​ ​Delaware Tennis Foundation, Inc.  

1999 Inductee - Oscar Sebastian

(10/23/22- 8/10/99) 

            Oscar began his tennis career when he was eight years old. He volunteered as a ball boy at the local tennis club in Manila, Philippines. In 1959 he and his family moved to Ghana, West Africa. Oscar started giving free tennis lessons in the community.  When he and his family moved to Madrid, Spain in 1963 he continued giving free tennis lessons. When the family moved to Dover, Delaware in 1970, Oscar began providing tennis instruction for juniors and adults at Wesley College.

            Oscar started the Kent County Open Junior Tennis Tournament and taught tennis in the Milford Adult Education program for 16 years. During his tenure with the State of Delaware Department of Transportation he formed a tennis league, which he ran until he retired in 1991. He owned the Kent County Indoor Club in Dover. He also served as vice-president of the Delaware Tennis Association.

             Oscar received the Eve Kraft USTA Community Service Award in 1987. The Award honors volunteer tennis leaders who have made significant contributions to tennis development in their community. Nominees must be deeply involved in their community, must be able to inspire and motivate others, and must have had a significant impact on the tennis program in their community. He also received the Delaware Tennis Association Appreciation Award for Dedicated Service. He was given a Recognition Award for Adult Development in Dover.
 
            After Oscar passed away in 1999 the Kent County Open Junior Tennis Tournament was renamed the Oscar Sebastian Memorial Tournament in his honor.

Oscar’s legacy lives in the service he gave to the tennis community in Southern Delaware and beyond.