Richard Dunn
What the late Myron McNamara represented was more than simply
attacking the net, teaching a serve-and-volley game and emphasizing
proper court etiquette to his hundreds of devoted pupils.
McNamara never sought the limelight, but a light always followed him.
A World War II hero as a bomber pilot, notable member of a
barnstorming tennis tour to promote the game in the 1950s and the UCI
men's tennis coach from 1966 to 1979, McNamara has a legacy that holds
serve against anyone.
And, these days, UCI is still benefiting from McNamara's influence
with an endowment in his name instituted by a collection of former
players, friends and colleagues.
Those who were on the ground floor of the endowment will be recognized
today in pregame ceremonies before UCI's nonconference match against
UCLA.
"What better way is there to start (an endowment), then after the man
who basically started the program here?" said UCI Coach Steve Clark, a
Newport Beach resident.
"(McNamara) gave the program the reputation it has. He stood for
loving people, loving tennis and having integrity."
The day of McNamara's memorial service in April 1998, Clark and a few
others, including some UCI alumni who played under the late coach, talked
about starting an endowed scholarship fund in his name.
Shortly thereafter, tennis legend and longtime McNamara friend Jack
Kramer "stepped up in a huge way," Clark said, and the ball started to
roll. Kramer donated his golf club in Chino Hills, the Los Serranos Golf
and Country Club, and the Myron McNamara Endowed Scholarship Fund Golf
Tournament was launched.
"Now," said former UCI All-American Glenn Cripe, a member of the
original endowment group, "there's $40,000 to $50,000 in it."
About a dozen members of the group, including Cripe, a former CIF
Southern Section doubles champion from Newport Harbor High and part of
the Daily Pilot Sports Hall of Fame, will be recognized today before the
Anteaters' match against UCLA, which is scheduled to start at noon.
A free barbecue lunch will be served to all fans in attendance -- or
as long as the food lasts -- beginning at 11:30 a.m., along with a
hit-for-prizes contest.
McNamara, who compiled a 314-74 record at UCI, won six NCAA Division
II titles and coached 27 All-Americans, came back and served as an
assistant under Clark in the 1994-95 campaign.
Clark, whose Anteaters are 5-0, is in his eighth season as UCI head
coach, after replacing Greg Patton. Clark was the head men's tennis coach
