South Carolina

Diane Fishburne Barker, South Carolina, 2012

Diane Fishburne Barker, South Carolina, inducted in 2012

Played number 1 singles and doubles at the College of Charleston where she won the 1978 AIAW Small College National Singles Championship
Played professional tennis in Belgium and taught tennis at Kiawah Island under Roy Barth when she returned to the United States
One of the top American senior players for more than 17 years winning over 35 USTA national singles and doubles championships and has held the number 1 United States singles ranking in numerous 35 thru 55 age groups and attained the number 1 singles ranking in the world in Women’s 55’s in 2012
Won 8 national titles in Mother/Son Doubles with son Matt, winning all 4 major championships (Grand Slam) in one year
Represented the United States on numerous international teams for over 15 years
Volunteer coach for special needs athletes, serves on the USTA South Carolina Adaptive & Special Olympics Tennis Committee and helped establish the Southern Special Populations Unified Doubles tournament held each summer which teams a unified partner with a special athlete in team competition
Won the South Carolina Adult Female Player of the year 3 times (1992, 1998 and 2015), the Slew Hester Southern Adult Female Player of the Year in 2013 and was inducted into the College of Charleston Athletic Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1999

Jack Mills, South Carolina, inducted in 2009

Volunteer and leader at all levels of tennis since 1971 serving as Chairman of the Junior Tennis League in Columbia, President of the South Carolina Tennis Association, President of the Southern Tennis Association and Regional Vice-President of the USTA
Member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports, board member of PE4Life and Chairman of the advisory board for the College of Hospitality, Retail & Sports Management at the University of South Carolina
Represented the USTA on the ITF Olympic Committee before and during the 1996 games in Atlanta and was an advisor to the Atlanta Committee focusing on the construction of the tennis stadium and complex
Member of the U. S. Open committee in 1993, worked to improve security and chaired the U. S. Open Project Committee during the planning and construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium and the renovation of Louis Armstrong Stadium
Chaired the USTA Public Affairs Committee and assisted in obtaining more than $700,000 in government grants as well as pro-bono USTA advertising appearances by Donald Trump and Jeff Gordon
Selected as one of the 25 most influential sports figures in South Carolina and among the top 100 sports figures for the millennium in the state, and received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award
Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 1990 and received the USTA Southern Touchstone Award in 1991

Stan Smith, South Carolina, inducted in 2007

Tennis legend and highly touted as one of the best male tennis players to ever play the sport, but perhaps is best known for sportsmanship and dedication to the game and the world famous Stan Smith tennis shoe by Adidas with over 30 million sold
3 time All-American at the University of Southern California winning the 1967 Intercollegiate doubles title and 1968 singles and doubles titles
Dominated the pro tour in the early 1970s, ranked number 1 in the United States 4 years and number 1 in the world in 1971 and 1972, won the 1971 U. S. Open and 1972 Wimbledon singles titles, won 4 U. S. Open and 1 Australian Open doubles titles and appeared in the finals of 8 other grand slam tournaments
Top Davis Cup player, competing on the United States team 11 years, finishing with a 22-2 record and winning 7 Cup victories
Won 4 grand slam senior titles, including the 1984 and 1985 35’s at Wimbledon and the 1984 U. S. Open and the 2002 and 2004 55’s U. S. Open
Moved to Hilton Head Island in the late 1970’s and launched a coaching career, serving as Director of Coaching for the USTA Player Development program from 1988 to 1995, 2000 head coach of the Men’s Olympic team and founded the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy
Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and 2 other California Hall of Fames

Paul E. Scarpa, South Carolina, inducted in 2006

Top junior player in the 1950’s, ranked number 1 in South Carolina and number 3 in the South and won the Southern Boy’s 18U Sportsmanship Award
Played number 1 singles and doubles at Florida State University and won the NCAA Eastern Intercollegiate Championships
Became head tennis coach at Florida State and the United States Naval Academy before being named the head tennis professional at Greenville Country Club and head men’s coach at Furman University in 1966, a college coaching position he held for over 45 years
Coached at Furman for 45 years winning over 800 matches and a winning percentage of over .625 and the school proclaimed April 10, 1999 as Paul Scarpa Day before his 1,000th Furman match
First college coach in South Carolina to develop a tennis camp on a college campus in 1970, which became one of the highest regarded camps in the South drawing the best young talent in the region and nation
Awards include 1990 and 2000 South Carolina Coach of the Year, numerous Southern Conference Coach of the Year and Furman named their championship court and have endowed a scholarship in his honor
Inducted into the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, the Furman University Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame

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