Photo credit Cindy Miller
Ken Flach at the Davis Cup in Peru
Tennis legend and St. Louis native Ken Flach passed away Monday, at age 54, following complications from pneumonia. A three-time singles and two-time doubles champion at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, he won four Grand Slam doubles titles (a pair at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open), two mixed doubles titles (at Wimbledon and the French Open), Olympic gold in 1988, and ranked as the world's No. 1 in men’s doubles at one time.
I first met Ken in 1987, when my then-agent invited me to another client's birthday party. It turned out to be a rising tennis star who was turning 24. When I showed up at the provided address and saw a stunning house with meticulous landscaping, I assumed it was the home of the budding tennis player's parents. Eventually, a good-looking, long-haired guy appeared. After we shook hands and complimented each other's long hair, I asked, “Are your parents here?”
“Not yet,” Ken replied.
Puzzled, I asked, “What do you mean? Isn’t this their house?”
He laughed. “No, this is my house!”
Thus was born a friendship that would last more than 30 years.
Ken and I had much in common. Though we didn't know it at the time, as boys, we'd shared the same pediatrician (and the embarrassment of our mothers bringing us there until we were almost 17). Dr. Hamilton would end each appointment, which seemed impossibly long, by rewarding patients with a sucker that had a plastic tool—a hammer, screwdriver, or rake—on one end. As children, we loved those suckers.
Groomed to be a rock star since growing up in Kirkwood, Ken and I both loved rock 'n' roll. We went to concerts together, often backstage, and played guitar and drums. He was also a frequent guest on my radio show. He married one of New York’s top models, Sandra Freeman, in 1986. I still recall the night in New York City before the finals match of the U.S. Open (which he won) when we tore up the town and cavorted like members of the Rolling Stones (notably, Keith Richards).
When Ken joined the St. Louis Aces, he asked me to be the announcer. I brought rock music to the tennis court—many times creating gasps from older fans—and lively commentary, much of which was designed to get under the skin of opponents. (Once, John McEnroe lost a point after firing a blazing tennis serve near my head, causing Ken to roar with laughter from the bench.) When the team won the league championship, we celebrated late into the night.
But life has a way of mellowing you out. Over time, we both had kids: Ken had four, and I had one. I performed magic shows at birthday parties when each of Ken’s children turned 5. Get-togethers consisted of dinners and hanging out at the house.
In 1997, Ken became the head coach for the men’s tennis team at Vanderbilt University. He later moved to California and married celeb makeup artist Christina Friedman. We’d occasionally reminisce about our rock star days, though we lived fewer and fewer of them.
Then, suddenly, Ken developed pneumonia and was admitted to the hospital last week. Although I knew he probably wasn’t monitoring his phone, I sent him a text about our longtime pediatrician. The next night, I called Ken's sister Cindy, who said things were bad—very bad—but that she had read him the text.
I’d like to believe that Ken heard it and his eyelids fluttered, that he thought back to those childhood memories, that he smiled deep down, took the sucker, popped it into his mouth, and knew his long visit was finally over.
Joe “Mama” Mason is a former St. Louis radio and TV personality who worked at KSHE, KSD-FM, and KPLR-TV. He is now creative director at Mason Communications.
