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CINCINNATI – A college All-American in doubles, a two-time Ohio high school singles titleist, and two individuals whose names are nearly synonymous with the sport of tennis in Cincinnati have been tapped as the latest to be enshrined into the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame in August.
Those to be enshrined are Dan Kronauge, John David Rauh, Bobbie Farley and Jim Farley. Kronauge was nominated in the “Recent Player Category” (those who played within the past 50 years), Rauh in the “Master Player Category” (those who played 50 or more years ago) and the Farleys were nominated in the “Contributor Category.”
“This is a particularly interesting class of the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame,” said Bill Lofgren, who is in his first year as Chairman of the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame and is a Hall of Famer himself. “Kronauge was successful at every level he’s played, Rauh continued the legacy of Tony Trabert at Walnut Hills High School in winning state titles, and the Farley’s and their family have contributed so much to tennis in Cincinnati it’s nearly impossible to calculate.”
The four will be inducted on Center Court on Saturday, August 13, during the first weekend of the Western & Southern Open, the latest name for a Cincinnati tennis tradition that is today the oldest tournament in the nation played in its original city.
A
reception/luncheon, which is open to the public, will be held in the
Grandstand Tent at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason to honor
the four prior to the on-court enshrinement.
Kronauge (who now resides in Mason, Ohio) was a nationally ranked junior player and a 1986 high school champion in doubles while at Archbishop Alter High School in Kettering. He was ranked as high as No. 1 in doubles and No. 18 by the NCAA in singles while at Ball State University, and then went on to the men’s ATP pro tour, achieving a career-high ranking in doubles of 175 and winning six titles. He was a singles finalist in 1998 and seven-time doubles titleist (1998-2004) at the Thomas E. Price Cincinnati Metropolitan Championships.
Rauh won two Ohio high school singles titles (1949 & '50) while at Walnut Hills and then went on to captain the Harvard tennis team (in '54). He paired with Jim Brockhoff to win doubles titles at the Thomas E. Price Cincinnati Metropolitan Championships in 1960, '64, & '65, and reach four other Met doubles finals. Outside of tennis, Rauh was the CEO of Clopay from 1975 to 1985, was involved in Cincinnati’s Charter Party, as well as national efforts to reform political campaign financing.
Bobbie & Jim Farley (of Indian Hill) have dedicated a great deal of their lives to the sport of tennis and its promotion both inside and outside of Cincinnati. The parents of two Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Famers (Andrea & Angela Farley), both have volunteered and supported tennis at the international, national and local level. Among numerous other accomplishments, Bobbie has served many years as Chair of both the United States Tennis Association’s Constitution and Rules Committee and the National Membership Committee, and Jim has been founder and Chair of the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame. Both Bobbie and Jim have taken active leadership roles with the USTA/Midwest, the Ohio Valley Tennis Association, and the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association.
The
enshrinement reception/brunch begins at 10:30 a.m. on August 13 and is
open to the public. It will be held during the first weekend of the
Western & Southern Open and will include brief speeches followed by
an on-court enshrinement ceremony on Center Court. Individuals wishing
to purchase tickets or a table of 10 for the brunch may call Carole
Meldon at 513-379-7726. (A ticket to the matches also is required for entry to the tournament grounds.)
Once enshrined, individuals will be permanently memorialized at the physical home of the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame, which is at the Carl & Edyth Lindner Family Tennis Pavilion, Lunken Airport Playfield.
Cincinnati is home to world-renowned players, the oldest professional tournament played in its original city, and the first city ever selected by the International Tennis Hall of Fame as its “City of the Year.” The Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to honor the individuals who have helped forge the history, tradition and legacy of Cincinnati tennis. Bill Lofgren is the Chairman of the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame, which is a part of the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
For a complete list of the Hall of Famers who've been enshrined to date, please click here to download a pdf to your desktop.
Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame Enshrinees
2002 Bill Talbert & Tony Trabert
2003 Barry MacKay, Paul Flory, Tom Price, Al Bunis, Ruth Sanders Cordes, Kathy Graeter & Nat Emerson
2004 Bill Lofgren, J. Howard "Bumpy" Frazer, Marty Wolf & Clara Louise Zinke
2005 Andrea Farley, Reuben Holden, Caroline Kuhlman, Jim Brockhoff & Jack Guggenheim
2006 Henry Bunis, Steve Contardi, Winona Closterman & Carol Brestel
2007 Heather Hairston-Propp, Joe O'Brien, Dave Power & Carol Tanner
2008 Charles Thomas, Carl Lindner, Rich Lindner & Jeff Wolf
2009 John Peckskamp, John Cook, Angela Farley Wilson, Lynn Nabors-McNally
2010 – Joe Leytze, Jim Meakin, Kara Molony-Hussey, Bill Pendl
2011 – Dan Kronauge, John David Rauh, Bobbie Farley and
Jim Farley
The Selection Committee:
Marguerita Alder, Jim Brockhoff, Steve Contardi, Kathy Graeter, Brian Nester, Phil Smith
The Program Committee:
Bruce Flory, Dick Friedman, Margi Hardigg, Brian Leshner, Carole Meldon, Karen Montavon, Phil Smith
Immediate Past Chairman:
Jim Farley
