Celebrating Black History Month • Thinking About Tennis Friend Ted Braithwaite “To Sir With Love” (From The 10sballs.com Vault)

To Sir With Love!!! Happy 103rd Birthday To E.R. “Ted” Braithwaite By Lovey Jergens

 

 

Editors note: We pulled this out of the vault. This ones for you Daphne Deckers.

 

Ted BRAITHWAITE turns 103 today! Is that AmazeBalls or what….? Our Dear lifelong friend is such an inspiration on so many levels. We first met Ted in the late 1960′s on a tennis court of course. Me? I was just another dumb kid he loved to hit balls with at a small tennis club in New York.

 

Ted’s book was a bestseller and it was being made into a movie. “To Sir With Love” was number one on the New York Times Bestseller List. The film was being made in Hollywood with Sidney Poitier playing the role of Ted, and LuLu Sang the theme song. All were number one. What a trifecta.

 

All of my experiences in life via tennis have been blessings. Knowing “SIR” is definitely up there as one of the most important. We didn’t hit or play once or twice. We hit daily during times of “writers block” otherwise it was once or twice a week.(for years and years) Ted was a great player. A Really solid athlete. So I guess it’s no surprise that he is 103 years old /young today.

 

Ted lives right. He ate right. Drank little. Exercised with his tennis matches and laughed at all the foolishness that is life. Ted was a fierce competitor at a very High level. I’m serious that the man loved a good laugh. He found so much amusing.

 

One of my favorite Ted comments was “why not”? Ted tolerated my lack of ability as a writer. He knew most tennis nerds were just that. Walking tennis encyclopedias. But very weak in vocabulary and grammar. But there was always that “LOVE”. I shared my friendship with “”SIR” with my family. But TED and his Dear Ginette lead a very private life. He still watches tennis. I’m not certain who he likes to watch on TV other than the brilliance of the GOAT Roger Federer.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ONE OF THE GREATEST HUMAN BEINGS TO EVER LIVE. THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF TED BRAITHWAITE. GOD BLESS YOU DEAR TED. AND BRAVO ON THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

Daphne’s bookcase has her husband Richard Krajicek’s book and next to that is “TO SIR WITH LOVE ” E.R. Braithwaite.