High School Tennis

I had started playing tennis when I was 12 years old. A kid from Lewis Elementary had wanted to learn to play and suggested we try it. His name was Gary Anderson. We weren't good friends or anything so I was suspicious as to how this had come about...possible adult meddling? The upshot was that I got a Wright & Ditson tennis racquet and a can of tennis balls at Knobloc's Hardware and was ready to go. Never played with Gary that I remember distinctly but I did have a friend on the next block named Leonard Graves and he and I would go over to the Whaley Park tennis courts and try to keep the ball going over the net as much as we could. There were no lessons so we were doing it the hard way. In the summer we would go over in the morning, come home for lunch, back in the afternoon, dinner and then back in the evening when other people would show up. By watching them and emulating some of what we saw and finally learning from them, our games progressed. I had the confidence to try out for Central's Tennis Team when the opportunity came up. The coach at that time was Clem Rowe. Sounds like a hick name but he was no hick. He was a great coach. He gave you his time. He took me to Mullins Sporting Goods to get me a proper racquet. He took me down to the Counselors Office to get me a part-time job at the Flint Journal. It was a co-op job so I could leave school at about 1 PM and walk down to work then take the bus home. I remember when I said I wanted to get a car Clem said, "What do you want to do that for? The first thing you know is they need tires or a battery." He treated me with Kidd gloves. Thanks, Clem. Rest in Peace. Turns out he was an excellent chess player and speed reader.

The team that first year had a lot of Seniors on it. Coach Rowe kept me and I think about three other Sophomores down at the bottom of the line-up so there would be something for next years team. I played number two doubles almost all the time but I was thrown in to a singles match(as a strategic move) in one match. I remember losing but three times in that match my opponent thought my shots were going long so he would stand to the side and leave his foot there(on the line) and each time the ball hit his foot! One of those things you remember.

One of the other kids in my Class was Paul Matz (we were rivals of a sort) and in our Junior Year we played one doubles and won a lot. We were both jerks and would like to do things to piss off the opponents. Not proud of that but it seemed like fun at the time. I'm not sure of who else was one that first team. I think it was Burt Southard (party animal) and I'll have to get the rest later. When the end of the season came around the Tennis team and the Golf team would have a joint picnic at Coach Rowe's house. Softball game, which the tennis team always won, grilled steak and handing out of "Letters". Coach gave me a Varsity Letter. Trying to build my confidence, most likely. When we had an away trip to Bay City, Saginaw or Midland, the rest of the team (Seniors) left the seat in the middle front, by Clem for me to ride in. The coach had a habit of constantly speeding up and then slowing down. He never drove at a steady speed. I never asked him why he did that but I have seen other drivers so something similar.

By the way, I graduated in 1962 and was hired as a teacher at Central in 1968. I think it was while I was teaching there that the military people rappelled down the tower.

I know this is fascinating but I'll finish later.