Born in Richmond

Arthur Ashe was the first Black man to stand atop tennis - 'the white gentleman's sport' - then traded his racket for a pen to continue fighting for social justice. His life was the most intellectually refined expression of an athlete's social responsibility.

Born in 1943 in Richmond, Virginia, under segregation laws, he could not use public tennis courts reserved for whites. He began playing at a park for Black residents managed by his father. He attended UCLA, winning both NCAA singles and doubles titles in 1965.

In 1968, he won the US Open - the first Grand Slam title for a Black man. He added the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975. His Wimbledon final against Jimmy Connors was a tactical masterpiece: facing Connors's overwhelming power, Ashe neutralized him with changes of pace and slice.

Ashe's tennis was the embodiment of intellect. He analyzed opponents' weaknesses, formulated game plans, and executed them calmly. His style - never showing emotion, playing with elegance and logic - was the direct expression of his character.

His post-retirement activities were wide-ranging. He opposed South African apartheid and protested tennis tours in that country. As a USTA board member, he promoted minority player development. In 1988, he published a three-volume history of African Americans.

In 1992, he publicly revealed his HIV infection, contracted through a blood transfusion during heart surgery. He devoted his remaining time to HIV/AIDS awareness. His words - 'AIDS is not the heaviest burden I've had to bear. Being Black is the greatest burden I've had to bear' - speak to the depth of America's race problem.

He died in 1993 at forty-nine from AIDS-related pneumonia. The main stadium at the US Tennis Center bears his name, hosting the US Open annually. In technique, intellect, dignity, and courage alike, he remains exemplary.