March Spotlight:
Under construction

February 16, 1852 – May 3, 1886

 

... was a pioneering figure in the world of sports, known as the "Mother of American Tennis." Born in Philadelphia and raised in Staten Island, New York, she traveled to Bermuda in the 1870s, where she discovered the game of lawn tennis. Enthralled by the sport, she brought the first set of tennis equipment to the United States, introducing the game to her family and friends. In 1874, she established the first tennis court in the country at the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club, laying the foundation for tennis as a popular American pastime. Mary’s efforts were instrumental in the early growth of tennis in the U.S., and her legacy lives on as a trailblazer in making the sport accessible and beloved across the nation.