As a kid Rollin Rhone loved to play stick ball behind his apartment building, in Santa Monica. That’s the sport of baseball played with a broom stick as a bat. Some of the kids in his neighborhood played stick ball every day of the week. “We played over the line,” said Rhone. “It was a beautiful thing. We played that game with passion and joy every day seven days a week.” That was his introduction to sports, and he continues to play, coach and teach sports with the same passion and enthusiasm today at the age of 71.
“We had a coach and mentor who coached at Edison Elementary School in Santa Monica named Bob Hillen who lived in Culver City,” Rhone said. “He had a refrigerator packed with sodas and every time you made a good play playing baseball or ping pong you could get a soda. I was always opening that door to get a soda.”
Rhone was born in Los Angeles and raised in Santa Monica. He attended Santa Monica and Hamilton High Schools. His family moved to Culver City in 1978 and he and his wife, Shari still live in Culver City. He is a former Culver City Parks and Recreation tennis coach, and his wife is a former Culver City Unified School District employee.
This is when the story gets interesting. Last year Rhone was the No. 1 Super Senior tennis player in the United States and the 7th ranked player in the world. “When I came out of the Marines I enrolled in West L. A. College on the GI Bill. A friend of mine named Milton Qualls was there and I ended up on the track team. I ran the mile. One day we went to the Rec Center on campus and checked out some tennis rackets. We started playing and I said to Milton this is a great game. I told him I think I will try this and become a pro. I really enjoyed the game.”
In 1978-81 he played in the US Open. “That’s where my journey began playing in that Grand Slam event,” said Rhone. He was on the pro tour for about four years and along the way he was sponsored by Barry Gordy, the owner of Motown Records and Kenny Rogers. He also used to warm up the great tennis player, Arther Ashe who was also Rhone mentor. Ashe taught Rhone his serve and Rhone taught that serve to Venus and Serena Williams.
What makes this story even more remarkable is he was a black man playing in a predominantly white sport. He had to overcome many obstacles to reach the top. Tennis players like Althea Gibson and Ashe paved the way for players like Rhone. “Willie Mays was my hero,” said Rhone. Mays, who gained fame playing for the New York and San Francisco Giants in the 1950’s and 1960’s is considered to be the greatest baseball player of all-time.
Right now, Rhone is coaching tennis students from 3 to 90 years old, and he is also coaching and playing paddle tennis and pickle ball. “I love sports,” Rhone said. “I also play golf, and I trained my son Dustin, who became the No. 1 junior golfer in the world.
Rhone, who is writing a book on how to be successful in sports and life, has what he calls a secret formula for being a great athlete and an outstanding citizen. “What keeps people at the highest level in sports and life is discipline, perseverance and the routine that they have. Also, they have to have emotional strength and strong mental toughness. They must have grit. My philosophy is that no one is born with grit. It has to be taught. I teach grit with love.”
Rhone is a very unique individual. At the age of 71 he is still one of the best athletes in the world and he has accomplished a lot in his 71 years, but there are a few things he would like to do before he hangs up the rackets, paddles, baseball bats and gloves and golf clubs. He wants to give back to all the communities, but especially the inner-city community. “Everyone has a gift,” said Rhone. “Everyone is blessed with the power to do something special with their lives and to help change other peoples lives. I have had a great life. I live to help others and I ‘m here to serve.”