(1941- )
The younger brother of Sam Howe, Ralph Howe played an up-tempo, attacking game balanced by a beautiful lob serve and a zippy reverse corner. Howe won almost every title available: he won the 1960 juniors, the intercollegiates in 1962 and 63 while at Yale, three Atlantic Coasts, one Gold Racquet, one Harry Cowles and one Deforest-Tyler. In 1964 in Annapolis he beat three national champions to win his sole U.S. title. His finest moment occured at the North American Open in Montreal in 1967 when he vanquished Mo Khan 15-12 in the fifth in the semis and then his brother Sam in the finals, 15-12, 15-13, 5-15, 13-15, 15-13, becoming one of only four amateurs ever to win the most prestigious open tournament on the continent. Howe won six doubles titles, two with Diehl Mateer, three with his brother and one with Peter Briggs. Howe later garnered silver at court tennis, winning a U.S. title, a Gold Racquet at Tuxedo and eleven national doubles titles, including one with brother Sam.
National Champion 1964
National Doubles Champion 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1976
North American Open Champion 1967