Meredith R. Miller
Librarian
The Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
What is Ashe’s lasting legacy in the tennis world and what sets him apart from the other great champions of the sport?
"Arthur Ashe is one of tennis’s greatest figures. He was the first African American man to win the US Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open singles titles. However, Althea Gibson was the one who broke the color barrier in tennis (much like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball). She was the first African American tennis player to be allowed to play in the U.S. National Championships in 1950. She went on to win the French, U.S., and Wimbledon singles and doubles, and the Australian doubles. If it weren’t for Gibson, Ashe might not have had his chances.
"Ashe did have a huge impact on tennis. He endured a lot of hardship in order to be allowed to play in tournaments and go to tennis clubs which might not have otherwise let him in because he was black. He was able to do this with help of his family, friends, and coaches throughout his career.
"Ashe was a great tennis player, but also a great social activist. He was the first black player allowed to enter the South African Championships while Apartheid (segregation) was still in effect in the country. He argued on behalf of refugees from Haiti, he worked to get better education for minority athletes, and raised money for African American college foundations, among other things. His battle with AIDS led to more education about the disease in the 1990s.
"This article goes into more details about Ashe’s life."
http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Ashe_Arthur.html
How have Ashe's contributions to the International Tennis Players Association shaped the ATP of today?
"As an early President of the ATP (Association for Tennis Professionals), Ashe helped to establish the idea that the players weren’t going to be bullied by the tournament directors and ITF anymore. Before 1968, tennis was not Open, meaning that if you wanted to earn money playing tennis (as a professional), you could not compete in the major tournaments (Australian, French, Wimbledon, US) because they were only open to amateurs. If you played on the Pro Tours and made money playing tennis, you were banned from these prestigious tournaments which are the most important in the calendar year. However, the days of tennis players being independently wealthy were over, and most players needed to make a living. Finally, in 1968, tennis became Open, and professionals were no longer banned from these tournaments. This is why most of the tournaments (both major and regular) have the word Open in their name. The Open Era as tennis from 1968-present day is known began and the men’s (ATP) and women’s (WTA) tours were formed. The tours were unions which helped the players get the rights they deserved. As President, Ashe helped secure the rights of the players, and because of him and other men such as Cliff Drysdale, male tennis players make a pretty good living."
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Corporate/History.aspx
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is a fun and enjoyable way to remember Ashe. In what other ways can we kids honor Ashe’s memory?
"You can honor Ashe first by remembering him and celebrating his life and all he did for humanity. I think that when students like you and many others research him, you are doing a service to your teachers, family members, and administrators who will learn (or re-learn) about Ashe’s legacy.
"The Arthur Ashe Learning Center in New York has a website with various contests and activities to help honor Ashe’s memory. One such way is the Arthur Ashe Essay Contest."
http://www.arthurashe.org/arthur-ashe-essay-and-art-contest.html
"Arthur Ashe is one of tennis’s greatest figures. He was the first African American man to win the US Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open singles titles. However, Althea Gibson was the one who broke the color barrier in tennis (much like Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball). She was the first African American tennis player to be allowed to play in the U.S. National Championships in 1950. She went on to win the French, U.S., and Wimbledon singles and doubles, and the Australian doubles. If it weren’t for Gibson, Ashe might not have had his chances.
"Ashe did have a huge impact on tennis. He endured a lot of hardship in order to be allowed to play in tournaments and go to tennis clubs which might not have otherwise let him in because he was black. He was able to do this with help of his family, friends, and coaches throughout his career.
"Ashe was a great tennis player, but also a great social activist. He was the first black player allowed to enter the South African Championships while Apartheid (segregation) was still in effect in the country. He argued on behalf of refugees from Haiti, he worked to get better education for minority athletes, and raised money for African American college foundations, among other things. His battle with AIDS led to more education about the disease in the 1990s.
"This article goes into more details about Ashe’s life."
http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Ashe_Arthur.html
How have Ashe's contributions to the International Tennis Players Association shaped the ATP of today?
"As an early President of the ATP (Association for Tennis Professionals), Ashe helped to establish the idea that the players weren’t going to be bullied by the tournament directors and ITF anymore. Before 1968, tennis was not Open, meaning that if you wanted to earn money playing tennis (as a professional), you could not compete in the major tournaments (Australian, French, Wimbledon, US) because they were only open to amateurs. If you played on the Pro Tours and made money playing tennis, you were banned from these prestigious tournaments which are the most important in the calendar year. However, the days of tennis players being independently wealthy were over, and most players needed to make a living. Finally, in 1968, tennis became Open, and professionals were no longer banned from these tournaments. This is why most of the tournaments (both major and regular) have the word Open in their name. The Open Era as tennis from 1968-present day is known began and the men’s (ATP) and women’s (WTA) tours were formed. The tours were unions which helped the players get the rights they deserved. As President, Ashe helped secure the rights of the players, and because of him and other men such as Cliff Drysdale, male tennis players make a pretty good living."
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Corporate/History.aspx
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is a fun and enjoyable way to remember Ashe. In what other ways can we kids honor Ashe’s memory?
"You can honor Ashe first by remembering him and celebrating his life and all he did for humanity. I think that when students like you and many others research him, you are doing a service to your teachers, family members, and administrators who will learn (or re-learn) about Ashe’s legacy.
"The Arthur Ashe Learning Center in New York has a website with various contests and activities to help honor Ashe’s memory. One such way is the Arthur Ashe Essay Contest."
http://www.arthurashe.org/arthur-ashe-essay-and-art-contest.html
60 words