Gardnar Mulloy

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Gardnar Mulloy
Full name Gardnar Putnam Mulloy
Country (sports)  United States
Born (1913-11-22) November 22, 1913 (age 110)
Washington, D.C., United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Turned pro 1934 (amateur tour)
Retired 1969
Plays Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
College University of Miami
Int. Tennis HoF 1972 (member page)
Singles
Career record 567–215
Career titles 46
Highest ranking No. 6 (1947, Harry Hopman)[1]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open SF (1947)
French Open QF (1952, 1953, 1954)
Wimbledon SF (1948)
US Open F (1952)
Doubles
Career record {{#property:P555}}
Grand Slam Doubles results
French Open F (1951, 1952)
Wimbledon W (1957)
US Open W (1942, 1945, 1946, 1950)
Team competitions
Davis Cup W (1946, 1948, 1949)

Gardnar Putnam "Gar" Mulloy (born November 22, 1913) is a former U.S. No. 1 tennis player primarily known for playing in doubles matches with partner Billy Talbert. He was born in Washington, D.C. and turned 100 in November 2013.[2] During his career he won five Grand Slam doubles tournaments and was a member of the winning Davis Cup team on three occasions.

Tennis career

When he was the Tennis Coach of the University of Miami, he recruited Pancho Segura for the tennis team. Pancho won three straight NCAA Singles Titles in 1943, 1944, and 1945, a college record now matched by Steve Johnson, who won in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Pancho went on to enjoy a very successful professional tennis career, competing against the top touring professional players from 1947 until retiring in 1962.

Gardnar Mulloy was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1967 as part of its inaugural class of inductees.

Mulloy reached the US Championships men's singles final in 1952, losing to Frank Sedgman. He reached the U.S. No. 1 ranking the same year and was ranked World No. 6 by Harry Hopman in 1947 and World No. 7 by American Lawn Tennis Magazine in 1949.[3][1][4]

The pair of Mulloy and Talbert won the U.S. men's doubles title in 1942, 1945, 1946, and 1948. He also won the Wimbledon doubles with Budge Patty in 1957, at age 43.

Mulloy was a Davis Cup team member in 1946, 1948–50, 1952–53 and 1957, winning the Cup on three occasions against Australia. His Davis Cup record stands at 11 wins and 3 losses.[5] Mulloy, who served as the commanding officer of LST 32 during World War II in the Mediterranean Theater, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1972.

A 1936 graduate of the University of Miami, and Tennis Coach at the school. He also is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He recruited to Miami and played doubles with George Toley, who went on to win 10 NCAA Team Titles at University of Southern California. Probably Mulloy's greatest contribution to tennis was advancing the popularity of Senior Tennis. He played the senior circuit around the world into his 90s, and contributed the Mulloy Cup for international competition between men tennis players 80 years of age and over. He has won over 127 National Championships and 25 International Titles over his 75 years of playing competitive tennis.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 runner-up)

Outcome Year Tournament Opponent in final Score in final
Runner-up 1952 US National Championships Australia Frank Sedgman 1–6, 2–6, 3–6

Doubles (5 titles, 9 runner-ups)

Outcome Year Tournament Partner Opponents in final Score in final
Runner-up 1940 US National Championships United States Wayne Sabin United States Jack Kramer
United States Ted Schroeder
7–6, 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 1941 US National Championships United States Henry Prussoff United States Jack Kramer
United States Ted Schroeder
4–6, 6–8, 7–9
Winner 1942 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert United States Ted Schroeder
United States Sidney Wood
9–7, 7–5, 6–1
Winner 1945 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert United States Bob Falkenburg
United States Jack Tuero
12–10, 8–10, 12–10, 6–2
Winner 1946 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert United States Don McNeill
United States Frank Guernsey
3–6, 6–4, 2–6, 6–3, 20–18
Runner-up 1948 Wimbledon United States Tom Brown Australia John Bromwich
Australia Frank Sedgman
7–5 5–7, 5–7, 7–9
Winner 1948 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert United States Frank Parker
United States Ted Schroeder
1–6, 9–7, 6–3, 3–6, 9–7
Runner-up 1949 Wimbledon United States Ted Schroeder United States Pancho Gonzales
United States Frank Parker
4–6, 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 1950 French Championships United States Dick Savitt Australia Ken McGregor
Australia Frank Sedgman
2–6, 6–2, 7–9, 5–7
Runner-up 1950 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert Australia John Bromwich
Australia Frank Sedgman
5–7, 6–8, 6–3, 1–6
Runner-up 1951 French Championships United States Dick Savitt Australia Ken McGregor
Australia Frank Sedgman
3–6, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 1953 US National Championships United States Bill Talbert Australia Rex Hartwig
Australia Mervyn Rose
4–6, 6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Winner 1957 Wimbledon United States Budge Patty Australia Neale Fraser
Australia Lew Hoad
8–10, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 1957 US National Championships United States Budge Patty Australia Ashley Cooper
Australia Neale Fraser
6–4, 3–6, 7–9, 3–6

Mixed doubles (1 runner-up)

Outcome Year Tournament Partner Opponents in final Score in final
Runner-up 1956 Wimbledon United States Althea Gibson United States Shirley Fry
United States Vic Seixas
6–2, 2–6, 5–7

Book

Mulloy wrote an autobiography, The Will To Win, that was published in 1960. As of 2006, Mulloy was still participating in and winning senior matches. He currently lives on Fisher Island.[6] In 2009, Mulloy came out with an update to his autobiography, titled As It Was, with an introduction by Billie Jean King. According to the book, Mulloy is enshrined in a record eight Halls of Fame.[7][8]

References

Notes
  1. 1.0 1.1 "World's Best 10 in Tennis", The Courier-Mail, February 3, 1947.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. "Gardnar Mulloy Tentatively Ranked No. 1 in Net World", The Palm Beach Post, December 14, 1952.
  4. "Richard Gonzalez World's No. 1: Amateur Lawn Tennis Rankings", The Sunday Indian Express, November 18, 1949.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. Mulloy 2009
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Bibliography
  • Mulloy, Gardnar. The Will To Win. An insider view of the world of tennis. New York: A. S. Barnes and Company, Inc., 1960.
  • Mulloy, Gardnar. Advantage Striker. London: Allan Wingate, 1959.
  • Mulloy, Gardnar P. As It Was. Flexigroup, 2009. ISBN 0-615-32745-1. A print-on-demand paperback book.
  • Toley, George "The Golden Age of College Tennis" 2009

External links