Tennis Tournament Proved 'An Inspiration'

Dick Norman knows how to run a tennis tournament. The veteran coach and administrator is the man behind the Cape Cod Community College Benefit Tennis Tournament. “We like to call it the People's Tournament. We are open to all comers.It's all about participation and raising money for a good cause.”
       The tournament gives players of all ages a chance to sharpen and test their game in an atmosphere of friendly competition and sportsmanship. Money is raised for the Educational Foundation of the College and, while a good time is had by all; some fiercely competitive tennis matches take place. And, you never know who is going to show up.
      I sure did not expect to see an old high school football teammate of mine show up in the Men's 50 division singles finals last Sunday. Jack McKeon, Barnstable High class of 1973, did not play tennis in high school. He was a 175 lb. offensive guard on the gridiron, where he regularly got the better of much bigger defensive tackles and linebackers. Jack also played hockey. A tough and scrappy forward, he was a key man on the 1972 B.H.S. state championship team. I hadn't seen Jack for a long time before Sunday, as he had moved to Florida about 15 years ago.
      But there he was, in a championship match against a player who has had much success in this tournament over the years. Barnet Goverman has dominated the Men's 50 division for a couple of years after many championships in the Men's 35 and Men's Open divisions. Even Dick Norman can't remember when Goverman last lost a match in this tournament. I didn't even know that Jack McKeon played tennis.
      It turns out that Jack took up the sport about 20 years ago, but drifted away from it about 10 years ago. “My son, Brett, became a very good tennis player and it became all about watching him play. At 18, he was ranked 14th nationally in his age group. He went on to play at Cornell. Now he is at medical school in Miami, living at home with me. Not too long ago, he challenged me to get back into shape. I was 210 lbs. and not feeling very good about myself physically. He said, pop, do what I do and eat what I eat . I'll help you get back in shape. At first my goal was just to play tennis again. When I had dropped 30 lbs. to 180, I decided on a new goal. I wanted to be ranked in the top 50 for my age group in the state of Florida. I checked the internet before Sunday’s match and found out that I am now the 19th ranked over 50 amateur player in Florida.”
       So the Jack McKeon who stepped on the court Sunday looked amazingly very much like the same athlete I remember from 35 years ago. Despite braces on both knees, his legs seemed to have springs in them, giving him the same bouncing cat-like movements that were his trademark. The red hair was thinned and gray and the freckled, impish Irish face more lined and weathered, but his shoulders and arms looked more muscled than ever.
      As the match unfolded under blistering summer heat, the sheer force of will became pivotal. Barnet's shots had Jack running all over the court. It was amazing to see how many times Jack got to, and returned balls it seemed he had no business getting to. Winning the first set on a tiebreaker seemed to give Jack a real boost. When Barnet came back to take the second set, 6-4, it seemed that perhaps the better tennis player was taking control of the match.
     “I think that in such a close, even match what gave me an edge was having so many family and friends there to give me a lift,” Jack said afterward. Indeed, as all the other matches ended and this one stretched into a third set and third hour, Jack’s cheering section became more excited. I got quite caught up in the emotion of it all myself, tossing aside any pretense of reporter's objectivity. Somehow, through his will to win, Jack found a way to win. He simply refused to lose. The third set ended 6-4, McKeon. “He beat a very, very good player," said Dick Norman after the match, shaking his head and smiling, "he's really quite a remarkable guy."
      And, quite an inspiration to this old teammate.