Tennis And The Holidays

Stories & Articles

Dec 28

Review by Cheryl Jones

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone. Most likely, there is still a gift or two that hasn’t been found. Folks might always want to remember friends and business associates, and of course their own family with a little something extra. As always, it’s hard to find presents for that someone who seems to have “everything”. I found a surprising number of tennis books available on the Internet, even though they aren’t newly published. They are wonderful gifts, last minute or not.

Over the years, I’ve read and reviewed a huge number of wonderful tennis related memoires. A number of unforgettable accounts were offered by players who came from another era. It was a time before entertainment and the sport meshed. The crossover has made people like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer world-renowned celebrities known to most. But, that wasn’t always the way it was.

Racquets and other tennis gear may sound like a good gift, but I know most players would prefer to make their own choice of equipment and clothing. Gift certificates are great, but they look like meager offerings compared to even a package that includes a pair of socks.

For all those players who have a collection of tennis books, an option of a new biography or even an autobiography could add depth to a collection. Beside that, a good many tennis stalwarts enjoy tales of the early days where players took it to another level when the levels were not quite so outwardly visible as they are today.

One of the oldies but goodies that come to mind is “Hey Big Boy” by Abe Segal with Deborah Curtis-Setchell. (If you are searching for carefully proofread publications, this is definitely not a good choice.) If you’re looking for a tennis recollection that is exciting, enjoyable and amusing, this is a top-notch pick.

This story will have readers in stitches, because Segal has a wicked sense of humor that clearly twists memories into amusing anecdotes. The cast of characters (and there are a goodly number of genuine characters) will be recognizable and fascinating. He is truthful about his personal foibles and his honesty is admirable. Even if Segal’s name isn’t recognizable to some readers, his peers are clearly identified and they were all playing at the very epicenter of the tennis universe and what’s more, all at the same time.

Even though there was some difficulty in my being able to follow the thoughts of someone who has evidently never heard of a compound word, the story is engaging, funny and full of life -- it makes a good choice for a fun read and a thoughtful memoir that is worthy of a place on any tennis lover’s bookshelf.

If that isn’t your idea of a lazy, rainy day story, perhaps Gardnar Mulloy’s story could fill the bill. He wrote “As It Was – Reminiscences from a Man for All Seasons when he was 96 years old. “As It Was”, is more than a story about tennis, it is a world history lesson that is filled with personal remembrances, from the early twentieth century, until just a few years ago. The entire narrative is aptly chronicled in Mulloy’s easy going and up-beat manner. It is apparent that Mulloy loved tennis. It’s a great publication and best of all, there are pictures.

Johnette Howard wrote a wonderful book about two of the greatest women who ever played the game. Her book, “The Rivals” chronicles the competition and friendship of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

Television followed these two’ women’s rivalry on court. Howard gives us an inside look at the big picture; from the times that were changing. Society’s expectations as well as individual expectations were themes of the seventies, eighties and nineties – actually they still are.

Looking back, it seems that Evert and Navratilova were part of something big that would only show itself in time. The world of women’s sports was a hotbed of innuendo and finger pointing. Howard unravels many of the questions in her excellent, insightful saga.

“The Rivals” is a wonderful and entertaining story about two women’s journey through life. It is a chronicle of friendships, sadness, happiness and most of all triumph. It’s a great gift for a tennis lover of either gender.

For those of us who watched Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King trade shots way back in 1973, there is more than what appeared on the screen. We always knew that was the case, but Selena Roberts looked back at what she calls, “A Necessary Spectacle”.

It is another history lesson that is almost like it is marching in time with the story of King versus Riggs. The bravado of Riggs and the courage of King are chronicled through the times – superbly. The story is actually about triumph for an entire gender. It reached around barriers that had been in place since Amelia Bloomer marched through Seneca Falls in comfortable clothing in the middle of the nineteenth century.

If there are children on that list – grandchildren, nieces, nephews – that has been checked more than twice, there’s something for them. Marissa Irvin Gould has a wonderful offering that is fun, informative and filled with useful information.

Who better to write an exciting and engaging introduction to tennis than a young mother who has her hands pretty full with three small children? Marissa Irvin Gould has shared just a bit of the magic she found along the pathway she took as she played her through the maze that is tennis. Growing up in Southern California, Irvin Gould was a star. She garnered a scholarship to Stanford, where she was an All-American – twice. As a professional, she competed on the world stage and then went on to be a grammar school teacher and then a mother.

Recognizing that tennis is more than just a game, she set out to write “A Magical Racquet Ride” as a labor of love. The brief but appropriate children’s story is a testament to her thorough enjoyment of a pastime that is healthy and fun. The illustrations are by Mark Brayer and they are fittingly light and airy and they actually make the journey look like fun. Tennis can be the game of a lifetime and “A Magical Racquet Ride” is a fun story that will appeal to youngsters from pre-school on. It’s a short and sweet ride. It has an viewpoint that is magic and what’s more, it’s true.

Of course, this list could go on, and then on some more. There are many good stories that have their roots in tennis. The number of books in a tennis library can be extensive. Each has a story that fits together to be tennis. It isn’t the same for each of us. Of course, there are instructional publications out there and they shouldn’t be overlooked. But for sheer enjoyment, these are stories of how tennis touches our souls through a myriad of different avenues.