By Caleb Nelson.
“It’s a blessed day.” That was the observation of Albert “Bootsie” Lewis last Saturday morning as the 90-year-old sat in a wheelchair, surrounded by grandchildren and next to a newly unveiled sign emblazoned with his name at the tennis courts in Mattapan’s Almont Park.
A crowd of neighbors and guests, including Mayor Wu, gathered in the park with the Lewis family for the occasion as the thwacking rhythm of the Tenacity summer program’s tennis practice continued in full swing on the courts.
Above, the tennis courts inside Almont Park were a busy spot last Saturday as a ceremony to re-name the courts in honor of Albert “Bootsie” Lewis was held nearby. Isabel Leon photo/Mayor’s Office
“My grandfather, he made the blueprint for us,” Edward Mumford Jr. said, gripping Mr. Lewis’s wheelchair’s handles with protective energy. “Now we’ve got to live up to his standard, fill his shoes.”
“He’s a great man. A lot of what I do comes from him,” said Bobby Jenkins, one of the many Mattapan neighbors who have been mentored and inspired by Lewis’s quiet advocacy. “We’re honoring this man today when he’s alive, and that’s even better.”
Nearby, teenagers weaved their bikes along park paths, toddlers crossed to the jungle gyms, and a workout group flipped monster truck tires across the football field. Smells of freshly raked mulch, and grass clippings wafted through the rustling leaves on the oak trees.
“Not everyone does tennis,” observed Erin Murphy, the Boston city councillor-at-large who was on hand for the ceremony. “Without sports, many times kids aren’t as successful as we want them to be at school. It’s all connected. Thank you to the coaches.”
Shielded from the blaring July sunshine by two green tents erected by Boston Parks and Recreation workers, members of the Lewis family sat among their neighbors, some of whom stood in front of them as leaders in the community.
Albert “Bootsie” Lewis was greeted with a hug by one of his relatives last Saturday in Almont Park where a new sign emblazoned with his name was enveiled at the tennis courts. Caleb Nelson photo
“It’s a beautiful day to be here to dedicate this tennis court to a legend here in this community,” said City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune. “I want to thank all of my colleagues in elected office who have been fighting for resources . . . to make sure that our parks here in Mattapan, where I was born and raised, have the resources and the beauty equivalent to all the parks in the city of Boston.”
In his younger years, Lewis played tennis with Sam Jones, a member of the Boston Celtics whom he befriended in the 1960s. Together, they organized summer and after school programs, including traveling competitions and guest appearances and private sessions with some of tennis’s top pros, like Arthur Ashe and Venus Williams. As the father of three daughters, Lewis held a special place in his heart for encouraging girls how to excel in sports.
“My dad has always loved sports,” said Cynthia Lewis, his daughter. “Community is important. We need to speak out on injustices. The way a dream comes into fruition is because we take action.”
Outside of his volunteer efforts, Lewis worked at Raytheon for 49 years (October 1953-July 2002). He started as a draftsman out of high school at 18 and retired as a senior mechanical engineer. His work helped create the Patriot missile launchers used in Desert Storm, communications systems used on Air Force One, and he received the Inventor’s Award for designing the steering and suspension system in the personal rapid transit vehicle used in Chicago’s public transit system.
“You’ve been a beacon of light for our community,” the mayor said during the ceremony. “You built some of the most enduring institutions in our community. We might as well call you Mr. Mattapan. Bootsie was raised in Mattapan, and never left. He’s always seen the promise in this place, in the young people here. While others might have cast doubt on the future of this community, Bootsie doubled down.”
She noted that in 1961, “Bootsie” rallied support to create The Sportsman’s Tennis Club, the first Black-owned tennis club in the nation. As it does today, Sportsman’s offers free or low-cost lessons to young athletes who made him their role model.
“Bootsie is synonymous with love, except on the tennis score board,” Wu joked. “For all of us who benefit from all of that love, all that dedication, that fierce faith and belief, this is the least that we can do, to dedicate these courts to you.
“For all of the giving that you have done, you haven’t asked for anything back. You just expect your athletes to do two things, one, come as you are, and two, be on time.”
The city plans to resurface the tennis courts in the fall, funded in part by a grant from the United States Tennis Association. Besides the official proclamation from the city naming the courts, “Bootsie” was celebrated by state Rep. Russell Holmes, who said that Lewis was his tennis coach as a youth.
“You are always genuine and pure in values,” he said. “I’m trying my best every day to imitate you because of the fact that you gave back to this community in ways that none of us can ever count.”
“He’s a protector, very creative,” said Theresa “Trudy” Craddock, a Lewis cousin who recalled how he taught her and his sisters how to swim. She told several anecdotes about his inventiveness, how he would sew with her and how he encouraged her oil painting. He added value through his actions, and didn’t talk very much, she sais. “It’s something that always manifested itself. Everything he does is always caring. We have fun. We laugh together.”
Dorothy Lewis, “Bootsie”s wife was on hand and noted that they will celebrate 65 years of marriage in August.
“There’s just so many stories in this park, so many stories in this community, so many generational acts of leadership and service,” Wu said. “I’m very thankful that today we get to give Mr. Lewis his flowers.”
