Patricia Henry Yeomans
Occidental College
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2000
In a career spanning 70 years, Patricia Henry Yeomans (b.1917) spearheaded many of the century’s tennis milestones. The daughter of California champion Corinne Stanton and sportswriter Bill Henry, Yeomans was a tennis natural, winning the national junior title in 1935. At Occidental College, she worked her way to No. 1 on the men’s freshman team before being banned from competition. She swept the College Girls’ Invitational in 1936 and 1937, the ‘unofficial’ intercollegiate tournament of the era.
Involved in every level of tennis from juniors to seniors, Yeomans helped Helen Lewis organize the first sanctioned women’s collegiate championship in 1958 and pioneered tournament play for 50-and-over age groups. With tennis official Joseph Bixler and former champion Jack Kramer, Yeomans began lobbying in 1972 to bring tennis back to the Olympics. Her dream was achieved in 1984 when tennis premiered at the L.A. Olympics and was approved as a full medal sport for the ’88 Games.
Career Highlights
- U.S. Champion Girls’ 18 Singles 1935
U.S. Hard Court Champion Girls’ 18 Doubles 1935
College Girls’ Invitational Singles and Doubles Champion 1936, 1937 (tournament organized by Hazel Wightman)
B.A. ’38 Occidental College, Phi Betta kappa; M.A.’41 California Graduate School of Design
Organized and directed youth tennis program, Los Angeles Tennis Club (LATC) 1953-1973
Winner of the USTA Service Bowl 1956
Assisted Helen Lewsi in launching women’s national collegiate championships 1958; donated collegiate doubles trophy
Chair, USTA Junior Wightman Cup Committee 1956-1974
Led efforts for return of tennis as an Olympic medal sport 1972-1988
Pioneered senior women’s hard court tennis for 50s, 60s, 65s, 70s, 75s, 80s from 1970-1992
U.S. Hard Court Champion Women’s 50 Singles, Doubles 1970
U.S. Indoor Champion Women’s 60 Singles, Doubles 1978, 1979
U.S. Hard Court Champion Women’s 60 Doubles, 1979
Chair, U.S. Women’s 65-70-75-80 hard court events, LATC 1979-1980
Founder, California Grand Jurors Association 1982; President 1994-1996
Co-founder, SCTA ‘Youth vs. Experience’ Tournament 1988
‘Woman of the Year’ Award 1988, John Townsend Award 1999, First Baptist Church of Los Angeles
U.S. Hard Court Champion Women’s 70 Doubles 1989
U.S. Hard Court Finalist Women’s 80 Singles 1998
U.S. Hard Court Finalist Women’s 80 Doubles 1999
Member, International Society of Olympic Historians
Author of numerous books and brochures, including Behind the Headlines with Bill Henry (1972); Southern California Centennial Champions 1887-1987; History and Heritage of Los Angeles Tennis Club 1920-1995
