Texas Tennis Museum & Hall Of Fame Hosts 2023 Annual Banquet

On Saturday, November 11 tennis enthusiasts convened at the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame for the 2023 Annual Banquet in Waco.

The day commenced at Hotel Indigo, where existing Hall of Famers warmly welcomed visitors from out of town, offering snacks and giveaways. The gathering then moved to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame complex, home to the Texas Tennis Museum, for a cocktail reception sponsored by Tito's Handmade Vodka. Attendees enjoyed self-guided museum tours, hors d'oeuvres, and live music.

The program, initiated by Jim Chaffin, the secretary/treasurer of TTMHOF, began at 7:00 p.m., with board president Ken McAllister serving as the emcee. Following dinner, Mike Carter from USTA Texas addressed the audience on the night's theme, "Community Tennis," highlighting its positive impact, ability to unite communities, and break down barriers.

The Hall of Fame, which started inducting individuals 42 years ago in 1981, proudly introduced the Class of 2023. This year's inductees—Cindy Benzon, Ken Crawford, Laura Gilbert, and Fernando Velasco—were celebrated with individual videos during the induction ceremony. The new Hall of Fame members, or their family representatives, had the opportunity to express a few words and were presented with a medallion and blue blazer, symbolizing their induction into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame.

Cindy Benzon, USTA Texas Staff, reflected on her journey in her induction speech, "When I received the phone call that I was inducted, I was at SMU, and I said to myself this is where it all started. I never thought that when I left Utah that the majority of my tennis career would be in Texas, I have SMU, Copperfield Racquet Club, HTA and USTA Texas to thank for the opportunities." 

To see the full event & hear from more inductees, live stream it here