# Ben Press

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**Ben Press** (May 21, 1924 – September 9, 2016) was an American [tennis](/source/Tennis) player, coach, and writer, known for his involvement in [World TeamTennis](/source/World_TeamTennis), his connection with the [Hotel del Coronado](/source/Hotel_del_Coronado), and as teacher of tennis standouts such as [Maureen Connolly](/source/Maureen_Connolly) and [Karen Hantze Susman](/source/Karen_Hantze_Susman).

## Early life

Press was raised in the [University Heights](/source/University_Heights,_San_Diego) and [North Park](/source/North_Park,_San_Diego) neighborhoods of [San Diego](/source/San_Diego), [California](/source/California).[1] Interested from an early age in tennis, his early tennis teachers included longtime San Diego tennis coach [Wilbur Folsom](/source/Wilbur_Folsom).[1] Press's neighbors in North Park included [Ted Williams](/source/Ted_Williams), with whom Press would play baseball and tennis growing up;[1][2] and [Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly](/source/Maureen_Connolly), who would count Press as a lifelong friend, competitor, and coach.[1][3] Press was considered a top junior player,[4] and won the Bob Carrothers Sportsmanship Award.[5] He played varsity tennis at [UCLA](/source/UCLA).[6]

## Playing career

Press's playing career included wins at the La Jolla Championship Summer Tournament in 1949 and 1951.[4][7][8] Press played against such contemporaries as [Jack Kramer](/source/Jack_Kramer), [Bill Tilden](/source/Bill_Tilden), [Bobby Riggs](/source/Bobby_Riggs), [Pancho Gonzales](/source/Pancho_Gonzales), [Whitney Reed](/source/Whitney_Reed), and [Tony Trabert](/source/Tony_Trabert).[1][6] In addition, Press won three USTA Senior National mixed doubles titles with [Jeanne Doyle Garrett](/source/Jeanne_Doyle_Garrett) in 1970, 1973, and 1974,[9] and represented the United States against Canada four times for the [Gordon Trophy](/source/Gordon_Trophy).[4]

## Teaching career

Press was one of the founders of the [San Diego Friars](/source/San_Diego_Friars) in [World Team Tennis](/source/World_Team_Tennis).[6] He was a nonplaying assistant coach and part owner of the [1974](/source/1974_World_Team_Tennis_season) WTT champion [Denver Racquets](/source/Denver_Racquets).[1][10]

Over the course of more than six decades, Press was head pro at several prominent San Diego-area tennis facilities, including 17 years at the [Kona Kai Club](/source/Kona_Kai_Club)[1] and 28 years at the [Hotel del Coronado](/source/Hotel_del_Coronado), where he was pro from 1977 until the demolition of the hotel's tennis courts in 2005.[5][11] Press subsequently became head pro at the Hilton Beach and Tennis Club.[1] He was recognized as a Master Professional by the USPTA.[6]

Press taught [Wimbledon](/source/Wimbledon_Championships) champions [Maureen Connolly](/source/Maureen_Connolly) and [Karen Hantze Susman](/source/Karen_Hantze_Susman), and [Australian Open](/source/Australian_Open) winner [Brian Teacher](/source/Brian_Teacher).[4] Press also taught other standout San Diego-area players, such as [Marita Redondo](/source/Marita_Redondo), [Walter Redondo](/source/Walter_Redondo), [Kristien Kemmer](/source/Kristien_Kemmer), [Angélica Gavaldón](/source/Ang%C3%A9lica_Gavald%C3%B3n), [Steve Avoyer](/source/Steve_Avoyer), [Randy Thomas](/source/Randy_Thomas_(tennis)), and [Alexandra Stevenson](/source/Alexandra_Stevenson).[2][4]

## Service, achievements and honors

Along with his longtime teaching career, Press wrote at length about tennis. In the 1970s, Press wrote a regular column on tennis for the [San Diego Evening Tribune](/source/The_San_Diego_Evening_Tribune).[1]

Press was a co-founder of the Greater San Diego City Tennis Council, an organization that provides resources and funds for the improvement and refurbishment of public tennis court facilities in San Diego.[1][12]

Ben served two terms as president of both the San Diego District Tennis Association and the San Diego division of the USPTA.[4][6]

In 2006, Press was one of ten initial inductees into the [San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame](/source/San_Diego_Tennis_Hall_of_Fame).[13] Press was awarded the National Community Service Award from both the [USTA](/source/USTA) and the USPTA.[4][6]

Press was a 2010 inductee into the USTA Southern California Senior Hall of Fame.[6][14]

In 2011, Press was given the United States Professional Tennis Association's Presidential Award.[6] Press won the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award of the USPTA San Diego Division.[15]

Press was the inventor of the Scepter Racquet, which was the first commercial graphite tennis racquet.[6]

Press died of prostate cancer on September 9, 2016, at the age of 92.[16][17][18]

## References

1. ["A Legend at Balboa – Ben Press"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110629074959/http://www.balboatennis.com/newsletter/february2008.pdf). *Center Court* (Newsletter). Balboa Tennis Club. February 2008. p. 5. Archived from [the original](http://www.balboatennis.com/newsletter/february2008.pdf) on June 29, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2015.

