Butch Buchholz
Encyclopedia
Earl "Butch" Buchholz, Jr., (born September 16, 1940, in St. Louis
, Missouri
) is a former professional tennis
player from the United States who was one of the game's top players in the late-1950s and early-1960s.
Buchholz won the boy's singles title at Wimbledon
and Roland Garros in 1958, and at the Australian Championships
in 1959.
Buchholz was ranked by Lance Tingay the World No. 5 amateur player in 1960, and was ranked four times in the US Top 10. He played for the US in the Davis Cup from 1959-60.
Buchholz played as a touring professional player from 1961-1967. He won the United States Pro Championship in 1962, by beating Pancho Segura
in the finals. Buchholz was an original member of Lamar Hunt
's Handsome Eight
.
Since retiring as a player, Buchholz has served tennis in many professional and administrative capacities. He has been the Commissioner of World Team Tennis
from 1977-1978, an Executive Director of the Association of Tennis Professionals
from 1981-1982, and member of the men's pro council from 1981-1983.
In 1985, Buchholz founded the Lipton International Players Championships (now known as the Miami Masters
), which is now a leading event on both the men's and women's tours.
Buchholz helped create Altenis, a management company which oversees tennis tournaments in Latin America
. He also helped secure the continuation of the Orange Bowl International Tennis Tournament, a prominent international junior event in Florida
. In 1992, Buchholz teamed-up with Arthur Ashe
to found the 'Good Life Mentoring Program', benefiting hundreds of elementary and middle school children in the greater Miami area.
In 2005, Buchholz was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
in Newport, Rhode Island
.
Buchholz retired from the Miami Open in 2010.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
) is a former professional tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from the United States who was one of the game's top players in the late-1950s and early-1960s.
Buchholz won the boy's singles title at Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
and Roland Garros in 1958, and at the Australian Championships
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
in 1959.
Buchholz was ranked by Lance Tingay the World No. 5 amateur player in 1960, and was ranked four times in the US Top 10. He played for the US in the Davis Cup from 1959-60.
Buchholz played as a touring professional player from 1961-1967. He won the United States Pro Championship in 1962, by beating Pancho Segura
Pancho Segura
Pancho Segura, born Francisco Olegario Segura , was a leading tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, both as an amateur and as a professional. In 1950 and 1952, as a professional, he was the World Co-No. 1 player...
in the finals. Buchholz was an original member of Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...
's Handsome Eight
Handsome Eight
The Handsome Eight were eight professional tennis players that Lamar Hunt signed in 1968 for his newly formed tour, World Championship Tennis...
.
Since retiring as a player, Buchholz has served tennis in many professional and administrative capacities. He has been the Commissioner of World Team Tennis
World Team Tennis
World TeamTennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format in the United States. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration . Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played...
from 1977-1978, an Executive Director of the Association of Tennis Professionals
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
from 1981-1982, and member of the men's pro council from 1981-1983.
In 1985, Buchholz founded the Lipton International Players Championships (now known as the Miami Masters
Miami Masters
The Miami Masters is an annual tennis tournament for men and women held in Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida. It is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the men's tour and a Premier Mandatory event on the women's tour and is played on hard courts at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park...
), which is now a leading event on both the men's and women's tours.
Buchholz helped create Altenis, a management company which oversees tennis tournaments in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. He also helped secure the continuation of the Orange Bowl International Tennis Tournament, a prominent international junior event in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1992, Buchholz teamed-up with Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe
Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
to found the 'Good Life Mentoring Program', benefiting hundreds of elementary and middle school children in the greater Miami area.
In 2005, Buchholz was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
.
Buchholz retired from the Miami Open in 2010.