Don Tobey

Steve Virgen

Nearly 10 years ago, Don Tobey could feel his life slipping away from

him.

What a great life it had been, he could have thought. He could

have thought about the love of his life, who is his wife Beverly, or

his two children.

But the pain was too great, so terrible. He grabbed for his chest

as a heart attack consumed him. The stinging continued to wither him

when he took a break between sets while competing in a tennis

tournament.

Thankfully, Tobey says, he survived. And he continued to remain

active. It is with great amazement, Tobey, 80, still plays tennis.

The Newport Beach resident, who is a member at Palisades Tennis Club,

is also winning.

Tobey won the men’s 80 singles division in the Super Senior

Southern California Sectional championships, concluded April 3 at the

Los Angeles Tennis Club.

Tobey, who has been brilliant throughout his comeback, took out

the tournament’s top seed, Francis Jones in straight sets in the

semifinals. Then in the final, Tobey, perhaps true to form, bounced

back from a first-set loss to earn the championship. He defeated No.

4-seeded Alfred Ruda, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

“I just love sports,” said Tobey, who credits his life of

athletics as his source for rehabilitating from the heart attack.

“All my life I’ve been involved in anything from pingpong to skiing

to golf.”

Tobey competed in football, basketball and track and field at

Glendale High. He went on to play football at Glendale College before

becoming a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.

When Tobey came home for a visit, he met his wife. They celebrated

their 59th wedding anniversary Friday. Beverly has been at his side

throughout his return to the tennis court.

“He’s pretty good for 80 years old,” Beverly said. “He’s still

agile. He really loves the game. It’s something he really likes to

do.”

Beverly, who trains with her husband, also said she does not worry

while watching Tobey play.

“My wife is really great,” Tobey said. “She keeps my diet right

and has always helped me.”

Tobey was especially grateful for his wife when he went through

open-heart surgery, Sept. 24, 1988. She, along with Tobey’s doctors,

encouraged Tobey to continue playing. By the time he overcame the

heart attack, Tobey did not need anyone telling him to play tennis.

He knew he could not put down the racquet.

“I want to play, till I can’t play anymore,” he said. “I’ll just

keep playing, as long as the old legs can go.”

Tobey has been playing tennis since he was 59. He had been

involved with golf, but became excited about tennis after being

introduced to the sport by Glenn Turnbull and his daughter, Glenda,

who were working at the Balboa Bay Tennis Club at the time.

Tobey did not find success when he first competed. He played in

his first tournament for men’s 65 singles at Ojai. He faced Lefty

Wilner, who was ranked No. 1 in Southern California and No. 2 in the

nation. Wilner beat him in the first round.

The same scenario took place in Tobey’s next tournament, but Tobey

did not give up.

“I just kept at it and I started winning,” said Tobey, who was

ranked No. 2 in Southern California two years ago in the men’s 75

singles division.

Now, Tobey is hoping to climb in his new division. He plans to

compete in the national indoor tournament May 10 in Vancouver, Wash.

There is a chance he might run into Wilner again.

“We are friends, but enemies on the court,” said Tobey, whose

agility is his greatest asset on the court. “My legs aren’t as long

as the other fellows. I can move quicker.”

Tobey applies the same mentality to tennis that he did for sports

while growing up in Glendale.

“It keeps me busy and out of trouble,” he said.