William "Bill" Cain
Darlington, SC
Inducted November 3, 1984

BORN IN PINOPOLIS AND AN ARMY WORLD WAR II VETERN.

HE WON THE FIRST TWO SOUTH CAROLINA CLOSED DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1933 & 1934. HE WON AT LEAST TEN DOUBLES STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE MEN’S DIVISION. HE WON THE SECOND SOUTH CAROLINA MIXED DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1935, AND ONE OTHER LATER.

CAIN PLAYED COLLEGE TENNIS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION, HE BECAME INVOLVED IN TENNIS AND SOON BECAME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CLOSED TOURNAMENT IN DARLINGTON IN THE MID 1930’S. HE REMAINED IN CHARGE OF THE TOURNAMENT THROUGH THE LATE 1960'S WHILE IT WAS HELD IN BOTH DARLINGTON &COLUMBIA.

HE WAS A TOP PLAYER IN BOTH SINGLES & DOUBLES. ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL STATE RANKINGS WERE PUBLISHED, HE WAS AMONG THE STATE’S TOP TEN PLAYERS FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS (1933 TO 1950). HE WON OVER 100 CHAMPIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE DURING AN ERA OF VERY FEW TOURNAMENTS.

BILL SERVED AS A VOLUNTEER TENNINS COACH FOR THREE HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS OVER A 50-YEAR PERIOD. HE COACHED SINGLES STATE CHAMPIONS AT ALL THREE SCHOOLS & DOUBLES CHAMPIONS AT TWO.

THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT TENNIS COURTS IN DARLINGTON ARE NAMED IN HIS HONOR.

HE WAS ACTIVE IN TENNIS FOR OVER 70 YEARS, AND RECEIVED A STATE RANKING IN SINGLES & DOUBLES IN 70’S & 75’S DIVISIONS. HIS LAST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WAS IN THE MEN’S 70’S.

DECEASED: APRIL 14, 1993 AT AGE OF 85.