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Dynamic Duo

Tennis doubles partners Herb Delaney, 82, and Rita Price, 80+, have been dismantling opponents and winning trophies for seven years.

By Dave Bunnell

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

At 82, Herb Delaney is strikingly handsome and fit as a fiddle. He does 2,000 abdominal exercises every day, including 500 sit-ups, 1,300 crunches and 200 leg-ups. His doubles partner, Rita Price, has the sparkling eyes of a teenage girl and is equally athletic. She teaches tap dancing to children and is the highest-ranked 80-plus-year-old woman tennis player in the United States, and fifth in the world. For seven years this dynamic duo has been dismantling opponents, and they've won gold medals in the last two Senior Olympics.

A semi-active trial lawyer, "pretty darn good" magician, and entertainer with an infectious smile, who sings at public and private functions with his wife, Ramona, Herb has over 1,000 tennis trophies in his basement. Rita would have more (she's won "well over 1,000 tournaments") but she gives all her trophies away to friends and family. She particularly likes giving away the ones that come in the form of cups because "they make good vases for flowers."

It is difficult to determine which one is more fascinating. In addition to the abdominal exercises, tennis, weightlifting and hitting a speed bag, Herb attributes his longevity to good nutrition and supplements. A couple of years ago, he appeared on Good Morning America because, he says, he takes 50 vitamins, minerals and herbs every day. He is adamant that taking a multivitamin is not enough. "Just taking a multi," according to Herb, "is like peeing in the ocean and hoping it will rise." Herb says everyone should at least take vitamin D and omega-3 fish oil.

Rita isn't quite so fanatical about nutrition, but she belongs to a senior fitness program called the Silver Sneakers and works out with weights three days a week, and takes lessons in hip-hop, line dancing, and tap dancing ("just to brush up"). "I'm not as healthy as Herb," she confesses, "because I drink stuff and eat pizza."

Stationed in the South Pacific during World War II, Herb was a radio operator for the Merchant Marines and his tour of duty took him to the Aleutian Islands, Guam, Saipan, the Philippines and Australia. After the war he went to college, and five years later he graduated from the law school at the University of Colordo in Denver.

Herb met Ramona at the Fitzsimons Army Officers' Club in Denver, where she was singing. On Herb's part, at least, it was "love at first sight," he says. They married three months later and have "been singing together ever since." In fact, Herb and Ramona still perform regularly at piano bars and other venues, singing popular songs from the 1930s and 1940s.

Amazingly, Rita Price is also a singer. When she was 14 and living in Clifton, New Jersey, she was privileged to attend a concert by an up-and-coming young crooner named Tony Bennett, an event that changed her life. At 16, Rita dropped out of school to join a burlesque theater; her first performance was at the old Howard Theater in Boston.

Herb thinks he may have seen Rita's routine, as during the war he was stationed in Boston for a short time. But Rita doesn't think so. "He's just imagining this," she says.

At age 23, Rita went back to high school as a sophomore. She graduated and went on to teacher's college, where she earned a BA in Science, then married and moved to Denver, where she taught at Skinner Junior High until she was "too pregnant" to teach any more. In those days, female teachers were required to resign if they were pregnant, so Rita hid her pregnancy for as long as she could. Then her teaching days were over.

After raising two girls, Rita got divorced in 1984. Awarded the family house by the court, she sold it and invested the money so she could travel and do the things she loved-theater, dancing, singing and tennis.

When she's not playing in tennis tournaments around the world, Rita tap dances for children and sings in assisted living facilities. She says she likes singing for Alzheimer's patients best because "they sing with you."

When asked why she gives all her trophies away, Rita told us she doesn't care for possessions. "I've gotten rid of everything except for some paintings," she says. Both Rita and Herb agree that trophies are meaningless when you're in your eighties.

"When you're old, people should give you useful things," Rita says. Herb nods. "Useful things like booze," Rita adds. "Not tchotchkes."

Learn about another dynamic duo, pole vaulters Jim Roth, age 70, and his grandson, Mitch, age 16. Go to eldr.com/polevault.

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