The morning after her high school graduation, when the rest of her class was sleeping in, Mary Ann was on a plane to Wimbledon. Upon landing, she was whisked away in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce, to the All-England Club. Driving through those gates, she can still remember the feeling she had when she first glimpsed the ivy-covered stadium. She remembers thinking, "Wow, I did that." She would do that eight more times. Including a trip to the quarterfinals. 

Long before Mary Ann was serving aces she was throwing them, becoming the first girl to play baseball in the Municipal Baseball Association's 44-year history. For reasons that newspaper accounts don't make clear, the league ultimately decided to limit participation to boys, ending Mary Ann's baseball career. She was good enough. She just didn't have the right equipment. 

Her parents put her in a tennis clinic and by the time she turned 17 she was ranked number one in the Girls 18s. 

Her ten year career is a highlight reel. Eight years in the top ten, reaching a career high of three in 1967. A singles title at the Surrey Grass Court. A victory over Billie Jean King at the New England Indoor. She represented the United States in the Wightman Cup and the Federation Cup. That's just her singles accomplishments. 

She was ranked number one in doubles in 1966, reaching the Wimbledon finals twice with Valerie Ziegenfuss. She won the US Indoor with Carol Aucamp over Billie Jean King and Judy Nixon, and took an Irish doubles title with Justina Bricka. In 1971, she won the British Hardcourts with Françoise Durr, beating Margaret Court and Evonne Goolagong. And in 1968 she won a Grand Slam, teaming with Peter Curtis to win the US Open mixed doubles championship. 

When she retired from tennis, she picked up golf. She had several top-ten finishes in state tournaments, and in senior golf she won Districts five times in seven years. 

(1990)