Ellsworth Vines
Encyclopedia
Henry Ellsworth Vines, Jr. (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis
champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 for four years in 1932, 1935, 1936 and 1937.
in Los Angeles, California
, where he played on the freshman basketball team. Many believe that Mercer Beasley started him on his tennis career at age 14 in Pasadena. He was mentored by Perry T. Jones through the Los Angeles Tennis Club
and the Southern California Tennis Association.
In the amateur ranks Vines won three Grand Slam
tournaments, the Wimbledon Championships in 1932 and the U.S. Championships
in 1931 and 1932 and he reached the final of Wimbledon in 1933. He played his first professional tennis match on January 10, 1934 and then became undoubtedly the leading pro player until 1938 (and the World No. 1 or No. 2 in the combined amateur-professional rankings). In 1934 and 1935 he won almost all the great pro events: the two big annual tours in 1934 and 1935 and the major pro tournaments such as Wembley Pro in 1934 and 1935 (and perhaps in 1936 but sources are uncertain), Paris Indoor (not to be confused with the French Professional Championship) in 1934, Southport Pro in 1935 and the French Professional Championship in 1935.
After two years as the undisputed pro king Vines didn't need to enter any pro tournament to claim the World pro champion title: he then retained his crown by just playing and winning three other great annual pro tours from 1936 to 1938 (see Tennis male players statistics
). In 1939 Vines lost his world pro crown to Don Budge
but narrowly: in their first pro tour against each other, Vines trailed Budge only 17-22. The tour proved that at his best Vines was unbeatable, but also that Budge's consistency would prevail a majority of the time, making the latter the best player of the time. On October 22, Vines won his last great tournament, the United States Pro Championship at Beverly Hills Tennis Club. In May 1940 Vines, 28 years 7 months old, played his last tennis competition. His physical problems, his desire to enjoy family life, his loss of the world crown, and above all his increasing passion for golf drove him to retire.
after the 1939 tours, Budge wrote,
Years later, Don deemed that the world's all-time best player had been Ellsworth Vines, "on his day". Budge was always astonished when someone had not ever heard of Vines whom he considered as the champion of the 1930s.
In the opinion of Jack Kramer
, himself a great player, Vines was, along with Don Budge
one of the two greatest players who ever lived. Budge was consistently the best, according to Kramer's 1979 autobiography, but, at the very top of his game, Vines was unbeatable by anyone:
Tall and thin, Vines possessed a game with no noticeable weaknesses, except, according to Kramer, because of his great natural athletic ability, laziness. He was particularly known for his powerful forehand and his very fast serve, both of which he generally hit absolutely flat with no spin. Although he could play the serve-and-volley game, he generally played an all-court game, preferring to hit winners from the baseline. Playing in the white flannel trousers that were standard dress for the time, he greatly impressed the youthful Kramer in a 1935 match in Southern California
:
Kramer made up his mind on the spot to concentrate on tennis. Vines had, according to Kramer,
In his chapter on 1932, Bud Collins
writes in Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia that Vines . . .
Collins goes on to say that:
After becoming bored with tennis while only in his late twenties, Vines became a professional golfer
in 1942 and over the years had a number of high finishes in tournaments, including at least two professional victories (1946 Massachusetts Open
, 1955 Utah Open
) and a semi-final position in the prestigious 1951 PGA Championship
when it was a match play
tournament. Writes Kramer,
He compares Vines to another great tennis player, Lew Hoad
:
Vines was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
in Newport, Rhode Island
, in 1962.
.
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Yellow background for top-10
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for PGA Championship: PGA Championship Media Guide
Source for 1939 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1939, pg. 21.
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...
champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 for four years in 1932, 1935, 1936 and 1937.
Biography
Vines attended the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he played on the freshman basketball team. Many believe that Mercer Beasley started him on his tennis career at age 14 in Pasadena. He was mentored by Perry T. Jones through the Los Angeles Tennis Club
Los Angeles Tennis Club
The Los Angeles Tennis Club is a private tennis club opened in 1920 at 5851 Clinton Street, between Wilcox and Rossmore, one block south of Melrose Avenue. It is the home of the Southern California Championships....
and the Southern California Tennis Association.
In the amateur ranks Vines won three Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
tournaments, the Wimbledon Championships in 1932 and the U.S. Championships
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
in 1931 and 1932 and he reached the final of Wimbledon in 1933. He played his first professional tennis match on January 10, 1934 and then became undoubtedly the leading pro player until 1938 (and the World No. 1 or No. 2 in the combined amateur-professional rankings). In 1934 and 1935 he won almost all the great pro events: the two big annual tours in 1934 and 1935 and the major pro tournaments such as Wembley Pro in 1934 and 1935 (and perhaps in 1936 but sources are uncertain), Paris Indoor (not to be confused with the French Professional Championship) in 1934, Southport Pro in 1935 and the French Professional Championship in 1935.
