MID-TAC’S HALL OF FAME DECEASED PLAYER FOCUS
Maurice “Mo” Renee Hunter
Maurice was gifted in tennis and was recruited out of high school for a full fledged tennis scholarship to Pepperdine University Malibu by tennis legend ’Bobby Riggs’ son, Larry Riggs. He was the only returning letterman after that first year. In articles it’s describing how his play was exceptional and Larry called on him to get his team out of a spot. Other sportswriters write of his killer overheads, his swiftness in the ability to cover the court. There’s even one article describing the challenge between a white player of privilege against each other and the tension is felt. Maurice becomes victorious in this match and the opponent describes how he had underestimated Maurice’s skills. Please provide additional information you feel is important for the committee to know about this candidate.
Through his F.A.C.T. (Future Athletic Champions of Tennis) and other nonprofits he mentored youn inner city children giving them tennis equipment and incentive cash prizes encouraging their mental and physical coordination during instruction exercises to pinpoint that $1 he strategically place. And the kids lined up by the dozens to hit that mark and get that dollar or prize. He knew how to inspire and encourage participation.
Most Notable contribution to Black Tennis History is the historic win in 1979 at 22 years old becoming the first Black ever to win the Men Singles title in the Michigan Open Championship in its 30 year history. In addition he bagged the first place $1,500 first place prize (largest ever in Michigan) and displaced some world-ranked players in the process. He won the title without the loss of a set of players from 18 states and 6 countries.
In 1974 he was the boys’ 16 singles winner in the ATA Championships; playing for Mumford High School he was considered to be one of the finest tennis players in the PSL and was a 2-time champion and collected 63 trophies in his prep career, and was unbeaten in dual meets one season. He also reigned as the Public Parks and Northwestern Open Singles and doubles champion and one of the finest black players in the United States.
For 18 years he was the County of Los Angels Parks and Recreation Supervisor serving the underrepresented communities in gang infested South Central Parks and everyone loved him and he hired many disenfranchised teens as rec leaders beginning a new life for them.
Maurice was SEMTA no. 1 ranked player in high school for 2 years straight. He competed and won rankings in ATP, USTA and ITF American Express circuit international tournaments as well as ATA. At 20, he won the Clinton Valley, Motor City Grand Slam, and Woodland tournaments. Later he took the challenge bringing a tennis team to LA City College missing for 20 years and in 1 year brought them to near championship title. In 1987 among other years, he created and lead the Summer Tennis Xcellence Program at Belle Isle Tennis Courts. He also competed as a senior and in 2017 won the Crabel Invitational senior men’s singles title.
Detroit qualifier Maurice Hunter played the USLTA national junior tournament competing with 850 other youngsters. His was the biggest upset in the boys’ 16 and under singles when he surprised everyone including Jack Kaspers of Bloomfield Hills when he victoriously won 4-6, 6-2, 63. Considering these public park youth players had no formal training or access to great coaches like their wealthier opponents they played back in the early 1970s-1980s they made historic strides in the golden age of tennis. It was predicted by Pancho Segura in 1974 that “There’s no doubt that Black kids make fine athletes,”. “Pretty soon a Black kid with a killer serve and strong two-handed backstrokes is going to come along and nobody’s going to be able to stop him!” Maurice knew this and disciplined his mind, body and spirit to become the victories through faith and hard training like the “Rocky” movie.
He left words of wisdom for youths which I have that inspires courage: Play your heart out… you can do it! And the one I tell other’s the most to encourage them to train: Ranking never scared real tennis champions and legends… actually it was the other way around!
Detroit Sometimes…”Privilege Means Nothing!”
Maurice passed away on October 17, 2022.
MID-TAC’s HALL of FAME (Deceased) A to Z
Richard Bradley, 74, of Chicago, Ill. and formerly of Rushville, died Feb. 28, 2010.
Born July 21, 1935, he was the son of RB and Dorothy Bradley, both deceased. He was the youngest in a family which included three boys and three girls.
Mr. Bradley attended Rushville Public Schools; a 1953 graduate of Rushville High School; a 1957 honors graduate of Indiana University; and received a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Roosevelt University, Chicago, in 1962. While attending Indiana University, he pledged into the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. In 1957 he became a Chicago Public Schools elementary teacher and subsequently became a teacher of adults, assistant principal and principal. He retired from Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School as principal in 1993. He was active in several tennis organizations. He was the past president and a former member of the American Tennis Association and the Midwestern Tennis Association Board of Directors. To celebrate his many accomplishments in the tennis world, the City of Rushville named the high school tennis courts the “Richard Bradley Tennis Center.” He also was an active member of the Chicago Assembly.
