South Carolina Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation

Dec 10 2015

Stan Smith, South Carolina, 2007

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

Dec 10 2015

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

Dec 10 2015

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

Dec 10 2015

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

Dec 10 2015

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