I know a lot about sports legends, including some Missouri Sports legends, but this one was new to me. Dwight Davis was not only a tennis legend but a lawyer, businessman, public servant, Governor-General of the Philippines, etc. Maybe you have heard of the Davis Cup. Yes, it was named after him. He was from St. Louis. He went to college at Harvard and was a very good tennis player. He was the U.S. Doubles Champ three years in a row. In 1900 he founded the international tournament that came to be known as the Davis Cup (aka the World Cup of Tennis). He was the captain of the very first team. He became the St. Louis Parks Commissioner, at a time when there was not an emphasis on recreation. Yet he insisted that all the parks build tennis courts open to everybody. This was very unusual for the times. Despite all his many contributions he will be forever known for his contribution to the Davis Cup. He died in 1945 at the age of 66. He was buried in the National Arlington Cemetery. He was inducted into the Tennis HOF in 1956.
