Green (83) was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual meeting of Squash New Zealand in Palmerston North last weekend.
Green was one of New Zealand's leading players throughout the 1950s. He won the New Zealand singles title in 1956, represented New Zealand in Australia in 1959, played key administrative roles for Otago and New Zealand and was a delegate to the International Squash Federation.
There were not many roles in New Zealand squash that Green did not influence. He lifted the profile of Otago squash and ensured the New Zealand association was a genuine national body.
He made two tours of New Zealand with the great Pakistani Hashim Khan and played exhibition games against him and another British Open champion, Roshan Khan
"Hashim was the best player I have ever seen," Green said yesterday.
"He did tremendous good for New Zealand squash by going on to the court hour after hour. In the final days of the tour he had blistered hands but still kept playing."
Green reached his playing peak in 1959 when he toured Australia with the New Zealand team and played against Australia and England.
"That was a wonderful experience," he said.
"When I came back after a month I was as fit as I've ever been and it was a wonderful feeling."
Green was ranked in New Zealand's top four players until 1960 when the demands of his dental practice and increasing commitments to squash administration led to a decline in his playing ability.
He remained a force in the South though, and was still figuring in the final stages of the Otago championships into the 1970s.
On the squash court, Green was noted for his retrieving ability. He had good reflexes and was outstanding with the volley. He was a determined player and eliminated his mistakes when play got tight.
Green was the New Zealand delegate to the International Squash Rackets Federation from 1975 to 1981 and was accorded life membership of the national association in 1976.
"The International Federation was a pretty loose group before that and it quickly became a more consolidated organisation and started to work far better after that time," Green said.
In 1962-63, Green headed the committee that was instrumental in building the first squash courts in Dunedin for 25 years.
Green chaired the committee that convinced Mayor Stuart Sidey to chair a public meeting to see if there was interest in developing squash in Dunedin.
There was a positive response and two courts were opened at Logan Park in 1963.
The cost of the project (7000 or $265,000 in today's terms) was borne entirely by the Otago Lawn Tennis Association.
Don Green and June Black became the club's first men's and women's championsSquash membership grew rapidly to 299 and was closed within a few months.
"We anticipated it but we were overwhelmed by the response," Green said.
"I think people realised it was just a fun game to play. You could play it independent of weather and daylight. It was a quick game and was all over in one hour 30 minutes."
The club wanted to add a further two courts but the tennis association declined. Green was heavily involved with a committee that worked hard on behalf of the association and three courts were opened at Mellor Park in Kaikorai Valley at a cost of $32,950 ($505,000 today).
Membership grew quickly to 420 and a fourth court was added later that year and membership reached a peak of 600.
Green still plays squash each week.
"I know what to do if the ball comes to me," he said.
"But if it doesn't come to me me my muscles don't work fast enough. I use muscles I wouldn't otherwise use."
