Stories by Joel Drucker
History-Portraits
“Jimmy Connors at the US Open, First Hate, Then Love”
- my first byline in the New York Times
“Martina Navratilova: The Tennis Player Who Came in from the Cold”
- 40 years later, the tale of Navratilova’s defection to the United States
- Dennis Farina, a policeman who became an actor
- portrait of broadcaster Jim Rome
- cultural history of the rise and fall of the tennis boom
Reflections
“The Open: My Season of Gain and Pain”
- personal kaleidoscope of the US Open
- tennis fantasy camp and its connection to the loss of a loved one
- why I read about the Kennedys on airplanes
San Diego Tennis Trilogy
“The Tale of the Brown Indian and the Stupid Sissy Sport”
- profile of legendary player-coach Pancho Segura
- then and now on the tennis journey with four SD tennis icons
“A Jew and the California Dream”
- families, tennis, Jews and California history
Random
- comparing each of tennis’ majors to a Beatle (includes lyrics)
“What Happened at Indian Wells?“
- documentary style approach to controversial 2001 Indian Wells tournament
“It’s Only Rock & Roll, But I’ll Buy It”
- the world of rock & roll posters