Autograph Corner: Lesley Visser

Legendary Hall of Fame sports journalist and broadcaster Lesley Visser is a force of nature. Her accomplishments are unmatched. She did not just break the glass ceiling – she demolished it! She is the only sportscaster to have worked on the network broadcasts of: The Final Four; The Super Bowl; The World Series; The NBA Finals; The Triple Crown; The Olympics; The U.S. Open; and The World Figure Skating Championships. She is the first and only woman to win: The Billie Jean King “Outstanding Journalist Award” and The Emmy Sports Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the first woman enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And this only scratches the surface of her incredible accomplishments. Visser knew that she wanted to be a sportswriter when she was 10 years old. At that time, there were few, if any, women in press boxes and none in the locker rooms. Her mother offered advice that became the title of her inspirational 2017 book, “Sometimes You Have to Cross When It Says Don’t Walk.”  

Visser was kind enough to carve some time out of her busy schedule to speak with Florida Tennis. “Tennis has been a real cornerstone of my entire career. And it's really [because of] three people. It was Billie Jean, who, of course, I always say Billie Jean can't be honored enough. And it was Bud Collins, and it was Bob Kraft.” Visser explained that Hall of Fame tennis chronicler Bud Collins took her under his wing when she was an intern at the Boston Globe in 1974. She was still in college at the time. “[Bud Collins had] really been a mentor, I think, not only teaching me tennis and helping me, but a way to conduct myself. You know, Bud always had a good thought about a person and always wanted to help.”

Photo courtesy Adam Ross Collection. 

The Boston Globe assigned Visser as a beat writer to cover the Boston Lobsters of World Team Tennis. Bob Kraft, future owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, owned the Lobsters which had a roster including Martina Navratilova and Wendy Turnbull. This was a time when women were not credentialed for locker rooms. “[The Boston Lobsters locker room] was the first locker room I ever went in. It was because Bob and Myra Craft [Robert Kraft’s late wife] - they've been so instrumental in my career – they said, hey, she's credentialed – let her in.”

Even Hall of Fame broadcasters have embarrassing moments on their road to success and Visser was kind and humble enough to share one with Florida Tennis. “I think I've covered in all, like 25 or 30 U.S. Opens - some for the [Boston] Globe, some, as you know, just as a reporter for ESPN - and quite a few for CBS. This 100% embarrassing story happened at the U.S. Open during a great run by Hana Mandlikova. I was on the broadcast for CBS - I think it was my first television assignment. [CBS broadcaster] Brent Musburger cut to me on Court 16 after an early match win by Mandlikova. I don't remember who she beat. And so well, first of all, I looked like I had rigor mortis. I took the microphone and was supposed to cover her great run over the summer. I think she went up from like 55th to 5th [in the WTA rankings]. I said, you know, to what do you attribute your sudden rise in the rankings? And Hannah says to me, that she attributes it to her new coach. Unfortunately, I thought she said couch. It seemed odd but I thought, okay, maybe she's sleeping better or something. So I said, ‘Oh, did you get some new furniture?’ To which she said, ‘Don't be ridiculous - Betty Stove is my new coach.’ It was hilarious. And of course, Brent Musburger had hit the table. I mean, it was just so ridiculous.”

Tennis and the entire sports world owe a great deal of thanks to legendary Hall of Fame sports journalist, broadcaster and maverick, Lesley Visser for sharing her incredible journey with us. She is an inspiration to all and we wish her luck as she continues on with her Hall of Fame career.

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Written by Florida Tennis contributor Adam Ross. Top photo of Lesley Visser winning Billie Jean King "Outstanding Journalist" Award. Photo credit: Lesley Visser.