Marion Blackburn
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | Marion Ossie Blackburn July 31, 1939 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 2025 (aged 86) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Alabama A&M College |
Spouse |
Kay Francis Kellam (m. 1961) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Tennis |
Marion Ossie Blackburn (July 31, 1939 – April 4, 2025) was an American entrepreneur and tennis professional.[1]
Early life and education
Marion Blackburn was born on July 31, 1939, in Huntsville, Alabama. He attended William Hooper Councill High School and Alabama A&M College, where he played on what he described as a “ragtag tennis team.”[2]
Business career
In the early 1960s, Blackburn moved to Portland, Oregon, where opened a wood manufacturing business called Wood Arts.[2] He then opened a tennis teaching business called "Tennis Lessons Inc." Initially operating out of a warehouse with low ceilings and concrete floors in the John’s Landing neighborhood, Blackburn soon started a full-fledged tennis club. With a loan from the federal government, he built a tennis club from scratch on the 5800 block of the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway.[3] The initial name of the club, which opened in 1977, was Tennis Town.[4] After adding on additional facilities such as a weightlifting room, aerobics studio, racquetball courts, outdoor tennis courts, and pool, Blackburn renamed his club Raleigh Hills Racquet and Health Club.[3] He later changed it to Portland Athletic Club, or "PAC."[5]
In a colorful profile of Blackburn written by sportswriter and baseball executive Harold Parrott, Blackburn hinted at the slim margins but rich rewards of owning and operating a tennis facility. "There's no money in this business," Blackburn explained. "I mean, I couldn't turn all this into cash, even if I wanted to. All I've done is bought myself a job. It's a steady job, and you've got to work at it to stay afloat."[3]
Blackburn claimed to be the only single-person owner-operator of a Black-owned tennis club in the United States who also owned the land beneath the facility.[2] No other examples of single-owner, Black-owned tennis clubs currently exist in the Pacific Northwest.[5]
Tennis career
During his time in the U.S. Army, Blackburn learned to play tennis at a high level.[2] Back in Portland in the 1960s, Blackburn played tennis regularly at Irving Park.[1] He was initially denied membership to the Irvington Club. Following the protests of Irvington Club pro Jack Neer, Blackburn and his family were admitted.[5]
During the 1970s and 1980s, Blackburn was a competitive tournament player, with a ranking in the USTA Pacific Northwest region’s 35+ category. He won the Oregon State men’s 35+ tournament numerous times.[2]
Coaching and writing
Blackburn self-published a tennis teaching book, The Best Tennis Lesson You Ever Had, in 1988. It contains a stroke-by-stroke breakdown of the game, along with discussions of his teaching philosophy.[6]
Personal life
Blackburn was married to Kay Francis Kellam from 1961 to 1977. Together they had three children: Anthony Wayne Blackburn, Nikki Renae Blackburn-Orr, and Ramon Blackburn, all of whom learned to play tennis at a high level.[1]
Illness and death
Blackburn was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s disease in 2022. He died at home on April 4, 2025, surrounded by family members.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "In Memory of Marion Blackburn". Portland Tennis Courterly. June 21, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Stone, Mike (2015). PDX 10s—Tennis in Portland, Oregon, The Boom Years 1886–1990. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. pp. 127–128. ISBN 9781517381561.
- ^ a b c Parrott, Harold (June 20, 2025). "'I bought myself a job.'—Blackburn". Portland Tennis Courterly. p. 2.
- ^ "Historic Black-owned Portland Athletic Club faces pickleball takeover as family fights to keep legacy alive". kgw.com. 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
- ^ a b c Rubin, Jay (Fall 2024). "Portland Athletic Club a.k.a. PAC Enters New Era". Portland Tennis Courterly. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
- ^ Blackburn, Marion (1988). The Best Tennis Lesson You Ever Had. Portland, Oregon: Tennis Lessons Inc. p. 3.