Frank loved competitive sports and played tennis with a regular group at the Pittsburgh Golf Club. He was a very private man, so we didn't know much about his life, but his competitive spirit says something about him, says Putnam McDowell, one of his regular partners.
"Although he was 36 years older than me, he was one of the most effective doubles players in the club," recalls Putnam in a letter to the Foundation following Frank's death in 1981 at the age of 93.
As a player, Frank made few errors on the court. He always knew exactly where to position himself during a point, hitting "high top spin drives" that dropped on the baseline at the feet of his opponents, effectively "handcuffing" them. He ran down every ball, usually waiting for his often younger opponents to "blow" the shot, says Putnam.
Frank was shy, modest and a very likeable person. It was also known that he lived with one or more of his siblings. He also never married. He graduated from Yale University and went on to work as an Engineer for Dravo Corporation. In addition to the Pittsburgh Golf Club, Frank belonged to the University Club, Shadyside Church and American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Always the careful planner, Frank had the forethought to establish a trust to provide a lifetime of support for family and friends prior to his death. Now that they are gone, the fund has become a part of The Pittsburgh Foundation. His instructions direct that the income be used wherever current needs are most pressing as a gift to the community of Pittsburgh.
Type of Fund
- Unrestricted