By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, October 14, 2024
Arthur Ashe, Rosie Casals, Pancho Gonzalez and Billie Jean King are champions committed to a common cause: helping kids pursue education and tennis dreams.
Now, you can own treasured pieces of tennis history from the iconic champions—and benefit the Latin American Tennis Foundation’s youth programs in the process.
More: Gonzales on Gonzales
Visit the LATF’s online auction this weekend to bid or peruse some priceless pieces of memorabilia donated by Hall of Famers King and Casals and the families of the late Hall of Famers Ashe and Gonzalez.
Proceeds from the auction benefit the LATF and its founders Love & Tennis Foundation and The Richard Pancho Gonzalez Youth Foundation which provide tennis and education programs to children in California.
The auction ends on Monday, October 16th at 10 p.m. MST.
Organizers aim to raise $100,000 from the auction to help fund the Latin American Tennis Foundation’s tennis and education programs.
Among the notable auction items available this weekend:
*An Arthur Ashe Magazine package featuring the tennis trailblazer on the covers of Sports Illustrated and Tennis Magazine.
*A doubles lesson taught by two-time Hall of Famer Rosie Casals. This offers the winning bidder the chance to hit balls with Hall of Famer Rosie Casals and also enjoy a 90-minute doubles clinic with three of your friends at Indian Ridge Country Club in Palm Desert.
*A three-day, two-night ticket package to the 2024 Argentina Open. Visit the iconic Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club for the tournament, February 12th-18th, 2024. The winning bidder earns box seat tickets for February 14th, 15th, and 16th and the package includes two nights stay at the tournament’s official hotel where the players stay.
*Artist LeRoy Neimen’s mixed doubles artwork autographed by Billie Jean King, Chrissie Evert and Stan Smith.
*Billie Jean King has donated her autographed autobiography, 2023 US Open program and artwork for the auction.
*A bronze three-and-a-half foot Bobby Riggs sculpture of the champion by artist John Petek of Montana. One of only two of Petek-created Riggs’ sculptures in existence. The other sold in the 1990s for $30,000, according to the auction house. Petek also sculpted Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell, Muhammad Ali, and Pete Rose. John Petek was a Billings, MT native, a gifted painter and sculptor, and a nationally renowned artist.
Proceeds from the auction items benefit the LATF and its ongoing youth programs.
Founded by former Latin tennis champion, Rosie Casals and family members of the legendary Pancho Gonzalez, the only champion ever inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame while still an active player, LATF offers opportunities to Latin Americans of all ages
LATF provide high performance training and scholarships to junior competitors who qualify through an application process. The LATF mission statement is to “offer educational and mentor programs, tennis clinics, competitive tournaments, and community events in partnership with other Latino-focused community organizations to grow awareness of the sport among the Latin American community.”
.
“The Foundation has helped provide coaching to plenty of kids and also competitive players needing financial assistance to travel and compete,” Greg Gonzales, nephew of Pancho Gonzalez, and Co-Founder and Vice President of the Richard Gonzalez Youth Foundation told Tennis Now. “We ask tennis fans: please help our Youth Development Fund to give these kids good activities.
“You can donate directly or visit the auction and place a bid knowing your donation or bid is going to help our kids. Thanks for helping.”
The Wisconsin girls’ high school tennis team, a squad comprised primarily of children of Mexican farm workers pictured above, are among the players who the LATF have worked with and mentored through its programs.
Photo credits: LATF
