“My nephew Eric Voges has his tennis cathedral (at McCallie) with his name on it so at least I get a court named for me.
“Seriously, I am humbled and thankful to the Town of Lookout Mountain who has decided to put my name on one of the three public courts at the Playground.”
--long time tennis instructor and hall of famer Marilyn Voges Brown
The message on the other end of the phone conversation last month brought tears to the eyes of retired professional tennis instructor Marilyn Voges Brown.
But they were tears of joy and gratefulness as Lookout Mountain recreation director Rick Dockery was calling to inform the Chattanooga native and hall of fame tennis player that the new lower court (court No.3) at the Lookout Mountain Playground will be named for her in ceremonies on Saturday Oct. 18 at the Playground.
“Coach Buck Stamps (former Lookout Mountain recreation director, 1955-1996) called me in 1974 and asked if I would come to The Playground and be the tennis instructor during the summer months,” said Brown who currently lives in Mobile, Ala. near one of her sons, Skipper, but due to health reasons cannot attend the ceremony.
That one summer turned into 28 years as Brown became a fixture on the mountain and taught hundreds of kids and adults the finer points of the game.
“I am thankful to Buck and Rick for letting me have a court for lessons and clinics for 28 years and I hate that I will miss the ceremony, but my son, Mitchell and his wife, Tina, who live in Maryland will be there to represent the family,” Brown stated.
Known for teaching solid strokes and preaching sportsmanship, making the right calls and never showing up one’s opponent, Brown taught folks from ages 3 to 80 during the summer months (except early Thursday afternoons when she had her weekly hair appointment up the street) and focused on after school clinics from October to May.
“I am a firm believer in learning the proper strokes early on and your tennis game will last you a lifetime.”
One junior who listened and learned early on is current McCallie headmaster Lee Burns who played varsity tennis at McCallie and Dartmouth.
“Mrs. Brown was one of my first tennis instructors. She was kind and encouraging as she taught us (all the Burns’ kids) the basics of tennis. I remember that she had a Charlie Brown target at which we were to aim, she made tennis a lot of fun as we learned excellent strokes and strategy from her. I have such fond memories of her and great appreciation and admiration for her.”
One who practiced what she preached for decades, Brown was known as one of the top junior players in the South as she won at the local, state and regional level and was nationally ranked in the 1950s.
A graduate of Clara Carpenter Elementary, Dickson Junior High and Chattanooga City High, she then took her net talents down the street to the University of Chattanooga where she played mainly No.2 singles and doubles on the UC men’s – yes, the men’s team – for four years (1958-61) and was UC’s Homecoming Queen in the fall of 1959.
“There were no women’s varsity sports at UC when I first enrolled so I played on the men’s team and met my future husband, Glenn, who also played on the team,” stated Brown who was one of the first women in the nation to play on a varsity college men’s team at any school.
Respected by her piers, Brown earned Best Athlete at City High School (1957) and UC (1961) as well as Babe Ruth Sportsmanship Award at City and was the secretary-treasurer for the '61 Mocs senior.
Older Brother Alan: “I have to give a lot of credit for my tennis career to my older brother Alan who got me started when I was only five years old.
“We lived across from Clara Carpenter (near current CSAS School) on 3rd street and there were tennis courts at the playground across the street from our house and that’s where Alan helped me learn the game.”
From afternoon lessons with her brother, Brown took her wooden racquet (most likely a Jack Kramer model) and sweet backhand to the big time of the Warner Park city championships where she won at every level; chiggers, mites, midgets and juniors.
“I guess your first championship is your favorite so winning the chiggers trophy at the age 8 is special as well as earning a silver medal at age 12 at the prestigious Orange Bowl tournament in Miami.”
Her city juniors’ title earned her a membership at the exclusive Tennis Club (Manker Patten) thanks to George Hunter and she was on her way to representing the Scenic City throughout the nation as well as defeating players several years her senior for city and state adult titles.
Coaching at GPS: “Peggy Thomas at GPS asked me if I would coach the varsity tennis team starting in the spring of 1959 and I coached then for 14 years as we lost a few tournaments, but we never lost a dual match,” stated Brown
The Key is Patience: “I've got one word and that’s ‘patience,’” said Cindy Kemp Battle who played No.1 for coach Brown and the Bruisers (1962-65), whose resume is also impressive as she was a top 10 nationally-ranked junior player in the early 60s, a Southern junior doubles champ, and member of three halls of fame; Lookout Mountain, GPS and Greater Chattanooga.
“Marilyn taught me patience on the court. I had hitting lessons with her during my years at GPS and every time I thought I had a winner against her the ball would come back! It made me learn to outlast opponents instead of always resorting to power tennis. She was a great coach!”
For all Brown’s efforts and talents she is a member of four halls of fame: Lookout Mountain, UTC, Greater Chattanooga and Tennessee Tennis.
“I am grateful for all the honors that have come my way over the years, but to have a court named for you is pretty special.”
Saturday will most definitely be a special day for a grand lady of tennis as Lookout Mountain town officials and family members partake in ribbon cutting ceremonies for the opening of the three new tennis courts at The Playground.
Eric Voges Quote: "I used to love to hit with kids that said, 'I take lessons from your Aunt Marilyn.' Our oldest son Sawyer took lessons from Marilyn, and to this day I still use things in our summer camps that I learned from her watching her teach my son. To teach tennis for that long is quite a credit to her, and to her teaching ability."
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net