How St. Louisan Richard Hudlin shaped tennis in St. Louis and the world

Tennis begins at “love,” but it hasn’t always welcomed everyone. In 1945, St. Louis teacher and coach Richard Hudlin sued to desegregate the city’s courts. He wasn’t successful, but his lawsuit helped pave the way for the eventual end to segregation. A skilled player himself, Hudlin went on to coach legends Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson as they broke tennis’s color barriers. Public historians Cicely Hunter and Amanda Clark of the Missouri Historical Society discuss Hudlin’s legacy and lasting impact. (Editor’s note: After publication, we learned that Richard Hudlin’s 1945 lawsuit to desegregate St. Louis tennis courts and tournaments was not successful, because the Municipal Athletic Association was a private club that could choose its own members. Hudlin’s lawsuit and his ongoing fight for equal access, however, were instrumental in shaping the future of tennis in St. Louis and eventual desegregation of the city’s recreational facilities in 1950.)