The woman believed to have introduced the game of tennis to the United States nearly 150 years ago was honored at her gravesite on Staten Island. NY1's Natalie Duddridge filed the following report.

Nestled among the gravestones at Silver Mount Cemetery, lies the tombstone of Mary Ewing, who is more commonly known as Mary Outerbridge.

She is celebrated by historians as the "Mother of American Tennis," and is believed to have introduced the game to Staten Island nearly 150 years ago.

"Many people do know, many people do not know, that Mary is the person who brought tennis to the United States back in 1874," Gregory Argila of the Westerleigh Tennis Club said. "It kind of bothered me that there was nothing on the gravesite that recognized who she was and her achievement."

That's why members of the Westerleigh Tennis club, along with Silver Mount Cemetery, decided to pay tribute to her by creating a bronze plaque that is set at the base of her monument.

"It indicates that Mary brought tennis here, where she brought it, which was the old Staten Island Ferry site," said John Vincent Scalia, the director of the John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals.

Even Scalia said her history came somewhat to a surprise to him. "I did not know that she was buried in Silver Mount Cemetery."

The story goes that Mary Outerbridge was vacationing in Bermuda with her family when she noticed British sailors playing lawn tennis. It's believed that she brought back a set of nets, rackets, and balls, and set them up at a nearby cricket club.

"We know that she played the first game of tennis with her sister Laura, probably in 1874. It spread widely, it became part of the club, other clubs; sprang up in the area, the metropolitan area — New Jersey, Long Island, Boston, Philadelphia," Argila said.

Beyond the memorial dedication, advocates said they have more plans to honor Mary Outerbridge's legacy.

"I would like to call for the fabrication of a statue, made in the likeness of a female angel holding a tennis racket," Argila said. "So that it could be more widely known, it could be more recognized."

Fast forward to today, where some of the most recognized female athletes in the world, are tennis players.

And for that, they can thank Mary Outerbridge.