1. Magee, Jerry. ["Press honored for contributions to game,"](https://archive.today/20130630080036/http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040504/news_lz1s4tennis.html) San Diego Union-Tribune. May 4, 2004.

1. See also Brinker Simmons, Cindy, [Little Mo's Legacy: A Mother's Lessons, a Daughter's Story](https://www.amazon.com/Little-Mos-Legacy-Mothers-Daughters/dp/1930819013/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1369458133&sr=8-10&keywords=%22ben+press%22) Tapestry Press. 2001.

1. [Press profile](http://www.sandiegotennis.com/HOF/ben_press%20bio.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080907200221/http://www.sandiegotennis.com/HOF/ben_press%20bio.htm) 2008-09-07 at the Wayback Machine. San Diego District Tennis Association.

1. Martin, John, ["Remembering Bobby Carrothers, a Tennis Prodigy Killed in 1940"](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/sports/tennis/22fame.html?_r=0). New York Times. March 21, 2009.

1. ["Ben Press honored with USPTA Presidential Award"](https://archive.today/20130630131147/http://uspta.com/default.aspx?act=Newsletter.aspx&category=USPTA+Latest+News&newsletterid=795&menugroup=New-USPTA&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1). USPTA website. September 27, 2011.

1. [La Jolla Tennis Club](http://www.ljtc.org/AboutUs.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130703161534/http://www.ljtc.org/AboutUs.html) July 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine.

1. [Inside Tennis](http://www.insidetennis.com/2009/06/san-diego-june-2009/). June 2009.

1. [USTA 2008 Yearbook](http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Organization/Yearbook/23035_2008_USTA_Yearbook__Adult__Senior_National_Championships__MIXED/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130306043022/http://www.usta.com/About-USTA/Organization/Yearbook/23035_2008_USTA_Yearbook__Adult__Senior_National_Championships__MIXED/) 2013-03-06 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Janoff, Murray (July 7, 1973). "Tennis: New Pro Circuit". *[Sporting News](/source/Sporting_News)*

1. Magee, Jerry, ["The Del's Rich Tennis History Chronicled"](http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/01/the-dels-rich-tennis-history-chronicled/). San Diego Union-Tribune. February 1, 2010.

1. ["USPTA Awards Honor Leaders in Tennis Profession"](http://www.tenniswire.org/archives/2005/nov/pr_311.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120329054307/http://www.tenniswire.org/archives/2005/nov/pr_311.html) March 29, 2012 at the Wayback Machine. 11/06/05.

1. Magee, Jerry. ["A Courtly History"](http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060822/news_lz1s22tenny.html). San Diego Union-Tribune. August 22, 2006.

1. [SCTA website](http://www.scta.usta.com/AdultsSeniors/senior_hall_of_fame/).

1. [USPTA San Diego Division Newsletter](http://usptadivisions.uspta.com/html/SD12-WinterNewsletter.pdf)[dead link]. Winter 2012.

1. [Tennis legend Ben Press dies](http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/sep/10/ben-press-tennis-hotel-del-coronado/)

1. ["Granddaughter of a tennis legend"](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2016/08/30/granddaughter-of-a-tennis-legend/). *San Diego Union-Tribune*. 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2025-01-13.

1. Howard, John (2014-11-13). ["Tennis is all in the family for LJCD sophomore"](https://www.cbs8.com/article/sports/tennis-is-all-in-the-family-for-ljcd-sophomore/509-78334f50-854d-4b13-8743-c18bb23ced0f). *cbs8.com*. Retrieved 2025-01-13.

## Selected bibliography

- 100 Years of Tennis at the Hotel del Coronado. The Greater San Diego Tennis Council/Kales Press. 2010. ASIN: 0979845637.
- [The serve](https://archive.today/20130628092851/http://www.addvantageuspta.com/default.aspx?act=newsletter.aspx&category=ADDvantage&menuitemid=502&MenuGroup=Ads&NewsLetterID=1225&&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1) ADDvantage. December 2011.

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