Francis Xavier Alexander Shields Sr. was an American amateur tennis player of the 1920s and 1930s, and an actor known for Hoosier Schoolboy. He was ranked world No. 2 in 1931, and U.S. No. 1 in 1933. From Wikipedia
The piece highlights a recollection that USLTA insiders floated a membership-eligibility pretext to block her entry.
