
Jim Elder Keynote Speaker At Bob Davis Celebration Of Life
Perico Island resident Jim Elder was a long time friend of renowned tennis figure Bob Davis and was invited to be a keynote speaker at the Celebration Of Life memorial held on January 24, at GT Bray Park.
Davis, who passed away at age 80 last week, was a long time Bradenton resident and also a major figure in the tennis world. The New York City born Davis competed at the US National Championships (US Open) at Forest Hills, served as a hitting partner for Grand Slam champion Althea Gibson, partnered with Arthur Ashe’s Safe Passage Foundation, owned and operated a tennis club in Poughkeepsie, NY in the 1970s, co-authored Nick Bollettieri’s book “Changing The Game, and he won national titles as a senior player.
“When asked what motivated him to devote so much of his life to promoting tennis in urban areas, Bob said, ‘Every success I’ve had in my life has been due to tennis. I’m just trying to do something to give back,” Elder told the standing room only crowd at the Bray gymnasium.
Elder added, “Nick Bollettieri saluted Bob when he was inducted into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014… Nick said, ‘With Bob Davis, it’s all about helping the needy. That is what Bob Davis is all about. How can I help people?'”
“He was a total gentleman on the court but at the same time a fierce competitor, who wanted to win as much as any of us.”
Davis was a popular fixture at the Walton Tennis Center at Bray Park until recent months before becoming ill. He was inducted into five different Hall of Fames. He is survived by two daughters, Tanya and Robin.
Plans are underway to rename Court 1 at Walton Tennis Center as Bob Davis Court.
Arthur Ashe · Bob Davis · Bradenton