James Dwight

Born in Paris on July 14, 1852, and educated at Harvard, James Dwight became one of the central early figures in American lawn tennis. After seeing the game in Europe, he brought equipment back to Massachusetts and helped stage one of the first recorded tennis tournaments in the United States in 1876.

He was a strong player in his own right, reaching the U.S. National singles final in 1883 and the Wimbledon semifinals in 1885. He also won five U.S. National doubles titles with Richard Sears, a partnership that helped define the sport's early years in America.

Just as important was his work off the court. Dwight was a driving force in the early United States National Lawn Tennis Association, served for many years as its president, and was later inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He is often remembered as the "Father" or "Founding Father" of American tennis.