Survivors include his wife of over 50 years, Melba; sons, Anthony (Hellena) Bradley and Greg (Amanda) Bradley; sisters, Louella Goins and Joanne Bradley; brother, William (Pearle) Bradley; grandchildren, Steven, Christopher, Ava and Maya Bradley; and step grandson, William Manning.
Besides his parents he was preceded in death by a sister, Margaret Franklin, and a brother, James Robert Bradley.
Services were March 6, 2010 at St. Columbanus Parish in Chicago with the Rev. Marty Gool officiating.
Childs, Allegra (1932), _____________ – Player
Clement, F. (1932), ________________ – Player
Cohen, Richard (1938), New Orleans, LA – Player
Dr. Marcus Antonio Freeman, Jr. of Dallas, Texas, died September 4, 2016, at home. He was born September 14, 1934, in Smithville, Texas, to Pastor Marcus Antonio Lucas Freeman and Willie B. Wilburn Freeman. Marcus was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of Pastor Richie Butler. He graduated from Wheatley High School in San Antonio, Texas. Marcus proudly served his country in the United States Army. He continued his education at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, graduating with a master’s degree. In 1972, he earned a Doctorate of Education at East Texas State, now Texas A&M University – Commerce. Dr. Freeman retired from the Dallas Independent School District as an administrator. He was an avid tennis player and instructor, and he received the USTA Youth Tennis Program Award in 2013, was inducted into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2015, and received the Tennis Award by the City of Plano in 2016. He was active in the Freeman Junior Tennis Program and CYD Program; also he was publisher of BT Magazine. Marcus is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Edward Freeman; and sister, Willie B. Jefferson. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Jacquelyn Smith Freeman, and their son, Vijay Freeman; son, Marcus Antonio Freeman III, and daughter, Carol Freeman, from his previous marriage to Ada Freeman (deceased); two grandchildren, Tommie Lee Robinson and Candelara Freeman; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Hudlin, Richard (1926, 1929, 1932, 1938), Chicago, IL & St. Louis, MO – Player/Leader/Pioneer
Hudson, Dick (1935), ______________ – Player
Hurd, John J. (______), Chicago, IL – Player
In addition to being an accomplished player for five-plus decades in the ATA and USTA (both locally and nationally), Rice was one of the moving forces, during the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s in central Indiana, in breaking down the racial barriers that kept African Americans and other people of color from participating in the sport of tennis. Often, Rice was one of the first, if not the first, African Americans to compete in many district and sectional USTA sanctioned tournaments, and helped make competitive tennis a reality for those who had only thought of tennis as a country-club sport.
Rice was also a well-known and respected tennis official, calling lines and umpiring at tournaments including the U.S. Clay Court Championships and the U.S. Open. In the early years, he served as Chair of the Umpires Committee for the Central Indiana Tennis Association. Here again, Rice was one of the only, if not the only, African-Americans to officiate at this level. His work in this area inspired other people of color to get involved in officiating and to join the ranks of tennis officials.
Marion I. Rice was a leader in grass-roots tennis. He was the heart, soul and long-time president of the Riverside Park based Capitol City Tennis Club, an Indianapolis affiliate to the ATA. He inspired the founding (and was one of the founders) of the ATA’s Midwestern Tennis Association, or Mid-TAC, which continues to host an annual, nationally renowned tennis tournament in Indianapolis.
Increasingly, Rice became passionate about teaching the game to anyone who wanted to learn, who could meet the level of excellence he demanded, and who could put up with his one-of-a-kind, gruff personality. He virtually turned Indianapolis’s Riverside Park into his personal teaching academy where, as a certified teaching pro, he taught people of all walks of life and ages. It was there where he created the Riverside Upswing Program and where he helped establish the local chapter of the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL). In 2004, prior to his death, Rice was inducted into the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. In 2019, the City of Indianapolis named the Riverside Tennis Courts in honor of Marion I. Rice for his dedication to tennis in the city.
Marion Played in what, in the early days, was called the “Industrial League” of Indianapolis, which was a forerunner to the modern USTA League play.
He served as a member of the ATA Board Executive Committee from at least 1971 thru 1986. Director of Tennis Club – President of the ATA affiliated Capitol City Tennis Club for many years. Mr. Rice was very generous when it came to making contributions to the sport of tennis. Mostly, he was generous with his time. He was a life-time member of the ATA, the USTA and the Capitol City Tennis Club.
Marion Isaac Rice Passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2006, at the age of 89.
Summers, Frank (1932), ______________ – Player
Taylor, John (1929), Kansas City, MO – Player
Thompson, Ted (1926), _____________ – Player/Leader/Pioneer
Tiff, Benn (1937) _______________ – Player
Trig, Dewey (_____ to _____), Cleveland, OH – Player
Turner, Douglas (1929, 1935, 1937), ________________, IL – Player/Leader/Pioneer
Turner, E. (1932), _____________ – Player
Turner, Owen (1926), _________________ – Player