A Tale of Two Bethesda Sport Revolutionaries
As a boy growing up in Bethesda, Maryland it felt more than coincidental that two extraordinary athletes—trailblazers in their sport—emerged almost simultaneously. I first met Donald Dell at the Edgemoor Club, where his electric presence lit up every conversation about tennis. At the time, he had just been named captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team—a title that seemed to glow with prestige. But Dell was never just a standout player; he was a visionary. Years later, he co-founded the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and launched ProServ, one of the earliest and most influential sports marketing firms. His legal training at Yale and the University of Virginia paired with his passion for tennis, making him a formidable force both in the courtroom and on the court. Representing legends like Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, and Michael Jordan, he fundamentally changed how athletes navigated business, fame, and legacy. In the 1970s, another name—Deane Beman—buzzed through Bethesda...