NEW YORK, February 14, 2012 – Karl Behr was one of the best tennis players in the United States – a member of the 1907 U.S. Davis Cup team and a Wimbledon doubles finalist that year. In 1912, he was madly in love with Helen Newsom, a 19-year-old who was eight years his junior. However, Newsom’s mother, Sally Beckwith, did not approve of their relationship and whisked her daughter away on a European adventure in an attempt to break the couple up. Behr invented a European business trip and chased after the love of his life. Both had return trips to America on the famed and fated ship TITANIC.
The love story of Behr and Newsom, as well as the incredible story of survival and triumph of another TITANIC survivor and future U.S. singles champion Dick Williams, are featured in the new book TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY by Lindsay Gibbs ($12.95, New Chapter Press, available for order here:http://www.amazon.com/gp/
TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY, due out officially in six weeks, narrates the incredible stories of tennis players Behr and Williams, who survived the sinking of the famous ship 100 years ago this coming April 15, and met on the deck of the rescue ship Carpathia. Both players went on to become teammates on the U.S. Davis Cup team and faced each other in the quarterfinals of the 1914 edition of the U.S. Nationals in Newport, R.I. – the tournament that is now the US Open. The two also went on to become teammates on the 1914 U.S. Davis Cup team and were both inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
The historical novel is published by New Chapter Press of New York City.
Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer (www.RogerFedererBook.com), The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, The Wimbledon Final That Never Was by Sidney Wood, Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf (www.CliffRicheyBook.com), Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com) among others.