at Baylor School, the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Vanderbilt University winning the National Interscholastic Championships, the Southern Conference title, the National AIAW Small College Women’s Championship and making numerous NCAA Championship appearances
Inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Tennis Hall of Fame and the USPTA Southern Division Hall of Fame

Nancy Yeargin Furman, South Carolina, inducted in 2004

A star for the Greenville High School and Christ Church School tennis teams, leading both to several state championships and was consistently ranked number 1 in South Carolina and the top 5 in the South in her age division from 1968 to 1973, including number 1 in the South in the Girl’s 18U in 1972 and number 1 in the nation in the Girl’s 16U and 18U
Won 6 singles and 2 doubles titles at the Palmetto Championships in Belton as well as many other state and section championships
Played at Rollins College and won the Southern Collegiate Sportsmanship Award in 1974, 1975 and 1976, named All-American in 1976 and 1977, Scholar Athlete of the Year and team captain
Member of the 1974 USTA Junior Wightman Cup and 1976 and 1977 USTA Junior Federation Cup teams
Played the WTA women’s professional circuit from 1977 to 1985 and competed in all 4 grand slams, was consistently ranked in the top 100 in the world (with a high ranking of number 53) and in 1982 was selected to receive the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award
After retiring from the tour became the Head Tennis Professional at the Greenville Country Club and was name a National USTA Junior Coach
Inducted into the Rollins College Hall of Fame in 1988 and the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1989