DWIGHT DAVIS TENNIS CENTER

Dwight Davis Tennis Center, the home of the 2007 NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championships, is named after Dwight F. Davis, a native St. Louisian and the donor of the famed Davis Cup. Born in 1879, he spent his life working for and with people to make tennis in public parks available to all.

As Director of Parks in St. Louis, he removed "Keep Off the Grass" signs that filled the city's arks. People were invited to enjoy their surroundings. He built the first free public tennis courts and organized the municipal leagues in order to make their play more enjoyable. Dwight F. Davis put life into public park tennis and the entire public parks and recreation system.

As long ago as 1913, Dwight F. Davis held a public parks tennis tournament in which 200 St. Louisians participated. That same year he wrote to other cities encouraging them to form municipal leagues so inter-city and national competition could be held. He was also co-founder of the Muny Athletic Association.

The stadium and other courts were made possible by the tremendous support of the local tennis community. In 1964 a not-for-profit corporation was registered with the Missouri Secretary of State?s office. S.E. Freund, Harry G. Burrus, Harry Leuke and Thomas W. White formed this corporation, know as the Dwight F. Davis Memorial Tennis Center.

The mission that was developed by Dwight F. Davis remains today: "To foster and encourage municipal, district, state and national tennis tournaments in the City of St. Louis and to stimulate interest in the sport and to encourage and educate the youth of St. Louis in sportsmanship as exemplified in tennis."