Legendary UCO tennis coach dies

Services were held Thursday for former Central Oklahoma tennis coach Francis Baxter, who died at age 87. Baxter, known as the father of Oklahoma tennis, coached the men's team for 36 years and the women's program for 26.

Baxter is a member of the Oklahoma High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame, the UCO Athletic Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma District Tennis Hall of Fame, the Missouri Valley Section Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame.

The Dover High School graduate played basketball, baseball and ran track at UCO, then known as Central State College.

He also played competitive tennis for 45 years.