Before His College Days
Butch Newman grew up in San Antonio all of his life and currently resides there. Newman was drawn to tennis at the age of 11 due to polio not allowing him to play other sports (Newman, 2017). At an early age, Newman started playing tennis at the San Pedro tennis courts. One day Newman was run off by the director of the courts, Clarence Mabry, later his coach, for having the wrong shoes on. The next day Newman went and got a pair of tennis shoes to play at the courts and future coach. Mabry went on to help Newman become a great high school player and ready him for the next level (Briggs, 1986).
Newman was an outstanding tennis player before his arrival at Trinity in the fall of 1961. Newman was a two time 4-AAAA state champion in the state of Texas. He was ranked number one in singles in the junior rankings in Texas and the doubles champion with fellow future Tiger, Frank Froehling. Newman was ranked 13 in the junior ranking in the nation. Newman also was a participant on the Texas Junior Davis Cup Team. Paired up with another future Tiger, Cliff Buchholz, they were number 5 in the junior rankings (Newman, Buchholz, 1961).
Newman's coach at Trinity would be one he was quite familiar with. Clarence Mabry was the man in charge and was the reason that Newman was as successful as he was in his early career.