Inducted November 7, 1992
Margaret first played tennis when she was eight years of age. She began tennis lessons in her Physical Education classes in Grammar School when she was eleven years old. Tennis was part of the curriculum. Margaret had specific coaching for the school tennis team; otherwise, she was never coached. She was Captain of the school tennis team. She played tennis for the Physiotherapy School Team and for the Walton Hospital in Liverpool, England, before coming to Newfoundland. Margaret arrived in St. John’s May 29, 1956, and joined the Riverdale Tennis Club. She did not win anything that year. However, in 1957 she started her winning streak and the rest is tennis history in Newfoundland. She has won 25 titles in the Newfoundland Open. More than any other player in the history of Tennis Newfoundland. She has won numerous titles in Club and other competitions.
In 1961 Hitchens and Bill Redden made it to the quarter finals of the Nova Scotia Open. In 1967 she made it to the third round of the singles championship at the Canadian Open. In 1972 during the interprovincial tournament Hitchens played doubles with Meriel Martin and mixed doubles with Jim Russell. This was the year the Newfoundland Team ended at the top of the “C” division and were promoted to the “B” division. Hitchens and Martin won the deciding match by beating New Brunswick.
Add to this her successes in many Club and Invitational Tournaments and you have one of the finest sports careers of a Newfoundland athlete. In 1961 Margaret Hitchens was a finalist for the Provincial Athlete of the Year in the days before there were separate male/female categories. Hitchens was the only female finalist before separate awards were created. Hitchens is still very active in the Senior National Championships.