Earlier this month, Ken McAllister sat down next to me during breakfast at the Texas Section semi-annual conference. It was my first time meeting the former executive director of USTA Texas. Our small talk largely centered around my Mom and my brother who he remembered from his early days in the position. It was only later that I remembered that not only did McAllister write a history book on Texas Tennis, that I actually possessed a copy but had yet to read it.
Cattle To Courts: A History of Tennis In Texas is a mashup between a history book and a personal memoir. It highlights how the state has been a tennis hotbed and an incubator for tennis organizations and innovations for a long time. In fact, while most of the achievements of Texas tennis were previously known to me, seeing them listed together was still impressive.
The book is organized as a series of essays that the prologue mentions were intended to stand alone. Since McAllister anticipated that people might not read the book sequentially there are a few stories and facts that are repeated. Rather than a distraction, those recurrences only reinforce the narrative.
McAllister wrote eloquently on how tournament tennis was the historic primary focus of USTA Texas. He also details how participation in leagues has eroded tournament participation over time. His takes on the NTRP system were illuminating and resonated with my own experience.
Cattle to Courts reignited my desire to obtain copies of a couple of NTRP studies that I know for a fact are tucked away in the USTA National Archives. I previously made a formal request for that information, but it came at a time when the USTA was moving from White Plains to Orlando and I suspect that the request was lost in the shuffle.
Tennis players in general will enjoy Cattle To Courts: A History of Tennis In Texas for its unique perspective on the history of the game. For people without ties to that USTA Section, it is still a valuable resource for understanding the origins of several influential tennis industry organizations and institutions. It is also a fascinating account of the history and growth of one of the more prominent USTA Sections.
Cattle To Courts: A History of Tennis In Texas is a genuinely enjoyable read and sparked my curiosity over what other hidden gems about tennis organizational history might also be out there.
 | Cattle To Courts: A History of Tennis In Texas |
