TOURNAMENT TO FEATURE BREAKING THE BARRIERS EXHIBIT, SCHOLARSHIPS
NEW HAVEN – Nigel Griffith knows the game of tennis and he’s more than happy to help pass the sport’s positive attributes on to others.
He’s also fully aware of the game’s history and that’s a passion that may even outweigh Griffith’s for teaching the game itself.
During the 89th Annual New England Tennis Association Tournament at Yale from July 4- July 6, players, spectators and visitors to the tennis center will have the uniqie opportunity to tour the "Breaking the Barriers" exhibit, a moving history book that tells the story of the ATA and black tennis pioneers.
"I really think it is so important for everyone to get a chance to see this exhibit," said Griffith. "The exhibit is very moving and powerful. I think that everyone, particularly young people, will benefit from learning about some of the challenges and adversity that those who came before them faced. It will make them realize just how fortunate they are to be able to play this game."The exhibit, which is housed at the International Tennis Hall of Fame when not on display, will be the centerpiece of a packed tennis weekend that includes the tournament, a barbecue for youth players, a fireworks display and a banquet that will feature a roster of influential tennis figures, including Dale Caldwell. In addition, six scholarships to two of the world’s most prestigious tennis camps will be awarded to deserving and promising young players.
The Breaking the Barriers exhibit will be available for free viewing each day on the grounds of the Yale Tennis Center from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and it will also be present at the banquet Saturday night.
(MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBIT)
"Breaking The Barriers" Exhibit Opens
Posted January 17, 2008
NEWPORT, RI - The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum will open a special exhibit in Newport entitled Breaking The Barriers: The ATA and Black Tennis Pioneers. The exhibit will be on view to the public in the Hall of Fame Museum starting on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 21 through March 9, 2008.
The opening of the exhibit will kickoff on Sunday, January 20 with a reception and private viewing at the Hall of Fame from 4pm-6pm. Breaking The Barriers blends photos, newspaper accounts, video, and player memorabilia to create a lively, informative and thought-provoking experience. The exhibit also describes the origins and history of the American Tennis Association (ATA), established in 1916 to promote the sport of tennis and to help blacks gain access to tournament tennis. In addition the unheralded champions of early black tennis will be featured.
Special guests attending the “kick-off” reception include Jeanne Ashe, wife of the late Arthur Ashe; exhibit Co-Curators Dale Caldwell (USTA Eastern section president; the first African American to hold that position; ranked at age 17 in the top 20 ATA National Junior rankings) and Art Carrington (former ATA National Singles and Doubles Champion; noted Black Tennis Historian; director of the tennis academy at Hampshire College in Easthampton, MA). Video excerpt from Arthur Carrington Tennis Academy
They will be joined by former ATA champions Bob Ryland (former ATA National Singles Champion; first black tennis professional; taught many Hollywood stars including Bill Cosby, Tony Bennett and Barbara Streisand), Lendward Simpson (former ATA Doubles Champion; at the time the youngest male to play in US Open - age 15; first African American to be signed to play in the World TeamTennis league) and Vernon Morgan (former ATA Champion; NYS ATA singles champion). Welcoming guests to the opening reception will be Mark L. Stenning, Chief Executive Officer of the Hall of Fame, and Gary Cogar, the Hall of Fame’s Museum Director and Exhibit Developer.
There were many trailblazers in the fight for equality in tennis, most notably Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe. Gibson, inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971, broke a major barrier when she entered the U.S. National Championships at Forest Hills in 1950. Attaining the World No. 1 ranking and capturing Wimbledon and U.S. National titles twice, Gibson personified the struggle for equal opportunity in previously restricted tournaments.
Arthur Ashe, inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985, was the first African American male to capture a Grand Slam singles title (1968 US Open). Adding to his 13 career titles and spectacular Davis Cup play, Ashe was a pioneer of causes for the underprivileged, co-founding the National Junior Tennis League in 1969.
While the accomplishments of Gibson and Ashe are an important part of the exhibit, there are other stories told as well - notably, the influence of their early mentor, Dr. Robert Walter Johnson. "Dr. J", over the course of several decades, taught promising young black players the rudiments of the game, as well as instilling the ideals of sportsmanship, self discipline and quiet persistence. As founder and director of the ATA Junior Development Program, Johnson worked tirelessly to gain admittance for his young players into previously segregated tournaments. Breaking The Barriers will also showcase the unheralded champions of the ATA before tennis was integrated; names in the spotlight include Jimmie McDaniel, Dr. Reginald Weir, George Stewart, Tally Holmes, Gerald Norman, Oscar Johnson, Lucy Diggs Slowe, Ora Mae Washington, Isadora Channels and the Peters sisters.
For more information on the exhibit Breaking the Barriers, the opening reception on January 20, or the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, please call 401-849-3990 or visit our website, www.tennisfame.com.
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