What were these two small people named Jones and Casals doing in a pine clearing on Hilton Head Island? Although neither had let diminutive physiques stand in their way to success, they had arrived at out-of-the-way Sea Pines Plantation as improbable visitors seeking a big score.

They were lured by a tennis tournament that did not yet exist. Jack Jones, a Los Angeles businessman and tennis junkie, was classified as “crazy” by sports promoters who had heard about the new tournament that he had dreamed up. Jones and associate, John Moreno, had envisioned a blockbuster event for $ 100,000 in prize money at a time when such a stratospheric purse was virtually unheard of. Even nuttier -- all that cash was for women: $ 30,000 to the champ! None of the four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, U.S.) paid its male or female victor that much.

That was May of 1973. The women’s professional tour was barely up-and-running, but Jones had convinced a sponsor, Family Circle, and a network, NBC, that this could catch on because the racket-swinging babies were appealingly on their long way.

One of those pioneers, ”The Rosebud” – San Franciscan Rosie Casals -- had never been in South Carolina, hardly tennis country. However, sensing the historic occasion, Rosie was anxious to be in on it even though a clay court was not her best playground. Amid such-world beaters as Billie Jean King, Aussie Margaret Court and Nancy Richey, all of whom had won the clay classic, the French Open, Rosie was a very long shot -- like the tournament itself.
But they both came through with fine reviews. Jones and Casals earned plaudits, and the Family Circle Cup was here to stay. The Rosebud bloomed with two of her finest wins: beating Billie Jean in the semis, 7-5, 6-4, and in the final overcoming Texan Nancy Richey, six-time U.S. Clay Court champ, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5. Richey had defeated Court in the quarters, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5. All four of them, as well as an earlier round loser, Francoise Durr of France, were destined for the International Tennis Hall of Fame at Newport, Rhode Island.

Jim Simpson and I did the telecast for NBC, along with guest Grace Lichtenstein, a New York Times reporter whose book on the young tour, “A Long Way Baby,” was attracting a lot of favorable attention. Since the women hadn’t been getting national TV coverage, it was exciting to have the brilliant little shotmaker, Rosie, at center stage for this breakthrough. I was elated to be part of it for 25 years, watching new champions show their scintillating stuff.

Of course imperturbably cool “Chris America” (Christine Marie Evert) seemed to have title to the title in perpetuity, winning eight times between 1974 and 1985. But 16-year-old German, Steffi Graf, appeared to win her first important title in 1986, and it was at Chrissie’s expense, 6-4, 7-5.

Another sweet-16 champ had preceded swift Steffi. She was iron-willed Californian Tracy Austin in 1979. Her close-shave of Aussie Kerry Melville Reid, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (9-7), was a prevue of Tracy’s triumph five months later at Flushing Meadow, becoming the youngest of all U.S. rulers.

Even greener as a Family Circle finalist in 1985, Gabriela Sabatini, 14, was involved in a gritty drama with four Top Ten players. After she beat Zina Garrison, rain backed up the tournament. As a last day trial, Gaby needed to finish a quarter-final over Pam Shriver, then beat Manuela Maleeva, 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) to attain the final against Evert. It was explained to the overworked kid that the rules allowed a postponement of the final until the following day.
But the Divine Argentine didn’t say, “No mas.” She wanted to play and she did so extremely well for a set, before her tank ran dry, 6-4, 6-0. Nevertheless, Gaby returned with topspinning groundies rolling like waves to win a pair of championships, 1991 over Soviet Leila Meskhi, and1992 over Spaniard Conchita Martinez.

A Soviet version of “Mother Freedom” was Natasha Zvereva in 1994, runnerup to Martinez. At the presentation she startled spectators and an international TV audience by demanding, “I want my money!” Few realized that the prize money for Soviet players went directly to their national federation that doled out meager expenses.

Natasha’s was a brave stand, not popular at home. But she wanted what she’d earned, also emboldening her unhappily short-changed colleagues, and the federation capitulated.
As a 13-year-old slugging sensation, Floridian Jennifer Capriati, charged to the 1990 final, losing creditably to Martina Navratilova, 6-2, 6-4, the valiant volleyer Martina’s fourth Cup. But it was a long way for Jenny until she held the Cup herself – 11 years. In 2001 she knocked off the 1999 champ, clever Swiss, Martina Hingis, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, a repeat of their Australian Open final three months before.

Two points separated them as Hingis slipped past Monica Seles, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in the suspenseful 1997 finale, the tightest of all finishes here.

Both “Sisters Sledgehammer,” out of the Williams household in Palm Beach Gardens have been finalists: Serena lost to No. 1, slick Belgian Justine Henin in 2003; Venus won the Cup over Martinez in 2004.

Now a new country is heard from: tiny Serbia. Launching the Serbian Surge, combative Jelena “Jelly” Jankovic won the Cup a year ago, 6-2, 6-2, over Russian Dinara Safina.
Seven of the champs – Casals, Evert, Austin, Navratilova, Graf, Sabatini, Spaniard Arantxa Sanchez Vicario – have made it to the Hall of Fame. For seven others – Hingis, Mary Pierce, Capriati, Henin, Serena, Venus, plus Seles – the credentials are there. It’s only a matter of time.

All will look back to the Family Circle Cup as a gem in their resumes. To keep me warm, I’ve got the marvelous memories of extraordinary women raising the game to the clouds. Please raise a 35th anniversary glass with me to those shorties, Rosie Casals and Jack Jones, who thought long, and got it all started. 

BUD COLLINS 
Boston Globe/ ESPN/ Tennis Channel/ www.BudCollinsTennis.com