Posted by Dick Leach
on 7/13/2009, 6:27 pm, in reply to "Re: men's tennis"
72.194.116.98
I was the men's varsity tennis coach at USC for 22 years having won several NCAA team titles. I am a life long friend of Ken Stuart and I can tell you that passing him over for all these years is a serious error by LB State (Alumni & current people in charge of nominations to the LBS Hall)
There are several thing people who have responded to ms posting have missed. Here are some FACTS that can be checked about him. Ken was the FIRST NCAA TENNIS CHAMPION IN LB STATE HISTORY IN TENNIS. HE WON THE NCAA DOUBLES IN 1966. HE WAS ALSO THE LEAGUE CHAMPION IN SINGLES AND DOUBLES (I THINK TWICE) PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT AWARD KEN WON AT LBS WAS THAT HE WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS 49ER OF THE YEAR WARD IN 1966[/b]. THAT YEAR HE WAS A CO-WINNER AND THE OTHER PERSON WON A GOLD MEDAL IN THE OLYMPICS (swimming). KEN IS THE ONLY TENNIS PLAYER IN THE SCHOOL HISTORY TO RECEIVE THE HIGHEST AWARD TO ATHLETES AT LONG BEACH STATE (He thinks he got it because he scored 66 points in an intramural basketball game - and broke every record in the individual sports area for PE majors - ha!)
HE ALSO PLAYED THE MAJOR MEN'S PROFESSIONAL TENNIS TOUR. BUT THE BIGGEST REASON TO CONSIDER KEN STUART FOR YOUR HALL OF FAME IS BECAUSE OF WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH HIS LIFE SINCE GRADUATING IN 1966. HE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS MADE A LIFE LONG LIVING OF AND THROUGH HIS SPORT OF TENNIS. AFTER RETIRING FROM PROFESSIONAL TENNIS HE BECAME BUSINESS PARTNERS WITH THE LATE ACTOR JOHN WAYNE AND HE DESIGNED AND OPERATED THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE TENNIS CLUB IN EXISTENCE - THE JOHN WAYNE TENNIS CLUB IN NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA. TODAY KEN OWNS THE CLUB OUTRIGHT (THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO PALISADES TENNIS CLUB AFTER JOHN WAYNE DIED). THE CLUB HAS BEEN THE HOST SITE FOR EVERY MAJOR TENNIS EVENT ON THE WORLD INCLUDING DAVIS CUP. KEN CONTRIBUTES REGULARLY TO THE COMMUNITY AND NEEDY KIDS.
KEN CAN BE REACHED AT THE PALISADES TENNIS CLUB (949) 644-6900 OR BY EMAIL AT kens@palisadestennis.com
DON'T LET THIS ONE SLIP AWAY. IF SOMEONE KNOWS WHO I CAN WRITE A LETTER TO ON KEN'S (AND LONG BEACH STATE'S BEHALF) PLEASE LET ME KNOW VIA RETURN EMAIL.
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