Once upon a time, you might have noticed an old man who rolled the rubico tennis courts at Battlefield Park every day. That elderly whippersnapper was Battlefield's tennis pro, Sheldon Harris. Mr. Harris and his two-handed forehand were a fixture on the Jackson tennis scene well into his golden years.
A Delta native, the former Meridian High School tennis coach landed at Battlefield Park where the grizzled city of Jackson employee remained for many years, teaching tennis to legions of youngsters and housewives. Step back into the past and meet Mr. Harris.
6 comments:
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Damn Orley was a good writer. Between him, Bobby and Rick, I miss the old CL.
What a great story. And MAN, Orley Hood could write!
Thanks for the walk down memory lane! Sheldon with his pipe rolling those rubico courts, and Orley's writing!
I worked with Orley Hood with me at the Daily News HS Sports desk (West side of Headerman building) on game nights and Orley on the CL side (East side) of the building. I worked for Phil Wallace and Lee Baker at the Daily News. I can't remember who was the sports editor over at the CL
Many good memories of those days, including the night when a college track star's photo, of him breaking the taps in a sprint, was published in the CL, with the last inch (tip) of his manhood sticking out of his shorts. Of course, their story was that no one pain any attention to the part of the photo below the waist. Their paper came off the presses at maybe 10:30 pm and the shouts began about 10:40 pm. I probably still have that Sports page phtot somewhere. Orley paorbably ahs one, too.
And let's not forget his little tin box. I played numerous tournaments there. And there was Ma Vest,the Mother of Mississippi Tennis, that ran the show.
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