Jon & Charles Shostrom | Serve & Return Chicago

(Inducted In: 2012)

John (left) and Charles (Tolly) (right) Shostrom attended Parker High School and were major figures in Chicago tennis for many decades as players, umpires, tournament directors, administrators and volunteers. John was the perennial top-ranked Chicago player as a junior, winning three straight Illinois High School singles titles (1932-34) as well as four University of Chicago tournament high school championships (1931-34). He led the dominant University of Chicago teams of the late 1930’s, and as a senior in 1938, John played at #1 on the UC team that won all nine divisions in the Big Ten tournament, and lost only one individual match all year. After college while playing the tournament circuit, he reached the top 25 in singles and top 7 in doubles, winning three consecutive Western Championships with three different partners. In 1938, John beat soon-to-be Grand Slam winner Donald Budge in an exhibition in Chicago, and in doubles that year won several tournaments with Bobby Riggs. At the National Clay Courts held at his home club in River Forest, he served as tennis director, head referee and head of umpiring. John was active in Chicago District Tennis Association affairs in the 1960’s, serving as a Director for many years and heading the Junior Development Committee with his wife, Mary.Charles (Tolly) Shostrom was the Illinois State High School doubles champion in 1933, and singles finalist in 1935. He was also a member of the University of Chicago championship teams of the late 1930’s, playing #5 singles and #3 doubles on the great team of 1938. Tolly defeated Bobby Riggs in the Chicago Championships in 1939 when Riggs was the best amateur in the world. As a volunteer for the Chicago District Tennis Association, Tolly was a Director for many years and served as President in 1967-68. The Shostrom Family received the first CDTA and Western Family of the Year Awards in 1965, repeating as WTA Family of the Year in 1966, and was nominated for the National Family of the Year. John died in 1997, and Tolly in 1999, both at age 81. Since 1999, the Shostrom Family has been the sponsor of the CDTA Shostrom Family Award for the Male League Player of the Year.