Black Tennis Hall Of Fame

March 31, 2024

IRVIN V. CANTOR

EDUCATION

J.D., University of Virginia: 1978

B.A., University of Virginia: 1975

Attorney Irvin Cantor, founding partner of the Richmond, VA law firm of Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci, has been dedicated to the families of those who have suffered serious injuries or wrongful death since 1979. His work has resulted in more than 2,000 favorable verdicts and settlements for his clients, including more than 500 traumatic brain injury cases. He has recovered more than 50 verdicts and settlements larger than $1 million for his clients. The vast majority of Irv’s cases are referrals from other trial lawyers. Many professionals in the field have asked Irv to represent them in their own injury cases, including attorneys, judges, claims adjusters, and physicians.

Traumatic brain injury cases comprise the largest portion of Irv’s practice. He has successfully handled brain injury cases for over 40 years. He wrote the chapter dealing with legal aspects of brain injury cases for the seminal medical textbook on the subject, Brain Injury Medicine. Irv was featured on the cover of the 2015 Virginia and West Virginia Super Lawyers® magazine, with the cover story featuring Irv’s career in handling brain injury cases. Irv served as chairman of the national legal conference for the Brain Injury Association of America. He is a past president of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia and was the 2010 recipient of the Weinstock Award from BIAV.

Irv has been voted by his peers as one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Virginia in the Super Lawyers® poll every year from 2012-2018. He was one of only 33 members named in Virginia Lawyers Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2018. He was also voted Plaintiff Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year in Richmond by Best Lawyers in America® in 2014 and 2016, as well as Plaintiff Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year in 2020.

Irv is a past president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association and the American Board of Trial Advocates – Virginia Chapter. Irv is the current president of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Foundation.

Irv is a frequent lecturer throughout Virginia and the U.S. to other trial lawyers on numerous subjects, including traumatic brain injuries, truck accident cases, and elements of trial. He is the co-author with

Judge Samuel Johnston of the book, The Art and Science of Mastering the Jury Trial.

Irv is also the founder and president of Jury Impressions, a jury consulting company which, among other

services, arranges mock trials and focus groups for trial lawyers throughout the country. Irv also serves as a mediator and arbitrator in a wide variety of cases dealing with catastrophic injuries and death.

Irv has been married to Karen Cantor for 35 years and they have three sons, Joseph, Jackson, and John.

In his spare time, Irv enjoys playing tennis and golf.

• 1968 – Ball Boy for Arthur Ashe in US Davis Cup match at Byrd Park

• 1968-1969 – Played on State Championship Teams at Thomas Jefferson High School

• 1970 – Played on State Runner-Up Team at Thomas Jefferson High School

• 1971 – Played No.1 for Thomas Jefferson High School -Virginia State High School Champions

• 1971 – Won City 18 and Under Tournament

• 1971 – Won Home Beneficial 18 and Under Tournament

• 1972 – Finalist, Southeastern Open Men’s Tournament - Battery Park

• 1972 – Played Richard Raskind (later became Renee Richards) in tournament in NY

• 1971-1974 – Member UVA Varsity Tennis Team

• 1972-1975 – Summer Employee of RTPA at Byrd Park – ran junior tournaments (City

Tournament, Home Beneficial, Sam Woods) and ran tennis clinics on Richmond public parks in

conjunction with Richmond Parks & Rec Dep’t. (My RTPA job was the best job I ever had)

• Late 1970s – Was Co-Director of City Tournament with Bill Correll

• Late 70’s and early 80’s – Assisted Lou Einwick with Professional Tournament

• 1982 – Served as Legal Counsel and co-promotor for Borg-Connors Exhibition at Richmond

Coliseum

• 1983-1987 – Worked as a Co-Director of World Class, Inc.

o promoted tennis exhibitions with Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Roscoe Tanner, and others in the US

o put together a professional tennis team for Best Products, including Rodney Harman, Mark Vines, Eliot Teltscher, and Robert Van’t Hof

o promoted Sudafed Open Tournament in Raleigh, NC for junior veteran players, including Ken Rosewall.

• 1992 – Chaired Committee to bring the Davis Cup Finals to the Richmond Coliseum

• 2020-2023 – Working with Mayor’s Office and Parks & Rec Department of the City of Richmond

to revitalize tennis program and build an indoor facility at Byrd Park

• 2022-2023 – Board Member of RTA

• 2023 – Committee member – Tennis Under The Lights

• 2023 – Committee member – Black Tennis Hall of Fame Celebration.

DAVID O. HARRIS, JR.

