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Southern Tennis Foundation

Southern Tennis Foundation

William Jacobs, South Carolina, 1988

William Jacobs, South Carolina, inducted in 1988William Jacobs

  • Responsible for bringing the South out of the “Tennis Dark Ages” during the late 1930’s
  • President of Presbyterian College where he became known as the “Founder of the Tennis Clinic” in 1936 when he hosted the first regional tennis clinic, a format adopted by the USLTA the following year as its model for the organization
  • Organized South Carolina’s first big time tennis exhibition in 1940 featuring Don Budge, Mary Hardwick, Bill Tilden and Alice Marble.
  • Appointed Bobby Riggs as a traveling public relations representative for Presbyterian College and hired Bill Lufler as clinic director and the school’s first full time tennis coach, and Presbyterian was ranked in the top 10 nationally during that era and gained the nickname of “Tennis Tech”
  • Served as President of the Southern Lawn Tennis Association and Vice President of the United States Lawn Tennis Association
  • Published the AMERICAN LAWN TENNIS MAGAZINE and authored several books on tennis, including “Tennis, Builder of Citizenship” in which he emphasized court demeanor and sportsmanship and proper stroke techniques
  • The Jacobs Bowl, the highest volunteer honor presented by USTA Southern, was established in his memory and he was inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986

Filed Under: Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, Southern Tennis Hall of Fame Inductees 1986 -1990 Tagged With: 1988, South Carolina, William Jacobs

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