Tennis Legend Stan Smith On Life After 2024 Documentary
Checking in with the world-famous tennis pro after the release of 2024 documentary “Who Is Stan Smith?”
Story by Barry Kaufman
The 2024 documentary about our island’s world-famous tennis pro Stan Smith, titled Who Is Stan Smith? had a very specific audience. Specifically, an entire generation raised on hip-hop, who bought a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths after seeing them on the feet of everyone, from Jay-Z to the Beastie Boys, but had otherwise no clue what that name meant. Its title was a question answered over 90 minutes, laying out Stan the Man’s fabled tennis career, from public courts in Pasadena to the pinnacle of the sport, while celebrating the family he built with his beloved wife, Margie.
In between educating sneakerheads on the legend behind the smiling face on the shoe’s tongue, it weighed the cultural impact of his shoe, with everyone from David Bowie to Pharrell bringing them into the zeitgeist again and again. Ultimately, it illustrated a legacy that extends far beyond the shoe store to an audience that had never seen his rise to a No. 1 global ranking.
Here on Hilton Head Island, we are not necessarily part of that audience. As entertaining as the documentary (now on Hulu and ESPN+) is, we don’t need to be told who Stan Smith is. We all live in a community that he has made his own and left his indelible mark on since 1971. So, being that we already know “Who is Stan Smith,” the only question that remains is, “How is Stan Smith?”
Still in motion
It turns out Stan is just as busy today as when he was crisscrossing the globe as the top tennis player in the world. And not just because, even at age 80, he is a constant presence on the courts of the Smith- Stearns Tennis Academy that he founded in 2002. What’s keeping him traveling now, this time as an entrepreneur, is the event management firm he founded with Gary Niebur 30 years ago, Stan Smith Events. Focusing on massive sporting events like Wimbledon and the FIFA World Cup, the firm takes him all over the world, creating unforgettable experiences for clients.
“At Wimbledon, for example, we’ll help set up the whole weekend for them,” he said. “We have a house we rent right by Wimbledon, and we have people come in the morning for some drinks and photographs. Sometimes we’ll have another player come by, like John McEnroe, Chrissie Evert or Martina Navratilova, for a little interview and photos.”
Smith’s powerful connections in the sports world, earned by the simple fact of who he is, help drive these experiences for clients like American Express, Delta, AT&T and Indeed.
“The whole idea is to provide talent, access, experiences and activities that are unique and memorable to the guests, and, therefore to their clients. We’ve had some classic matches that the guests have seen, like the finals and semifinals of Wimbledon, the Rugby World Cup. Those are special moments, and a lot of these events are bucket-list experiences,” he said. “So it’s meaningful to the guests, but it also strengthens the relationship between the company and their clients.”
Hilton Head, 1971
In between jaunts around the world, Stan continues to call Hilton Head Island his home base, as he has since 1971. Having been brought here by The Sea Pines Resort as it was still carving its own storied legacy, he was given a front-row seat to history.
“Charles Fraser realized that tennis was becoming popular in the ’70s, and he’d just started the golf tournament in ’68, so they invited me to come by,” Smith said. In the same year he won his first Grand Slam singles title, Smith saw what Fraser envisioned for tennis on Hilton Head and was eager to be part of it. “Within a year we had a tournament called the CBS Tennis Classic. And then right after that, we started the Family Circle Magazine Cup.”
More than tennis
But Stan and Margie didn’t come to Hilton Head Island just to play tennis. Raising four children who attended nearly every school on the island after being home schooled in their early years, the Smiths set about elevating the community beyond the court.
“We’ve been very involved with the Boys & Girls Club. Margie has been a volunteer for the last 20 years, and I’ve been on the board and continued to support them. We have this big gala coming up, and Margie and the gala committee have been spending a tremendous amount of time on that. It’s our biggest fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club,” he said. “I would have to say that has been a highlight for us, the establishment of this Boys & Girls Club.”
Of course, the Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head Island is not the only beneficiary of Smith’s generosity. Anyone who has seen him towering over the crowds during the Heritage in his tartan jacket knows his deep ties to the Heritage Classic Foundation.
“I was the chairman of the charities committee for maybe 15 years. We were involved with 85 different charities on Hilton Head, and I think it’s now around $61 million that’s been raised for charities in the Lowcountry since 1986,” he said. “I’m also on the scholarship committee, and this year we had some 80 applicants, which we’ve narrowed to 11 students who will receive scholarships. It’s been a real highlight to see how outstanding some of these kids are.”
Investing in the future
One of the thornier issues facing Hilton Head Island over the last decade has been the availability of affordable workforce housing, and, as always, Smith has been quick to serve.
“A lot of people on Hilton Head are realizing that we need to address the issue and do something,” he said. “I just invested in the workforce housing that’s going to be by the hospital. It’s going to be 140 units, and that is incredibly important.”
With their deep involvement continuing as it has since arriving, Stan and Margie Smith have seen this island through many different eras of growth.
“In the early ’60s, Charles was begging people to buy beach- front property for $5,000. Of course, everybody thought that was ridiculous. No one wanted to live here,” Smith said. “But I think his vision really set the stage not only for Sea Pines, but for Hilton Head. And the town has done a pretty good job of trying to preserve the environment. Charles Fraser really was the most important person in the development of the island because he created covenants that guided development in Sea Pines, and those carried on to the rest of the island.”
Stan also got to witness Fraser at his feistiest, willing the island resort into existence by ensuring the cameras always captured its best side.
“I’ll never forget the one year the golf tournament was in November, and Tom Watson was walking up the 18th fairway about to win,” Smith recalled. “He was wearing a ski cap, and Charles came up to try to take it off his head because in the early stages of the tournament, he didn’t want it televised that you’d need a ski cap.”
One of our own
The ski cap incident was one
of many memories Smith holds of Sea Pines’ founder, part of the more than 50 years he has called the island home while his status as one of the greatest players in tennis and as an icon for sneakerheads around the world.
“With his vision of what he would like to have seen here, I think Charles would be pretty happy with where we are today,” he said.
As islanders, we know who Stan Smith is. He’s the towering figure in a plaid jacket walking the course at the Heritage. He’s the pillar of the community we see at galas, fundraisers and festivals. He’s the perennial coach, molding the game’s best players at Smith-Stearns Tennis Academy. He’s one of us. He just happens to be the only one of us who has achieved worldwide fame on tennis courts and fashion runways.
And he’s doing just fine, thanks for asking.
BANGKOK, THAILAND – JULY 2, 2017: Adidas stan smith classic shoes on ground stone outdoor popular fashion thailand.
Stan Smith’s Achievements
Long before his name showed up on your favorite pair of sneakers, Stan Smith was busy becoming one of the best tennis players on the planet.
- Grand Slam singles champion (2): U.S. Open (1971), Wimbledon (1972) Grand Slam doubles champion (5): Including titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open
- World No. 1 ranking: Reached the top spot in 1972
- Davis Cup standout: Key member of the U.S. team that won the Davis Cup in 1968 and 1969
- Career titles: 60+ professional titles across singles and doubles International Tennis Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1987
- Signature style: Known for his powerful serve-and-volley game and calm, sportsmanlike demeanor
- Global icon: His partnership with Adidas produced the Stan Smith sneaker, one of the best-selling shoes of all time
Where to Watch
If you know the shoe, it’s time to meet the man. Who is Stan Smith? traces his rise from Pasadena courts to global icon status, while showcasing scenes from Hilton Head Island that feel close to home. Even locals who know him well will come away with something new, making it a story well worth watching.
Stream it: Hulu and ESPN+
