Legendary Tiger tennis coach Tommy Buford dies at age 83
Jan 14, 2018 | Men's Tennis
Buford spent 32 years at U of M impacting countless lives
Tommy Buford, who spent 32 years as University of Memphis tennis coach and was a 2005 inductee into the school's M Club, died Sunday at his home outside Boise, Idaho. Buford was 83 years old.
Known for his Southern charm and hospitality, Buford was born in Nashville and came to Memphis to attend Southwestern (now Rhodes College) and play on the baseball team. But the school's tennis coach recognized Buford's skills for another sport watching him hit tennis balls against a wall. A career path was altered and the local tennis community would benefit greatly for much of the next 40 years.
After spending three years in Jackson, Miss., Buford accepted then-Memphis State's offer to become its tennis coach. He led the Tigers to six conference titles, five second-place finishes and 441 wins from 1966 to 1998.
Among his highest profile players were Mel Purcell and Chip Hooper, who played for the Tigers in the late 1970s and eventually had successful pro careers. Purcell and Hooper both achieved top-25 Association of Tennis Professionals singles rankings and Purcell reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1983, three years after being named the Tour's Rookie of the Year.
Most knew Buford as the longtime tournament director of ATP indoor event held each February at The Racquet Club of Memphis. The indoor attracted the sport's top players from Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe to Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi and was known as one of the players' favorite events, mostly because of Buford's hospitality. In 1985, the players voted him as one of the ATP's top six tennis officials.
Two-time Memphis Indoor champion Todd Martin, who won titles in 1994 and '95, called Buford "one of the best."
"He was caring, but no pushover, and he represented the sport of tennis and the city of Memphis with a dignity as authentic as the music on Beale Street," said Martin, now chief executive officer of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. "I feel fortunate to have had my first significant success at Tommy's tournament. It allowed me to develop a unique relationship with a gentleman of rare breed. Heaven is a better place with Tommy there."
Phil Chamberlain, who succeeded Buford as Tiger tennis coach and tournament director of the pro event, came to Memphis from Australia in the early 1970s to play for Buford. He said Buford "made sure all our emotional needs were taken care of; he didn't spend as much time on the X's and O's."
"Tommy did everything to help me out in my career," Chamberlain said.
As an assistant tournament director to Buford at the pro event, he watched him earn respect with his matter-of-fact personality.
"His sincerity and his frankness, I believe, were appealing to players and agents," Chamberlain said.
Peter Lebedevs played for Buford on the Tiger tennis team and later served as his assistant tournament director at Memphis pro event. He called Buford's passing a "very sad day."
"Tommy positively impacted everyone in the tennis community," said Lebedevs, who later served as the pro indoor event's tournament director. "He was the epitome of a true Southern gentleman and went out of his way to help everyone."
Lebedevs said Buford was a "father figure to so many of his players at the U of M over the years."
"He will be missed by each and every one of them," he said.
In addition to M Club induction, Buford was voted into the Rhodes athletics Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016. One of his fondest memories as a player was winning the 1981 Father/Son Clay Court Doubles with his son, Tiger.
Tiger said Sunday via Facebook that everyone who knew his father had a story to share about his legendary kindness.
"He touched countless lives," said Tiger, who played for his father on the Memphis tennis team.
Buford eventually retired to the Boise, Idaho area after leaving his post as the Memphis pro indoor event's tournament director, but didn't abandon the sport. He served as the Boise (Idaho) High School tennis team coach and directed the squad to a state title several years ago at the age of 81.
Known for his Southern charm and hospitality, Buford was born in Nashville and came to Memphis to attend Southwestern (now Rhodes College) and play on the baseball team. But the school's tennis coach recognized Buford's skills for another sport watching him hit tennis balls against a wall. A career path was altered and the local tennis community would benefit greatly for much of the next 40 years.
After spending three years in Jackson, Miss., Buford accepted then-Memphis State's offer to become its tennis coach. He led the Tigers to six conference titles, five second-place finishes and 441 wins from 1966 to 1998.
Among his highest profile players were Mel Purcell and Chip Hooper, who played for the Tigers in the late 1970s and eventually had successful pro careers. Purcell and Hooper both achieved top-25 Association of Tennis Professionals singles rankings and Purcell reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 1983, three years after being named the Tour's Rookie of the Year.
Most knew Buford as the longtime tournament director of ATP indoor event held each February at The Racquet Club of Memphis. The indoor attracted the sport's top players from Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe to Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl and Andre Agassi and was known as one of the players' favorite events, mostly because of Buford's hospitality. In 1985, the players voted him as one of the ATP's top six tennis officials.
Two-time Memphis Indoor champion Todd Martin, who won titles in 1994 and '95, called Buford "one of the best."
"He was caring, but no pushover, and he represented the sport of tennis and the city of Memphis with a dignity as authentic as the music on Beale Street," said Martin, now chief executive officer of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. "I feel fortunate to have had my first significant success at Tommy's tournament. It allowed me to develop a unique relationship with a gentleman of rare breed. Heaven is a better place with Tommy there."
Phil Chamberlain, who succeeded Buford as Tiger tennis coach and tournament director of the pro event, came to Memphis from Australia in the early 1970s to play for Buford. He said Buford "made sure all our emotional needs were taken care of; he didn't spend as much time on the X's and O's."
"Tommy did everything to help me out in my career," Chamberlain said.
As an assistant tournament director to Buford at the pro event, he watched him earn respect with his matter-of-fact personality.
"His sincerity and his frankness, I believe, were appealing to players and agents," Chamberlain said.
Peter Lebedevs played for Buford on the Tiger tennis team and later served as his assistant tournament director at Memphis pro event. He called Buford's passing a "very sad day."
"Tommy positively impacted everyone in the tennis community," said Lebedevs, who later served as the pro indoor event's tournament director. "He was the epitome of a true Southern gentleman and went out of his way to help everyone."
Lebedevs said Buford was a "father figure to so many of his players at the U of M over the years."
"He will be missed by each and every one of them," he said.
In addition to M Club induction, Buford was voted into the Rhodes athletics Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016. One of his fondest memories as a player was winning the 1981 Father/Son Clay Court Doubles with his son, Tiger.
Tiger said Sunday via Facebook that everyone who knew his father had a story to share about his legendary kindness.
"He touched countless lives," said Tiger, who played for his father on the Memphis tennis team.
Buford eventually retired to the Boise, Idaho area after leaving his post as the Memphis pro indoor event's tournament director, but didn't abandon the sport. He served as the Boise (Idaho) High School tennis team coach and directed the squad to a state title several years ago at the age of 81.
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