The Baltimore Banners (1974-1974) - Baltimore's One-Season World Team Tennis Wonder Featuring Jimmy Connors

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Steve R. said:

I've now been playing/watching tennis for over 50 years, started with front row seats for matches involving Laver et al (our H.S. tennis team was taken to MSG for pro tennis matches in '67-69 with courtside seats) & cannot remember being awed by anyone as much as by Federer.  That's really saying something, as it's much easier to awe a 15 year old than a 65 year old.

This is funny - in 1974, I went to Don Budge Tennis Camp, and one evening we went to see the Baltimore Banners play. Who on earth are the Baltmore Banners, you might be asking? This was Baltimore's World Team Tennis (WTT) team which lasted precisely one season. Speaking of banners, I remember seeing one which said, "Our Jimmy's The Champ!" This was right after Jimmy Connors won his first Wimbledon, and he played for the Baltimore Banners, believe it or not: They signed him to a $100,000 contract to play for 22 of the team's 44 matches, so I got to see him in his prime). That summer, my parents got to watch me hit tennis balls with Don Budge - I will never forget how they sent me to this camp when they couldn't afford it.