As the Vice President of Liquid, INC, a family owned and operated construction company in Richmond, VA, David has lead in partnership with his father for the past 29 years. With a commitment to leadership, craftsmanship and a desire to keep society moving through quality construction practices, he has maintained a high level of integrity. Through those three ideals, David has encouraged and fostered a culture in Liquid, INC of excellence, integrity and sustainable growth.

Throughout his career, David has lead and participated on several teams and charitable organizations. Most recently, David was the visionary and influencer for the historical re-naming of “Boulevard” a street with no name, to Arthur Ashe Boulevard, after his iconic uncle. He also volunteers for Metro Richmond Tennis Club as an instructor teaching underserved youth tennis.

On the 22nd of June 2019, the day of the street dedication, David founded & launched The O’Brien Foundation, an organization committed to education, athletics, leadership, community development and social justice. Additionally, he serves as a deacon at Fifth Baptist Church, vice president of the Black Business Alliance of Virginia and board member of the Challenge Discovery Project. Additionally, David earned a degree in Finance & Banking from the HBCU Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA as a student athlete.

February 12, 2024

Lehigh Valley Regional News, Priscilla Liguori, February 5, 2024

HACKETTSTOWN, Pa. - February is Black History Month, though the head of Centenary University is devoted to educating people about black history all year long. He co-founded the Black Excellence Alliance, which highlights black history and accomplishments via different halls of fame.

"My dad knew and marched arm and arm with Dr. King, and my mom was a school teacher, and they grew up in the South, and so they grew up around segregation," said Dr. Dale Caldwell, Centenary University's first African American president.

Understanding history is important to Caldwell.

"If we don't know our path or our history, we're doomed to repeat the bad parts of history, and so by really educating people about the struggles of others, it gives us a sense of what's going on today," said Caldwell.

It's why Caldwell founded five black halls of fame. The first one was for tennis in 2008, and then came inventors, entrepreneurs, authors and educators.

"There are so many people, especially African Americans, who did amazing things, but we're left off out of the history books, and so I said, well, why don't we try to do something to make sure that that history is memorialized and those people are recognized," said Caldwell.

Centenary's library director is also on the board of the Black Inventors Hall of Fame.

"I've just learned so much, and I've been able to share that history as well," said Susan Van Alstyne, the director of the Taylor Memorial Library at Centenary University.

Some of that history is documented in the library's Dr. Caldwell room, which full of hundreds of books he donated to the school community, upon taking the job of president last year.

"He and his daughter came here one day in a U haul," said Van Alstyne.

Caldwell, whose an author too, says more halls are in the works.

"This idea of unifying America, with black history....we're approaching the Super Bowl. The winning Super Bowl team is going to have a center and a wide receiver and running back and defensive backs. All different people, different body types, but they're successful because of their diversity," said Caldwell.

Centenary is holding events with the different halls of fame throughout the month.

February 11, 2024

In 1964, Simpson made history by becoming the first African American to win the USLTA Eastern Boy’s 14 singles title at Forest Hills. This was a particularly significant achievement because he defeated future pro tennis legend Dick Stockton in the finals. This extraordinary accomplishment enabled Simpson, ate the age of 15, to become the youngest male to ever compete in the US National Championships at Forest Hills in 1964. He also played in the US National Championships in 1965 and 1966. In 1967, he continued his extraordinary junior career by winning the ATA National Boys Singles and Doubles Championships. Simpson was able to use his exceptional tennis talents to enhance his education. He attended Cheshire Academy on a tennis scholarship and played #1 singles and, because of his extraordinary tennis accomplishments, was the first person inducted into their athletic hall of fame. In 1967, Simpson won the National Prep School Championship. He was one of the best players in the country throughout his junior career as evidenced by his being ranked in the top 10 nationally in the USLTA in every junior age group in both singles and doubles.

While at Eastern Tennessee State University, Lenny played #1 singles for three years and was ranked #1 in the Ohio Valley Conference for three consecutive years. In 1964 and 1965 Simpson and Luis Glass won the ATA Men’s Doubles Championship. In addition, Simpson and 2009 Black Tennis Hall of Fame Inductee Bonnie Logan won the ATA National Mixed Doubles Championship four consecutive times from 1967-1970.

In 1974, Simpson made history once again by becoming the first African American to play World Team Tennis, signing with the Detroit Loves. He was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. Simpson continues to give back to the tennis community and support future tennis champions. The not-for-profit tennis program that Simpson currently leads serves more than 200 children per week in the Wilmington, North Carolina community.