Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Edgar A. “Ned” Neely JR, Georgia, 2003

Edgar A. “Ned” Neely JR, Georgia, inducted in 2003Edgar A Neely

  • Started playing tennis at age 8 and won local, state and section champion-ships in the early 1950’s, culminating with his first national singes and doubles titles at the 1955 National Boy’s 15U Singles Championship followed by a title at the National Junior Clay Court Championships
  • Finalist at the 1956 National Interscholastic Championships and ranked 8th in the nation in the Boy’s 18U in 1958
  • 2-time All-American at Georgia Tech leading the Yellow Jackets to the 1960 Southeastern Conference team title, winning SEC championships in singles and doubles and finishing with a doubles record of 55-13
  • After serving in the Marine Corps, joined the professional world tennis circuit making 3 appearances at Wimbledon, 5 at the U. S. Open and playing in every major tennis stadium in the United States, Europe and Australia and ranked number 11 in United States Men’s Singles in the mid-1960’s
  • Gave up the professional circuit to become a lawyer and primarily competed in local and state tournaments since the late 1960’s
  • President of the Georgia Tennis Foundation, board member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and established the Tennis Academic Program to provide academic and tennis instruction for disadvantaged children ages 8 to 12 at community centers throughout Atlanta
  • Inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 1969 and the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991

Leslie Clarke Longshore JR, Alabama, 2003

Leslie Clarke Longshore JR, Alabama, inducted in 2003Leslie Clarke Longshore Jr

  • 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

Ann Etheredge, Alabama, 2003

Ann Etheredge, Alabama, inducted in 2003Ann Etheredge

  • 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