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General First nameWayne Edward
LastnameHirst
GenderMale
CountryUnited States of America
Date of birth1940-09-07
Place of birthSan Francisco, United States of America
Date of death2015-02-14
Place of deathOklahoma, United States of America


About

Wayne Hirst was born in San Francisco, California, on September 7, 1940, and was raised in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Harding High School and was a 3-time State High School Doubles Champion partnering with Billy Buckley and his brother Jerry. Tennis was a formative part of his life.

Possessing an outstanding serve, volley, and overhead, he dominated the Oklahoma State Open Tennis Tournament over the years winning the Boys 16, Boys 18, Men's Open, Men's 35, Men's 45, and Men's 50 Doubles Championships. He graduated from East Texas State University where he was a two-time NAIA All-American. He has been inducted into the East Texas State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 1976, he founded Hirst Imports. He used this business as a way to give back to the community through donations raised at the charitable functions he hosted. The Hirst Hospitality Fund has raised over $160,000 and provides 16 to 18 scholarships annually to the Oklahoma State University Hotel and Restaurant School.

For five consecutive years (1998-2002), he was selected to play for the United States on the Gordon Cup Team in international play in Toronto, Canada. Pictured with him above center is Jim Baker, his last Gordon Cup partner. Above right is Wayne with his brother Jerry at the 2007 Grass Courts. In 2000, he was chosen for the International Friendship Cup played in Myazaki, Japan.

Wayne was a long time supporter of tennis and served on the Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame Selection Committee for many years. He passed away February 14, 2015.


OKLAHOMA CITY
Wayne Hirst was a big man who lived a very big life. He was born in San Francisco, CA on September 7, 1940, to Minerva and Wayne Hirst Sr. He was raised in Oklahoma City and attended Harding High School. Tennis was a formative part of his life. He was a three-time State High School Doubles Champion, often teaming with his brother, Jerry. He dominated the Oklahoma State Open Tournament over the years, winning the Boys 15, Boys 18, Men's Open, Men's 35, Men's 45 and Men's 50 Doubles Championships. He graduated from East Texas State University. He was a two-time NAIA All-American and was inducted into the East Texas State University Athletic Hall of Fame. For five consecutive years (1998-2002), Hirst was selected to play for the United States on the Gordon Cup Team. In 2000, he was chosen for the International Friendship Cup played in Myazaki, Japan. He was also inducted into the Missouri Valley Tennis Hall of Fame. Wayne began his career in beverages as district manager of the Schlitz Brewing Company in Corpus Christi, TX in 1966. Returning to Oklahoma, he became sales manager of Capital Beverage, a wholesale liquor distributorship. It was there he noticed that the market in Oklahoma was changing, moving up, but no one seemed to realize it. So, in 1972, Wayne started Premiere Imports bringing ultra-high-quality California wines into Oklahoma. Four years later, he created Hirst Imports to add strong domestic and imported beers to his quality product offering. Wayne was creator of the Philbrook Art & Wine Experience at the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa in 1992. It has attracted some of the world's top vintners for what has become one of the state's largest fundraising events, providing well in excess of four million dollars for the museum. The weekend offers patrons and extraordinary winemakers the opportunity to interact through three distinct events: the Trade Tasting, Grand Wine Tasting, and the Vintner Dinner & Auction. Two years later, Wayne was the creative force behind the first annual fundraiser for Community Literacy Centers, Inc. Called "Private Reserve - Wine and Dine for Literacy," it has raised over a million dollars funding programs and services for over 27,000 people at Community Literacy Centers in Oklahoma. Wayne was founder of the renowned Hirst Hospitality Awards. Now, in their 16th year, the annual gala eve honors outstanding employees from every walk of life in the hospitality industry. The awards raise funds for the Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation, which provides thousands of dollars of scholarships to hospitality and culinary students across the state each year. Wayne Hirst served on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, Quail Creek Country Club, and served as president of the Petroleum Club of Oklahoma City. Hirst has one daughter, Kari Hirst Starkey; son-in-law, Eric Starkey; and the true apple of his eye - his granddaughter, Elaine Rae Suellen Starkey. Elaine says the feelings will always be mutual. He leaves behind three brothers, Jerry, Glenn, and Dan; also, his longtime girlfriend and partner, Gwyn Hensley; and her child, Rachel Hackett. Two mentors meant the most to Wayne in his professional life: Robert Mondavi, Sr. and family, plus his dear friend, Koerner Rombauer. In tennis, his greatest inspiration and friend of 57 years was John Powless. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorials be made to the Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame, via "The E and R Foundation"; and the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, via "The Wayne Hirst Center for Beverage Education." A celebration of his big life will be held at the Oklahoma City Petroleum Club on February 25 at 6 p.m.

Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Tuesday, February 17, 2015, Page 8A.

Media


Archive statistics Career1958 - 1965
Tournament wins0
Matches24
Match wins9


Tournaments Oklahoma State - 1965 Oklahoma Indoor Open - 1965 Seminole Memorial Day - 1965 Oklahoma State - 1964 Norman Rotary - 1964 Sooner State - 1963 Oklahoma State - 1962 Indian Capitol - 1962 Norman Rotary - 1962 Southwest Open - 1961 Miami Invitational - 1960 Shawnee Open - 1960 Oklahoma State - 1959 Greater Oklahoma City Closed - 1959 Oklahoma State Closed - 1958