Arthur ashe education and awards
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Early Years
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was born on July 10, 1943, to Mattie Cunningham Ashe and Arthur Robert Ashe Sr., two middle-class African Americans living in strictly segregated Richmond. His mother died before he was seven, but not before teaching him to read at an early age. Small in stature, Ashe took to tennis from the age of four, mostly thanks to his father’s job as caretaker at Brook Field, one of Richmond’s Blacks-only playgrounds. The Ashe home was located in the middle of the playground.
When he was seven, Ashe was befriended by Ronald Charity, a gifted Black tennis player and coach. Charity took a keen interest in Ashe and taught him the nuances of the game. By 1953 it was obvious that the ten-year-old Ashe had talent but needed a mentor and coach. Enter Dr. Walter Johnson, a Black physician and tennis coach in Lynchburg who had discovered Althea Gibson, the “Jackie Robinson” of tennis and Wimbledon singles champion in 1957 and 1958. Johnson guided Ashe through youth tennis, entered him in amateur championships, and taught Ashe the composed- •
Arthur Ashe Biography
Born: July 10, 1943
Richmond, Virginia
Died: February 6, 1993
New York, New York
African American tennis player and activist
Arthur Ashe was the first African American player to compete in the international sport of tennis at the highest level of the game. After an early retirement from sports due to heart surgery, Ashe used his sportsman profile and legendary poise to promote human rights, education, and public health.
Early years
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was born on July 10, 1943, in Richmond, Virginia. He spent most of his early years with his mother, Mattie Cordell Cunningham Ashe, who taught him to read at age five. She died the next year of heart disease. Ashe's father, Arthur Ashe Sr., worked as a caretaker for a park named Brook Field in suburban North Richmond. Young Arthur lived on the grounds with four tennis courts, a pool, and three baseball diamonds. This was the key to his development as a future star athlete. His early nickname was "Skinny" or "Bones," but he grew up to be six feet one
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Arthur Ashe
American tennis player (1943–1993)
For the British Columbia politician, see Arthur James Richard Ash.
Arthur Ashe, winning the 1975 ABN World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam | |
| Country (sports) | United States |
|---|---|
| Born | (1943-07-10)July 10, 1943 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | February 6, 1993(1993-02-06) (aged 49) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Turned pro | 1969 (amateur tour from 1959) |
| Retired | 1980 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | $1,584,909 (ATP) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1985 (member page) |
| Career record | 1188–371 in pre Open-Era & Open Era[1] |
| Career titles | 87 [1] (44 open era titles listed by ATP) |
| Highest ranking | No. 2 (May 10, 1976) |
| Australian Open | W (1970) |
| French Open | QF (1970, 1971) |
| Wimbledon | W (1975) |
| US Open | W (1968) |
| Tour Finals | F (1978) |
| WCT Finals | W (1975) |
| Career record | 323–176[a] |
| Career titles | 18 (14 Grand Prix and WCT titles) |
| High
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