Playing off one of his old phrases, Bush said Evert was not a kinder, gentler tennis player. Indeed, dismissing such notions may be her greatest legacy.

People are always asking me how I’d like to be remembered, Evert said at the conclusion of her acceptance speech.

If I helped at all, I think it was with the notion of it being OK for a woman to be athletic, to be competitive, to be tough, to be determined. Those attributes have always been acceptable for men, but it’s only in the last 20 years or so that it was OK for women to have those qualities, too.

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Also, I’d like to tell little girls all over the world to pursue your dreams. I wasn’t blessed with the greatest talent or physical prowess, but look at me now. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Evert, 40, won 157 professional singles titles, including 18 Grand Slams. She won seven French Opens, six U.S. Opens, three Wimbledons and two Australian Opens.

I don’t miss the pressure, Evert said. It’s not the best thing and it begins playing tricks with you. But I miss playing great tennis. Because I worked so hard there’s no moment like it.

During her 18-year career, she was never ranked lower than fourth in the world.

Evert won 125 consecutive matches on clay from August 1973 to May 1979, when she lost to Tracy Austin in the Italian Open semifinals. Evert also reached the semifinals in 52 of the 56 Grand Slams in which she played.

Chris Evert has no idea what a powerfully positive influence she has had on tennis players all over the world, said Pam Shriver, a Hall of Fame vice president and a longtime friend and rival of Evert’s.

Tony Trabert was the master of ceremonies on the stadium court before an audience of nearly 4,000. The event had been sold out for months.

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Shriver was the first of three speakers. Bush came second. Evert’s acceptance speech last.

Woody Allen was right. Ninety percent of life is showing up, Bush said. Pam called me and said she could wedge me into this event, and I jumped at the chance because I love tennis and, like America, I love Chris Evert.

Bush and Evert have been friends more than 10 years. During that time,

Evert made numerous visits to the White House, to Camp David and to the Bush summer residence in Kennebunkport, Maine. Evert had lunch with Bush the day before he was inaugurated as the 41st president. Evert was playing tennis with Bush when the Persian Gulf war broke out.

Likewise, Bush has often found his way to Boca Raton, Fla., to support Evert’s annual pro-celebrity charity tournament.

As president, when I played golf, people gave me long putts, Bush said.

And when I threw up a lob on the tennis court, they hit a kinder, gentler return.

But Chrissy Evert never understood that.

Bush said his tennis matches with and against Evert were always peppered with a competitive spirita spirit generated by Evert.

I present to you Chris Evert, Bush said, fierce competitor. Wonderful woman. Loving mother. Class act. Great competitor.

Evert thanked her parents, Jim and Colette, for providing a structured, normal childhood in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

This is for you because you are why I’m up here right now.

Evert also thanked the fans, who, she said, helped her stretch her career through 1989.

It has been 17 years since her first and last trip to Newport. After touring the Hall twice in the past three days and seeing exhibits on inductees Austin, Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King, Evert said she felt a sense of belonging and I’ll treasure that feeling forever.