Debbie Southern Scheduled for Hall of Fame Induction

Dec. 3, 2004

COLUMBIA, South Carolina - The South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation (SCTPF) and the United States Tennis Association South Carolina (USTA/SC) are proud to announce the 2004 Hall of Fame Inductees. Three amazing women - Debbie Southern, Althea Gibson, and Ann Sweeney - join the 37 past inductees in the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

They will be honored at the SCTPF Hall of Fame Banquet at the Westin Resort on Hilton Head Island December 4, 2004. Following their induction, a portrait will be hung in the South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in Belton, South Carolina.

The late, Althea Gibson of Silver, South Carolina faced a difficult battle in her early tennis career. The United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) did not permit blacks to participate in its events. The American Tennis Association (ATA), our nation's oldest African-American sports organization, met with USLTA, to discuss how qualified black players might play in USLTA tournaments. After Alice Marble advanced her cause in the July 1950 issue of "American Lawn Tennis" magazine, Althea made her debut at the 1950 U.S. Open. Including six doubles titles, she won a total of 11 Grand Slam events on her way to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. In 1957, she was the first black to be voted by the Associated Press as its Female Athlete of the Year. She won the honor again in 1958. Though she didn't go looking for the role of pioneer, she was one. Billie Jean King, winner of 12 Grand Slam titles said "If it hadn't been for her, it wouldn't have been so easy for Arthur Ashe or the ones who followed."

Ann Sweeny of Columbia, South Carolina has won over 60 tournaments in South Carolina and has held a #1 ranking in the 45s, 50s, 55s, 60s, and 65s. She has won over 50 Southern tournaments and held a #1 ranking in the south in 50s, 55s, 60s and 65s. In 2001, she was ranked #1 in the south in singles, doubles and mixed doubles having won five Southern titles. She was the first female USA League Tennis verifier; traveling all over the state from 1980 to 1984 in order to get leagues started. She was chairwoman of the Rockbridge Autumn Classic, a tournament "famous throughout the south" for 15 years. On top of her player record, Ann has been a great volunteer for the USTA and has made tireless efforts to promote the game in South Carolina. She has served on the Board of Directors and the Senior Cup Committee, to which has dedicated her services for the past 10 years. Tennis in South Carolina has grown and prospered in no small part because of the dedication of Ann Sweeny.

Debbie Southern of Greenville, South Carolina was a premier junior player in North Carolina winning state championships in all age divisions. She went on to play collegiate tennis at the University of Tennessee. In her 20 plus years as the women's tennis coach at Furman University, her team has won 11 Southern Conference Titles. Debbie has been named Southern Conference Coach of the Year seven times - more than any other Southern Conference women's tennis coach. She has served as a member of the NCAA Women's Tennis Committee and chair of the NCAA Southeast Regional Committee. Two-time USTA/SC Coach of the Year; Debbie Southern is someone who helps female tennis players fulfill their dreams and aspirations. As a coach, she sets the tone for the program with high expectations, and a commitment to excellence within herself and her team.

Establishing a South Carolina State Tennis Hall of Fame was the idea of Jim Russell, South Carolina Tennis Association President in 1983 & 1984. Russell founded the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation, which was originally organized to support the Hall of Fame. Today, the Patron's foundation now supports more than the Hall of Fame, offering grants to many tennis programs and activities throughout the state, plus two $1,000.00 college scholarships, which go to junior players from South Carolina.

The South Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame was dedicated June 6, 1984, and is now considered one of the best such facilities in the country.