“Peggy is Ms. Tennis in Charleston,” said Bill Sharpe, former anchor for Live 5 and another driving force behind the name change.
She’s also an accomplished flutist. She played with the Charleston Symphony — “before they got good,” she added. Now, she plays in the Summerville Orchestra and the Charleston Flute Choir.
“I spent my life in a short, white skirt, or a long, black one,” Bohne joked.
She has traded the white ensemble for an official’s polo and khakis as she calls more matches than she plays.
Bohne began taking tennis lessons as a child at the College of Charleston, where she went on to play on the college’s first women’s tennis team. This summer, that team celebrated its 50th anniversary.
When she was about 12, a coach encouraged her to enter the city’s annual championship tournament. She doesn’t remember how she finished, but what stuck with her was a love for the sport.
“I had a wonderful, happy career with the city,” she said. “One of my favorite things about my job was to see the twinkle in the children’s eye when they won a trophy or when they came bouncing in the door. And I hope that we will continue to do things for children, and I want the Charleston Tennis Center to continue to be a haven for the children of our community.”
Bohne now passes her days as a math tutor — her college degree was in elementary education. That spark when a child solves an equation is reminiscent of smashing the ball just right, she said.
“You don’t replace Miss Peggy Bohne,” said Councilman Keith Waring, who represents part of West Ashley.
“Just thank God she came our way and she was in our community,” Waring continued before the council unanimously voted to rename the tennis center in her honor.
The city is working on new signage. A date has not been set for its unveiling.