Fred Kinne (1916- )

In 1952, when Fred began free youth clinics at Morley Field, the game of tennis was more "innocent" and those who played did for the sheer love of it. Teaching kids was Fred’s passion and he never charged for a single lesson. He was part-founder and first president of the San Diego Tennis Patrons and served as its guiding force for nearly twenty-five years. In all, more than 2,000 local youngsters have benefitted from Kinne’s instruction and counsel. Many feel that Fred did more for San Diego tennis than any other individual and regard him as the most giving person they know. When he moved to San Diego after serving in the military, he worked at the Evening Tribune as a newspaper reporter, then in a management role, and finally as editor of the paper. The most rewarding achievement that Fred will tell you is that the kids he taught credit him for changing their lives for the better. "They realized, as they got older, that tennis had a positive effect on the way their lives turned out. Many of the kids tell me they thought of me as a father figure, and I’m proud of that."