Maureen Connolly Brinker (1934-1969)

"Little Mo" (a tribute to her firepower that compared favorably with the artillery of the battleship Missouri, "Big Mo" of WW II fame) was born and raised in San Diego, California. She developed some of the best ground-strokes in the history of tennis; she had exceptionally powerful drives for her size, as well as a keen court presence. In her late teens, she was the dominant force in women’s tennis, sweeping three straight U.S. and Wimbledon championships, and becoming the first female to capture the "Grand Slam" in 1953. Maureen’s competitive zeal was something that distinguished herself from all the others. Her career ended prematurely at the age of 19 due to a horseback riding accident. She was elected to enshrinement in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1968, a year before she died of cancer at the age of 34. She is survived by two daughters, Cindy and Brenda.