Arthur Ashe was one of the world's greatest tennis players and made history in 1968 by becoming the first African American male to win the U.S. Open, one of the four major tennis tournaments (the three other tournaments are the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon). He was the first African American male to be the top-ranked men's player in the United States in 1975, a year in which Ashe also became the first black player to win the singles championship at the famous Wimbledon tournament in London, England.

The thin but powerful Ashe was famous for his 115-mile-per-hour serve as well as his gracious and dignified behavior on the tennis court. A true gentleman-athlete, he turned his attention to social issues when he was forced to retire from the game due to heart surgery. He instructed young players and championed the cause of black athletes. Towards the end...