Greenville / Hilton Head, SC
Inducted December 5, 1992
NATIVE OF GREENVILLE WHERE HE WAS ONE OF THE STATE’S TOP JUNIOR PLAYERS, HE WON THE SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL SINGLES AND DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1968 & 1969. ALSO LED GREENVILLE HIGH TO SOUTHERN TEAM CHAMPOINSHIPS BOTH YEARS. HE WAS ELECTED MALE ATHELETE OF THE YEAR AT GREENVILLE HIGH IN 1969. HE WON BOTH THE BOY’S SINGLES & DOUBLES AT THE PALMETTO CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1966 AND REPEATED BOTH TITLES IN THE BOY’S 18’S THE FOLLOWING YEAR. HE ALSO WON A NUMBER OF SOUTH CAROLINA STATE JUNIOR TITLES. HE WON THE SOUTHERN COLSED BOY’S 18’S SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP BOTH YEARS.
RAZ REPRESENTED THE SOUTHERN TENNIS ASSOCIATION ON THE 21 AND UNDER INTERSECTIONAL TEAM IN 1970 & 1971. HE LED THE SOUTHERN TEAM TO TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS, WINNING THE SINGLES TITLES IN 1971, FINISHING SECOND IN 1971, AND WINNING THE DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP BOTH YEARS.
HE ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI WHERE HE WAS A TWO-TIME ALL AMERICAN. HE BECAME THE ONLY SOUTH CAROLINIAN TO WIN THE SOUTHERN MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP, WINNING THAT TITLE IN 1972. HE WAS RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE SOUTH IN SINGLES & DOUBLES FOR TWO STRAIGHT YEARS. LATER HE WON THE USTA CLAY COURT MEN’S DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP.
HE TURNED PROFESSIONAL AND ATTAINED A RANKING OF 13TH IN THE NATION. HE WAS A WORLD CALSS TOURING PROFESSIONAL AND PLAYED ALL FOUR GRAND SLAMS EVENTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HE WAS A FINALIST FOR “THE PLAYT,” THE CONSOLATION DIVISION AT WOMBLEDON. HE PLAYED TEAM TENNIS FOR THE BOSTON LOBSTERS AND THE SAN DIEGO FRIARS.
RAZ RETURNED FROM THE PRO CIRCUIT IN 1980 AND MOVED TO HILTON HEAD WHERE HE BECAME THE HEAD TENNIS PROFESSIONAL AT LONG COVER, A POSITION HE HELD FOR EITHT YEARS.
REID IS MARRIED TO THE FORMER KERRY MELVILLE, ALSO A FORMER TOURING PROFESSIONAL WHO HE MET ON THE CIRCUIT. THEY CONTINUE TO LIVE ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND WITH THEIR TWO DAUGHTERS, KATI AND KIMI. ALTHOUGH HE CONTINUES TO PLAY TENNIS, HE HAS CHANGED SPROTS FOR HIS LIVLIHOOD. HE NOW TRAVELS THE SOUTHEAST AS A FLY FISHING TACKLE SALES REPRRESENTATIVE FOR SAGE AND SEVERAL OTHER TOP COMPANIES.
