Henri Raoul Marie Salaun

Henri Raoul Marie Salaun born in Brest France on April 6, 1926, a Needham resident for 54 years, passed away on Wednesday, June 4th at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Needham. He was 88 years old. Salaun is a French born American squash player of fame, (his paternal grandfather was vice admiral of France during the 1920's.) "He is widely considered one of the world's most influential squash players". He left France w/ his mother in 1940 escaping the Nazi invasion, boarding a minesweeper bound for Britain. Salaun soon attended Deerfield Academy where he learned squash and then attended Wesleyan University where he captained soccer, tennis and squash and became 2 time All-American in soccer. He was also elected to the Olympic soccer roster but bowed out due to a hernia .His college years were interrupted by military service after his freshman year in WW2 under General George Patton's 3rd Army. He was deeply saddened to lose 2/3rds of his regiment. "They were all good guys", he said, "Patton pushed us very hard, but we got the job done." He was promoted to Sergeant and was driven around in a Willis jeep functioning as translator for the local French, tracking down the last Nazis. After final graduating in '49 he taught languages and math and coached soccer, squash and tennis at Governor Dimmer Academy. Next he worked as a salesman for Texaco, then Bancroft Tennis and Sport craft. His employment was secure as long as he remained seeded as a tennis and squash player. Thus he began an amazing squash and tennis career. In squash he won 4 US Nationals and lost a further 5 times in the finals. He took the first US open in 1954.He won 7 Canadian Nationals and the Canadian Open as well as 2 Golden Racquets and an unequalled 7 Harry Cowles. He went on to win an unprecedented 26 National titles in his age group well into his 70's. He was also an accomplished amateur tennis player. One of the most winningest players in the NELTA circuit. From 1951-1980. During his illustrious athletic career he managed to run two companies; Henri Salaun Sports Inc., (an importer and wholesaler of athletic goods still in Portsmouth NH), from 1970 till his retirement as well as Salaun Indoor Tennis, (a chain of 4 indoor tennis places in the greater Boston area) from 1967-1982. He was inducted into the Miller Lite Boston Hall of fame of premier athletes voted by journalists in 1980, the Wesleyan University Hall of Fame in 2008, and the first ballot of the United States Squash Racquets Hall of Fame in 2000.The only squash player along w/ his esteemed opponent of ten years, Diehl Mateer, to be on the cover of Sports illustrated, Feb 10, 1958."He is well muscled and as agile as a cat, "wrote SI in '58'"there are few shots in a squash court that he cannot retrieve and fewer that he cannot make, His racquet work in controlling the ball is astonishing." He leaves his wife Emily of 58 years of Needham, MA and his sons Henri and Georges as well as 6 grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held in the Christ Episcopal Church, 1132 Highland Ave, Needham on Friday June 13th at 11:00 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held in the Eaton Funeral Home 1351Highland Ave, Needham on Thursday June 12th from 4-7 PM. Interment is private. In lieu of flowers donations in Henri's name may be made to Squirrel Island Athletic Assoc.,( checks to SIAA), c/0 Rob Hopkins, Island Manager, PO Box 85, Booth Bay Harbor, ME 04538 or to Squash Busters 795 Columbus Avenue, Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120-2108