Douglas Smith is a native of Hampton, Virginia. He attended George P. Phenix High School from 1957 – 1960. At Phenix, he was known for his athletic skills in tennis and basketball. He was a starting point guard and the captain of the basketball team and a state champion on the tennis team. In 1960, he was named the Tidewater Sports Club ’Most Valuable Player’ and a first time All-Star. That same year, he reached the finals of the Boys’ Tennis Singles State Championship, losing only to Arthur Ashe

After graduating from Phenix High School, Douglas attended Hampton Institute, majoring in mathematics. While attending Hampton, he was a member of the University’s CIAA Championship Tennis Teams in 1962 and 1964. Upon graduation, Douglas entered the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer. He served as a Battery Commander at a nuclear missile site in Fairbanks, Alaska and commanded troops under combat conditions in Vietnam. He was well decorated, earning the Bronze Star with the “V” device for heroism in action, the Purple Heart, and the Army Commendation Medal. Douglas left the army with the rank of Captain.

After graduating from Phenix High School, Douglas attended Hampton Institute, majoring in mathematics. While attending Hampton, he was a member of the University’s CIAA Championship Tennis Teams in 1962 and 1964. Upon graduation, Douglas entered the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer. He served as a Battery Commander at a nuclear missile site in Fairbanks, Alaska and commanded troops under combat conditions in Vietnam. He was well decorated, earning the Bronze Star with the “V” device for heroism in action, the Purple Heart, and the Army Commendation Medal. Douglas left the army with the rank of Captain.

His career would cover multiple decades, where he was writer and editor for very influential newspapers such as, Newsday, the New York Post, and USA Today. Mr. Smith broke several significant stories in the sports world such as, Arthur Ashe having contracted AIDS, the death of Len Bias, and copious cover stories of tennis greats to include, Andre Agassi, Jennifer Capriati, Pete Sampras and Venus and Serena Williams. His work earned him several awards, including the U.S. Tennis Association Life Achievement Award, the Women’s Tennis Association Media Person of the Year, and Tennis Week Great American Writing Award. Mr. Smith is also an acclaimed nonfiction writer.

Those who know Mr. Smith best say, he lived each day of his life so that his life would be an example of caring, kindness, compassion, and quality for those who came in contact with him. He believed, “our lives should do the singing” and that he was to be a role model to those in his community, on the job, in the classroom and on the basketball and tennis courts. Mr. Smith was a steadfast, focused, reliable, honest and courteous man.