Whirlwind Johnson Foundation | Family of Godfather of Black Tennis looks to restore historic home and turn into tennis museum
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Family of Godfather of Black Tennis looks to restore historic home and turn into tennis museum

27 Dec Family of Godfather of Black Tennis looks to restore historic home and turn into tennis museum

Posted on December 27, 2015

Some of the greatest players in tennis history once played on an ordinary court that sits beside a two-story house on Pierce Street in Lynchburg.

Richmond’s Arthur Ashe took the first major step toward what would become a legendary career there. Althea Gibson, the first African-American to win a Grand Slam title, mastered her craft on it. Wimbledon champions Bobby Riggs, Pauline Betz-Addie and Manuel Santana, as well as countless others who would go on to have success in other fields, all had a chance to perfect their serves, and other shots, from the baseline.

But today that tennis court, along with the house at 1422 Pierce St., has fallen into disrepair. The court is overgrown and unrecognizable; the house needs major repairs.

Read the full article here: http://www.richmond.com/news/article_fd0762d9-a084-5845-9b00-e45da846c4ab.html