Lorraine Slomovitz

Category
2016
About This Inductee

For most of her adult life, Lorraine was one of the top women’s tennis players in Wyoming Valley.  With more than 75 titles her reputation in the local tennis community is well earned, as she won or placed in numerous local and regional tournaments in women’s single, doubles and mixed doubles.  Her husband, Bob, suggested the sport of tennis to Lorraine in her early 20’s.  Bob was an avid runner and recreational tennis player and thought it would be a good form of exercise.  Bob often practiced with Lorraine and even played some mixed doubles tournaments with her but the support and encouragement he gave her to strive for #1 was that of a match made in heaven!!  It was that form of exercise that turned into a career that would span almost 50 years.  Lorraine first started playing at the famous Coal Street Tennis Courts and decided to take a lesson.  I fondly remember tagging along with my Mom to Coal Street Tennis Courts in the early days.  Mom would play tennis and I would go to the park and play on the big hills there.  Those were the days!!  I spent many summers over at Kirby Park with my Mom.  My mother was an inspiration to me, sometimes playing in matches when temps were in the 90’s and humidity was 100%.  Besides all of her many on-court accomplishments, Lorraine was especially fond of all the friends she, her husband and daughter made over the years.  The tennis community was a close knit group.  Lorraine and her tennis colleagues traveled many times by bus to the US Open in Flushing Meadows, New York.  Watching my Mom play competitive tennis, I took an interest in the sport.  I took some lessons by the famous Mike Balutanski at Kirby Park and played some local tournaments.  Mom and I practiced at the “Bog” in Miners Mills back in the day.  My Mother was famous for her “drop shots”.  She never just let me win.  She made me work for every point.  Mom was an inspiration to me and many young players in the valley.  Lorraine eventually began to play USTA Middle States League Tennis and she eventually became team captain.  Lorraine and her teammates were the 1981 and 1982 League champions.  For 11 years she was consistently ranked a 4.0 adult player and then on to a 7.0 senior player.  She played on many women’s teams that competed locally and regionally.  She regularly participated in the Sectional Adult League tournaments held in Princeton, N. J. and captained the team that made it to Nationals in Key Biscayne, Florida.  After retiring from competitive tennis, Lorraine acquired a passion for golf.  Her husband, an avid golfer, got Lorraine interested in the sport.  Lorraine was a member of the Irem Golf Club and later Fox Hill Country Club.  She participated in the women’s golf leagues at Irem and Blue Ridge Golf Clubs.  As she battled cancer, she never let it definer her.  Lorraine continued to play tennis and golf.  She continues to be legendary, as she is still one of the most renowned players to grace the courts of Northeastern PA.  Lorraine passed away in October 2014 and is survived by her husband Robert (Bob) and daughter Jackie Ruane.