THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512200187
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
HOWARD MAST enjoys talking about how he became involved in tennis.
The year was 1953. Mast was a self-proclaimed ``football, baseball, basketball and track man'' and Suffolk's Director of Recreation when he was ``approached by a young fellow about having a tennis tournament.''
Mast organized a tournament field, eight players strong, and didn't like what he saw. ``I was watching them play and everybody was playing differently - and not very well,'' Mast said. ``I proceeded to learn how to play so I could teach them.''
A year later, after learning the basic rules and fundamentals of tennis, Mast did teach them and the sport became a major part of his life. The 1938 graduate of Virginia Tech, who played basketball and baseball for the Hokies, went on to organize the Suffolk Tennis Association (1957), became president of the Virginia Tennis Association (1961) and the Middle Atlantic Lawn Tennis Association (1965) in addition to teaching countless clinics in Suffolk.
Mast's name has long been a part of Virginia tennis and last month the 78-year-old was awarded what he called his ``most crowning achievement'' - induction into the Mid-Atlantic Tennis Foundation's Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Vienna, Va.
``I knew when we started (tennis in Suffolk) and I saw the interest, it would be a success,'' said Mast, who still teaches tennis clinics at the Lake Meade Landing courts. ``I didn't see it as something for myself, but (the hall of fame induction) is quite an honor.''
Mast was inducted along with Donald Dell, a former U.S. Davis Cup player and co-founder of the Association of Tennis Professionals, and Unni MacDonald, former Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Tennis Association.
``The people that were inducted with me made it that much more of an honor,'' said Mast, who joins 29 other members in the seven-year-old hall.
It's an honor Mast almost missed, however.
``I got the letter last September and it got cleared aside,'' he said. ``I finally decided to open it and said, `Oh my Lord, I hope I'm in time.' I responded right away and it turned out all right.''
Mast, an employee of Norfolk State University for 17 years and currently a capital outlay engineer at NSU, said his induction puts his accomplishments into perspective.
``The extent of my influence I don't know, but I've helped a lot of other places with tennis,'' said Mast, who was instrumental in organizing the Newport News Tennis Patrons, the Harrisonburg Tennis Program and the Farmville Tennis Association. ``Everybody's having clinics. That's the thing we brought to it.''
Jan Grover, current president of the Suffolk Tennis Association, said she isn't sure what has kept Mast involved in tennis for more than forty years.
``He definitely amazes me,'' Grover said. ``I'm sure it's the love of the game. What he does is a full-time job and he does it for no money. Most people wouldn't do that. He just has a huge heart.''
Mast knows what has kept him going.
``I've been doing chores since I was nine years old,'' he said. ``I can't go home and just sit down. I can't see myself without some sort of obligation.
Mast said although the hall of fame induction would cap a great career, he plans on teaching clinics for at least six more years.
``My interest level has gotten bigger as I've moved along,'' he said. ``People still bring their kids to me and that's rewarding. I've got arthritis everywhere you look, but I just keep on going. I'm going to keep doing it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Howard Mast is one of 29 inductees in the Mid-Atlantic Tennis
Foundation's Hall of Fame in Vienna, Va.
by CNB