When the USTA’s Hawaii Pacific Section inducts Muriel Osborne and Jane Forester-Leong into its Tennis Hall of Fame tomorrow it will be for their remarkable accomplishments on and off the court, and the remarkable legacies they will leave behind.

Osborne, who died two years ago at age 83, made her mark on the court with a game that emphasized versatility over velocity. She won more than 200 titles and was ranked No. 1 in the Women’s Open division 11 years. The last was in 1969, and months later, deep into her 40s, she was named Hawaii Women’s Athlete of the Year.

"That was her proudest thing," her son Jim said of the rankings. "It wasn’t that she won a lot of events. It was that she was playing youngsters and being smart enough to stay with them. You’ve got to out-smart them if you can’t out-hit them."

Through it all, Osborne usually displayed a beguiling grin. Jim, the former Brigham Young coach who was ranked among the top 10 in the U.S., was the inaugural Hall of Fame inductee in 2005. What he remembers best about his mother’s game was that sweet smile.

"Win or lose, always, yet she was very competitive," he recalls. "She was one-eighth Hawaiian but half Irish, so she had that Irish fight even though she was genteel on the court."

His family spent every weekend together on the courts in Kaimuki. If they had been born later — after Forester-Leong became the Hawaii Pacific Section’s first full-time employee in 1981 — there would have been many more options. She served as the section’s executive director most of her 21-year career, retiring when she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

She and Osborne share a rare passion for the game. Forester-Leong’s influence was immense.

"She was the face of Hawaii tennis for over two decades," said Bill Leong, who was hired by Forester-Leong here and is now CEO/Executive Director of the USTA’s Pacific Northwest Section. "She represented Hawaii tennis with class and dignity and was well respected and loved by all her colleagues and national staff. Jane was, is and always will be the pillar of the tennis community in Hawaii.

"I have followed her example as a leader. Jane did not teach me leadership skills, but I learned from her example. Her passion for tennis and compassion for people is unparalleled."

Forester-Leong’s amiable personality and vision helped Hawaii become the USTA’s largest section per capita. It went from 1,000 members and a budget of $1,500 to 6,600 members and $700,000 under her soft-spoken direction. The 62-year-old was involved in every facet of the organization and treated everyone with the same respect, from Nick Bollettieri to senior league players to a promising 7-year-old to one of many loyal volunteers.

"She just welcomed everybody, embraced everybody," said Madeleine Dreith, also hired by Forester-Leong. "You felt like her friend from the first moment you met her. What helped the organization is she was just so welcoming. Anybody that wanted to help felt they could."

Forester-Leong initiated junior team tennis and the Aloha Airlines Junior Championships for elite players. She brought in Hawaii’s school program and worked with the City & County to open the game to a new audience. She tried to include everyone and was devoted to the growth of league tennis and Tennis Weekend, a celebration of the game that turns 24 this year. She helped bring the Davis Cup and pro tour events to paradise and made it a priority to offer affordable opportunities to everyone.

"We both had a vision to allow all ages, all cultures, everyone to be able to participate whether they could afford the game or not, had tried it or not," said Marcia Bach, longtime executive director for the USTA’s Northern Section.

Bach and Forester-Leong’s friendship goes beyond tennis. Their daughters are the same age and their lives often paralleled. This weekend, Bach hopes her faraway friend can appreciate all the accolades and aloha she and Osborne will share at tomorrow’s induction.

"I hope in some small way something can connect," Bach said. "Something on that plaque she’ll recognize. I hope in my heart she knows how much she is loved."