Ben Heckscher was a dominant singles player in the mid-twentieth century. Hebwas fast on his feet, a relentless court coverer and possessed a vicious hard serve. A Philadelphian who grew up playing at Merion Cricket Club, he captured the National Singles in 1959 and 1963. While at Choate, he won the national interscholastics twice, and at Harvard he was national intercollegiate champion in 1956 and 1957. Playing No. 1 on the ladder for all three years on varsity, he led Harvard to a national team title in 1956. He almost earned a third U.S. national title but for the opposition of other Hall of Famers, losing three times in close fashion, including 15-13 in the fifth in the finals in 1962. The first collegiate player to be invited to enter the U.S. Open draw, he also won the 1960 Canadian national singles. He founded and ran the William White tournament at Merion, helping it become one of the leading amateur events in the county.
