Marilyn Fernberger
Marilyn Fernberger (August 13, 1927 - May 2, 2012) was the first female co-chair of the U.S. Pro-Indoor Tennis Championship. Her "enthusiasm and dedication for the sport of tennis" earned her induction into the Newport, Rhode Island International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. Early life and education. Born Marilyn Friedman to mother and father David and Edith Friedman; Marilyn grew up in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. She attended and graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls. During her time there she participated in sports such as field hockey, tennis and was on  the swim team as well. After high school, Marilyn went to college at the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her husband Edward Fernberger. There she studied English and Political Science; eventually she graduated and received her Bachelor's Degree for those subjects in 1948. Career. Mrs. Fernberger became the first female co-chair of a professional tennis tournament in the history of the sport, alongside her husband and co-chair Edward (Ed) Fernberger. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) began the Fernberger's career in tennis, as they became involved firstly with the Philadelphia district and Middle States section . Their influence increased dramatically after their decision to turn the Philadelphia Invitational Indoor, an 8-player male tennis tournament hosted at St. Joseph's Memorial Field House, into the U.S. Indoor Pro hosted at the Spectrum. The tournament the two area locals created would become one of the world's most important professional indoor tennis tournaments. During her time as co-chair with her husband, from 1968 to 1992, attendance increased from around 2,500 attendees to over 95,000 including players representing over 20 countries.This great success lead her to also being credited for bringing women's professional tennis to  Philadelphia, as she chaired the Virginia Slims tournament from 1970 to 1979. Their domination of the tennis world lead Ed and Marilyn Fernberger to be nicknamed the "dynamic duo" of the tennis world, as they continued to conduct and promote both youth and adult tennis tournaments. With the career they built themselves, they were able to give back to their community and the sport that earned them their recognition. Marilyn focused on bringing tennis to the youth of many communities in Philadelphia, especially the less-fortunate children. Through fundraising and non-profit organizations, the couple brought free public park tennis  programs and other youth programs to Philadelphia. Achievements. In 2002, Mrs. Fernberger was given the Chairman's Award and inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for her outstanding service as a Board Member to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Following this achievement, she also was recognized as Strathmore's Professional of the Year in 2006 for her work consulting in the world of both sports and arts. Personal life. Marilyn married her husband and business partner Edward Fernberger on June 21 of 1947. They had children Edward Jr., Ellen, and Jim Fernberger. During their long careers in  the professional tennis industry, both Marilyn and Edward were involved on a personal level; they got to know players well as they welcomed them into their home, and Marilyn became close friends with the players and their wives while observing the tournaments. Marilyn and Edward were once featured in a Sports Illustrated article published in 1969 titled, "House Party At Fernbergers", written by Frank Deford, who covered an indoor open hosted by the Fernbergers with a variety of famous tennis players in attendance.