JOE PITTS

CLASS OF 2008
 

Joe H. Pitts was born in 1927 in Oklahoma City.  He played all the common sports except tennis while growing up.  He excelled at baseball and basketball at Classen High School.  After graduating from high school, he played basketball for Henry "Hank" Iba at Oklahoma A & M College.  He was on the 1946 team that won the NCAA National Championship.

Joe began playing tennis at age 45 and three years later in 1978 he moved back to Tulsa.  He starting getting serious about tennis and began playing Oklahoma tournaments.  Fifteen years later he finished the "young man's" stuff in his life, marriage, kids, vacations, etc., and found a good doubles partner in Dick Land.  This started more serious tennis.  In the last 18 years, Joe has played in the:

  • Oklahoma Senior Olympics winning 57 medals:  15 of them Gold and 8 Silver;

  • National Senior Olympics, winning 5 medals:  2 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze;

  • Huntsman World Senior Games, winning 2 Gold medals and 3 Bronze medals;

  • 1999 National Public Parks Tournament, winning both the Men's 70 Singles and Doubles;

  • Missouri Valley Sectionals, winning the Men's 65 Doubles.

Since reaching the age of 70, Joe's tournament play on the National circuit has been:

  • 2001 - Consolation winner in Doubles at the National 70 Indoors;

  • 2004 - Won the Doubles at the National 75 Indoors;

  • 2007 - Won the Men's 75 Doubles at the Palm Springs Senior Open;

  • 2007 - 3rd in Doubles at the National 80 Grass Courts;

  • 2007 - 3rd in Doubles at the National 80 Clay Courts;

  • 2007 - Won the Men's 80 Singles and Doubles at the World of Tennis Super Senior Sectionals.

During this time period, Joe played well enough to earn the following USTA National Rankings:

  • 2003 - 13th in Men's 75 Doubles;

  • 2004 - 3rd in Men's 75 Doubles and 39th in Men's 75 Singles;

  • 2005 - 24th in Men's 75 Doubles;

  • 2007 - 2nd in Men's 80 Doubles.

Tennis was important, but the most important thing in Joe's life is his family.  Currently living in Tulsa, he and Margaret have been married 58 years.  He has two daughters:  Holly (whom they lost in 2006) and Becky and two grandchildren.