webmaster, Author at Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Dec 10 2015

Leslie Clarke Longshore JR, Alabama, 2003

Leslie Clarke Longshore JR, Alabama, inducted in 2003

Played for Tulane University where he won the 1946 Southeastern Conference singles championship
A North Carolina state singles champion for 3 years, an Alabama state singles champion once and was ranked in the top 10 in the south for 10 years, including one year as number 1
Competed in the United States National Championships (now known as the U. S. Open) between 1952 and 1959 and reached the round of 16 in 1958
Coached college tennis for 5 at years Clemson University and 13 years at Samford University
Worked as a teaching professional and founded the Southern Professional Tennis Association in 1962 and served as President for 7 years
President of the United States Professional Tennis Association in 1974 and 1975
President of the Alabama Tennis Association and helped found the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in 1986 and was inducted into his state’s hall of fame in 1991

Dec 10 2015

Ann Etheredge, Alabama, inducted in 2003

One of the greatest women’s players to come out of Alabama and the south winning 22 USTA Gold Balls and 2 USTA Silver Balls
Member of numerous Alabama Senior Cup and Southern Intersectional championship teams
Played on the winning United States Young Cup and Margaret Court Cup teams
Held the number 1 national ranking in both singles and doubles in several age divisions
Instrumental in opening the Pelham Racquet Club, a public facility with 20 clay courts and 5 hard courts where she served as Director of Tennis
Considered to be one of the top instructors in the South
Became the youngest person ever inducted into the Alabama Tennis Hall of Fame in 1997

Dec 10 2015

Carolyn Henry, Mississippi, inducted in 2002

Devoted her life to playing and promoting the game in Mississippi and the Southern Section
Highly ranked as a junior player at the state, section and national levels, played high school tennis at Crystal Springs High School and went on to play #1 singles and doubles at Mississippi State College for Women where she graduated in 1945
Placed first or second in over 190 state, section and national USTA championships since 1972, ranked in the top 3 at the state and section levels every year between 1968 and 2002 and in the top 10 in the nation in singles and doubles between 1987 and 2002
Competed on numerous Mississippi Senior Cup and national intersectional teams, including the winning United States team at the Bundy-Cheney Cup in 2001
President of the Mississippi Tennis Association and served on many state and section committees
Teaching professional for 28 years and a high school tennis coach for 18 years
Received the 1988 USTA Southern Touchstone Award and was inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame in 2001

Dec 10 2015

Sam English JR, Kentucky, inducted in 2002

Had a long and distinguished list of participation and involvement in tennis for over 60 years
Captain of the his Louisville High School team and the Yale University team where he was honored with the tennis sportsmanship award
Won over 100 singles and doubles titles between 1945 and 1975 including 4 Kentucky Men’s Singles Championships, 4 Kentucky Doubles Championships and the Southern Parent/Child Doubles Championships
Outstanding promoter of the game who was responsible for bringing 70 tournaments to Kentucky, including the USTA Boy’s 18 National Clay Court Championships (where he served as Tournament Director for 35 years), the Louisville International Professional Tennis Classic and the Virginia Slims of Louisville
President of the Kentucky Tennis Association for 7 years and a board member for over 20 years
Served on the Board of the Kentucky Tennis Patrons Foundation for 45 years and as President in 2001 and 2002
Inducted into the Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985

Dec 10 2015

Wendy White-Prausa, Georgia, inducted in 2001 Wendy White Prausa

Dominated at all levels of junior play, reaching the #1 ranking in Georgia in the 16’s and 18’s, the #1 Southern ranking in the 18’s and the #8 ranking in the nation in the 18’s
Finalist in the Southern Closed 16’s, won the Southern Closed 18’s and played on 2 Southern 18U Intersectional teams
Either won or was the finalist in over 30 junior and amateur tournaments in 1977-1978, 1978 Georgia Player of the Year and was selected to play on the USTA National Junior Wightman Cup, the USTA Junior Federation Cup, the U. S. Continental Cup and the U. S. Connolly Cup teams
Played college tennis at Rollins College, then ranked the #4 women’s team in the nation where she was a finalist in the AIAW Division I Collegiate Championships as a freshman and won the event as a sophomore and was named All-American and Collegiate Player of the Year in 1979 and 1980
Ranked #26 in the world in 1980, the highest ranking among amateur players before she turned pro
Played all the grand slams and ranked in the top 100 in singles for 12 straight years, including the top 40 in 7 of those years and earned her highest world ranking of #19 in 1982 and consistently was ranked in the top 20 in doubles
Inducted into the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 1996