Local tennis legend talks about what Black History Month means to him

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A world renowned tennis player, and local legend in Wilmington sharing what Black History Month means to him.

“It was like stepping in the distant world, all these African Americans, professional men in this town, leaders in this community were playing the game of tennis. I was amazed!,” said Lenny Simpson, One Love Tennis founder.

Wilmington native Lenny Simpson entered the pro tour and became a professional tennis player in 1973. Simpson was the first African-American to play world team tennis, and has numerous achievements in the sport.

He learned the game of tennis at the home of his neighbor Dr. Hubert Eaton, a local physician at the time, whose home had a pool and the only tennis court available to African Americans during the Jim Crow era when Simpson was growing up.

“Every day I was sitting over here and I would see them playing the game of tennis,” said Simpson. “I thought I was hiding, behind the bushes, they all saw me there.”

Simpson met multiple well-known tennis players at Dr. Eaton’s home, like Althea Gibson, who was the first African American tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships and the first black player to compete at Wimbledon. He spoke about the moment he met her and she handed him his first tennis racquet.

“When she called me champion, I never forgot that the rest of my life, till this day, very day, I never forgot that. That was an impression on my life,” said Simpson.

He reflected on how things have changed since his childhood in the Jim Crow era, when his love for tennis began.

“Things are ten times better they’re getting better and better every day. Hey, when I came along, I don’t remember anything of Black History Month,” said Simpson. “I didn’t know who did this, and who did that. Now I found out every day.”

Simpson is now leading the One Love Tennis program under the Lenny Simpson Tennis and Education Fund, providing a year round program to at-risk youth with tennis instruction and academic support. He spoke about how the program is a part of his legacy.

“This has got to continue on. Maybe several of those kids in the One Love Program will take on and do what we are doing right now and give it all back. That’s the name of the game.”

Simpson’s base of operations for the One Love Tennis program, the Lenny Simpson Tennis and Education Fund, is at the former home of African-American physician and activist dr. Hubert Eaton Sr. and Celeste Burnett-Eaton, where Simpson learned the game of tennis.