Bill Simons
Arthur Ash was our conscience. Billie Jean King was our guide.
Legendary Stanford coach Dick Gould was cut from the same cloth. He was the heart and soul of college tennis, the gold standard.
However, due to odd quirks of strength and perception, one of the great leaders of the American game has been repeatedly denied his rightful place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. But today, his supporters have united to give the most important figure in college tennis history at least a little of the credit he deserves.
About 75 former Stanford players are gathering to celebrate him in New York this weekend. There will be interviews, parties and various high-profile shoutouts. It’s Gould’s weekend at the Open.
Ultimately, he led the Cardinal to seventeen NCAA team titles. Seventeen. It’s not just a coaching record. it’s a dynasty. For 34 consecutive years, every four-year player who wore a Cardinal uniform walked away with a championship ring. It was an age of such total domination that people said: “Dick doesn’t recruit, he reloads.”
His players have won 10 NCAA singles titles and seven doubles titles. Nine of his players have reached the ATP top 15. Thirteen have won at least one Grand Slam, 16 have played in the Davis Cup, 16 have been Olympians, and fifty have been All-Americans. Pretty funny, huh? Gould was the College Coach of the Decade in the 1980s and 1990s and was named College Coach of the 20th Century.
His coaching breakthrough came in 1978, when he guided the raging genius, John McEnroe, to a tumultuous and triumphant year. The 18-year-old freshman had just reached the Wimbledon semifinals and was on fire. Gould brilliantly read the tired man-child and the moment; “John McEnroe and practice just don’t go together,” quipped host Ted Robinson. “So Gould said to John, “Don’t worry, just be ready for the meetings.”
Collegiate tennis’ greatest entrepreneur and showman, Gould brought the sport from within. For years, Friday night tennis rocked the Maples Pavilion. There descended the Stanford band, rabid fans and the media.
He helped build stadiums, wrote insightful books and gave thoughtful speeches. No one championed tennis in Silicon Valley like Gould. She was always there for the kids, fundraisers and good causes.
When I started Inside tennis 45 years ago everyone told me that Dick Gould was a legend. I started digging. At various tournaments around the world, I asked his former players, from John and Pat McEnroe, Tim Mayotte and Scott Davis to Jonathan Stark, Jared Palmer, Dan Goldie, Paul Goldstein, Alex O’Brien and the Bryan brothers. I would ask. “Is Gould really as good as his reviews?” Surely one of his former players would crack and spill some murky dirt. I craved a big reveal. A little hint of vanity or an ethical breach or two would definitely add some spice.
It never came. The rally was simple. Eagle Scout, apple pie, straight shooter. After a decade or two, I gave up. I sighed. “Maybe this is where Gould really shines.” Finally, I agreed with Bob and Mike Brian’s father, Wayne, who said: “The closer you get, the better he gets. He’s great from a distance, but even greater up close. He’s like the Grand Canyon, Big Sur and Yosemite, he’s not overrated.”
The presence of such standard bearers as John McEnroe and the Bryan brothers shows just how extraordinary a coach Gould was. But whether you were a future Hall of Famer or a confused freshman just trying to find your way, Dick was always there for you.
His secret sauce was in the details: handwritten thank-you notes, caring advice, and an unwavering commitment to sportsmanship, performance, and grace under pressure. Was he macho? hell yes. But kindness was at his core.
Gould knew his assets. Woo the best prospects! Get the boys to bond and reach the top by the end of the season. Dublin is an art form. Play aggressive ball. Left-handed people do harm. think McEnroe, Bryan, Tanner, Saviano, Tarango, Salzenstein, Gurfein and Renner. And for God’s sake, be fraternal (as in the McEnrons, Bryans, Mayers, and Mitchells).
His seventeen championships tell you why Dick Gould was a legendary coach. His quiet kindness tells you why he was a great man.
Tennis has many mysteries, but here is one of the biggest. How is this man not in the International Tennis Hall of Fame?
