Pioneers of the Game

The saga and history of the inside struggles and conflicts of a surprisingly small group of international visionaries and activists who shaped the business, administration, and governance of men’s professional tennis from 1919 to 1990 and beyond is told in Pioneers of the Game. The book documents the pioneer’s 40-year competition between amateur and professional tennis which eventually forced the approval of Open Tennis in 1968, followed by the creation and development of the business, administration, and governance of men’s tennis as a professional sport between 1968 and1990 and beyond, with the divided governance and the advent of the ATP Tour. The author is Marshall Happer, who was the first and only “commissioner” of men’s professional tennis as the head of the Men's Tennis Council, the first and last unified governing body of men’s tennis from 1974-1989. This historical volume profiles, honors, and ranks these administrative legends which include Jack Kramer, Phillippe Chatrier, Lamar Hunt, Herman David, Derek Hardwick, Robert Kelleher, Donald Dell, Mike Davies, Stan Malless, Tony Trabert, Arthur Ashe, and Cliff Drysdale, among others.