Joshua Pim

Joshua Pim

File:Joshua Pim (tennis).jpg
Full name	Joshua Francis Pim
Country (sports)	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Born	(1869-05-20)20 May 1869 Bray, Wicklow
Died	Killiney, Dublin
Turned pro	1887 (amateur tour)
Retired	1902
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Career record	{{#property:P564}}
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1890, Karoly Mazak)
Grand Slam Singles results
Wimbledon	W (1893, 1894)
US Open	4R (1902)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	Irish Open, W (1893, 1894, 1895)
Doubles
Career record	{{#property:P555}}
Grand Slam Doubles results
Wimbledon	W (1890, 1893)

Dr. Joshua Pim F.R.C.S.I (20 May 1869 in Bray, Wicklow – 15 April 1942 in Killiney, Dublin) was a medical doctor and a renowned former World No. 1 Irish amateur tennis player. He won the Wimbledon men's singles title two years in a row, in 1893 and 1894.

Family life

Joshua Pim, known as "Josh", was born on 20 May 1869 in 1&2, Millward Terrace, Meath Road, Bray, Wicklow. He had one brother, William, and two sisters: Georgina and Susan. He was descended from the Quaker family that introduced the Pimm's brand of fruit cup.

Pim lived, for a while in Crosthwaite Park, Kingstown, and subsequently moved with his wife Robin to Killiney. They had one son and three daughters. He died at Secrora, his home in Killiney, on 15 April 1942 aged 72, and was survived by his wife, son and three daughters. He was a keen swimmer and golfer, and a member of Killiney Golf Club.

Medical career

Pim studied medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Royal College of Physicians in London. He was Medical Officer at St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown for 42 years.

Tennis

Pim was a member of Lansdowne club, then known as the All Ireland Lawn Tennis Club, where he was coached by Thomas Burke His first tennis triumph was in 1890, when he won both the English and Irish doubles championships alongside the Dubliner, Frank Stoker, a cousin of the writer Bram Stoker. He reached the semi-finals of the English singles championship, but lost to Willoughby Hamilton from Kildare. The following year, 1891 and again in 1892 (when he was suffering from typhoid) he reached the semi-finals, but lost on both occasions to Wilfred Baddeley. In 1893, Pim returned to Wimbledon and won both the single and the doubles (with Stoker) championships. In 1894 he won the singles again. Pim played for Ireland in regional tournaments against England in 1892, 1893, 1894 and 1896. During 1895 he competed in America rather than in the UK. In 1896, Mahony won in Wimbledon, while Pim concentrated on his medical career, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons that year.

In 1902, he was summoned from retirement to be a representative Irishman on the British Davis Cup squad to America. Pim was derided for having put on excessive amounts of weight, despite the fact he shed thirty pounds in six weeks. He lost both his matches and laid down his racket thereafter.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Opponent in final	Score in final
Runner-up	1891	Wimbledon Championships	Wilfred Baddeley	4–6, 6–1, 5–7, 0–6
Runner-up	1892	Wimbledon Championships	Wilfred Baddeley	6–4, 3–6, 3–6, 2–6
Winner	1893	Wimbledon Championships	Wilfred Baddeley	3–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–2
Winner	1894	Wimbledon Championships	Wilfred Baddeley	10–8, 6–2, 8–6

Doubles (2 titles)

Outcome	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents in final	Score in final
Winner	1890	Wimbledon Championships	Frank Stoker	George Hillyard Ernest Lewis	6–0, 7–5, 6–4
Winner	1893	Wimbledon Championships	Frank Stoker	Harry Barlow Ernest Lewis	4–6, 6–3, 6–1, 2–6, 6–0

External links

• TennisArchives Profile