Ron Cobb didn't cover tennis because it was his job. It was his job to work at the Post-Dispatch for 31 years as a writer and editor. Tennis he did on his own time. 

Over 25 years, he wrote more than 700 articles covering the sport across Columbia, Bloomington, Memphis, and St. Louis. At the Post-Dispatch, he produced nearly all of the paper's tennis coverage himself, around his regular duties, because he believed the sport deserved it. 

He had skin in the game. Ron earned a letter in tennis at the University of Missouri, won four St. Louis District titles in men's 35s, and held the No. 1 ranking in that division. He knew what he was writing about. 

Seven hundred articles. On his own time. That's not a hobby. That's a calling. 

(2016)