A Tennis Player Named Barbara

Barbara Scofield (right) in her prime, with Australian player Thelma Long. She won his respect the first day he saw her. A girl of 14, she had gotten special leave from school across town in San Francisco to play a first round match at the California Tennis Club. Burdened with bag of schoolbooks over one shoulder, tennis racket over the other, she burst into the club only to be told "Your match has been postponed until tomorrow." Oh, shit," she exclaimed, slamming her books to the ground. Looking on amused was club member Tom Brown, only 18, but already a seasoned veteran of such tournament foul-ups. So began Wimbledon champion Tom Brown's life longtime friendship with Barbara Scofield, a player who would go on to many accomplishments on the world tennis stage. The year was 1940. Feisty teenager then, a soft-spoken genteel 87 now, Barbara Scofield Davidson was recently admitted into the USTA Norcal Tennis Hall of Fame. Among those present for the elegant ceremony at Stanford were Barbara's husband, Gordon, of Harley-Davidson fame; their three children, Gigi, Gabrielle, and Michael and three of their seven grandchildren. Son Michael had some insights to offer about his mother. "She never had...