After two years as the undisputed pro king Vines didn't need to enter any pro tournament to claim the World pro champion title: he then retained his crown by just playing and winning three other great annual pro tours from 1936 to 1938 (see Tennis male players statistics
Tennis male players statistics
-Professional tennis before the start of the open era:Before the start of the open era in 1968, the professional circuit was much less popular than the traditional amateur circuit. For example, Wimbledon in 1957 was a success despite its being an amateur-only tournament and exclusion of Pancho...
). In 1939 Vines lost his world pro crown to Don Budge
Don Budge
John Donald Budge was an American tennis champion who was a World No. 1 player for five years, first as an amateur and then as a professional...
but narrowly: in their first pro tour against each other, Vines trailed Budge only 17-22. The tour proved that at his best Vines was unbeatable, but also that Budge's consistency would prevail a majority of the time, making the latter the best player of the time. On October 22, Vines won his last great tournament, the United States Pro Championship at Beverly Hills Tennis Club. In May 1940 Vines, 28 years 7 months old, played his last tennis competition. His physical problems, his desire to enjoy family life, his loss of the world crown, and above all his increasing passion for golf drove him to retire.
Abilities
Comparing Vines and Fred PerryFred Perry
Frederick John Perry was a championship-winning English tennis and table tennis player who won 10 Majors including eight Grand Slams and two Pro Slams. Perry won three consecutive Wimbledon Championships between 1934 and 1936 and was World No. 1 four years in a row...
after the 1939 tours, Budge wrote,
Years later, Don deemed that the world's all-time best player had been Ellsworth Vines, "on his day". Budge was always astonished when someone had not ever heard of Vines whom he considered as the champion of the 1930s.
In the opinion of Jack Kramer
Jack Kramer (tennis player)
John Albert Kramer was an American tennis player of the 1940s. A World Number 1 player for a number of years, he is a possible candidate for the title of the greatest tennis player of all time. He was considered the father and the leading promoter of the professional tennis tours...
, himself a great player, Vines was, along with Don Budge
Don Budge
John Donald Budge was an American tennis champion who was a World No. 1 player for five years, first as an amateur and then as a professional...
one of the two greatest players who ever lived. Budge was consistently the best, according to Kramer's 1979 autobiography, but, at the very top of his game, Vines was unbeatable by anyone:
Tall and thin, Vines possessed a game with no noticeable weaknesses, except, according to Kramer, because of his great natural athletic ability, laziness. He was particularly known for his powerful forehand and his very fast serve, both of which he generally hit absolutely flat with no spin. Although he could play the serve-and-volley game, he generally played an all-court game, preferring to hit winners from the baseline. Playing in the white flannel trousers that were standard dress for the time, he greatly impressed the youthful Kramer in a 1935 match in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
:
Kramer made up his mind on the spot to concentrate on tennis. Vines had, according to Kramer,
In his chapter on 1932, Bud Collins
Bud Collins
-External links:*** 2001 interview with Collins*...
writes in Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia that Vines . . .
Collins goes on to say that:
After becoming bored with tennis while only in his late twenties, Vines became a professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
in 1942 and over the years had a number of high finishes in tournaments, including at least two professional victories (1946 Massachusetts Open
Massachusetts Open
The Massachusetts Open is the Massachusetts state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Massachusetts Golf Association. It has been played annually since 1905 at a variety of courses around the state. It was considered a PGA Tour event from...
, 1955 Utah Open
Utah Open
The Utah Open is the Utah state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers. It is organized by the Utah section of the PGA of America. It was first played in 1926 and has been played at a variety of courses around the state...
) and a semi-final position in the prestigious 1951 PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
when it was a match play
Match play
Match play is a scoring system for golf in which a player, or team, earns a point for each hole in which they have bested their opponents; this is as opposed to stroke play, in which the total number of strokes is counted over one or more rounds of 18 holes...
tournament. Writes Kramer,
He compares Vines to another great tennis player, Lew Hoad
Lew Hoad
Lewis Alan Hoad was a champion tennis player....
:
Vines 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...
, in 1962.
Wins (3)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1931 | U.S. Championships U.S. Open (tennis) The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881... |
 United States George LottGeorge Lott George Martin Lott was an American tennis player and tennis coach who was born in Springfield, Illinois, United States. Lott is mostly remembered as being one of the greatest doubles players of all time. He won the U.S. title five times with three different partners: John Hennessey in 1928; John... |
7–9, 6–3, 9–7, 7–5 |
| 1932 | 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... |
 United Kingdom Henry Austin |
6–4, 6–2, 6–0 |
| 1932 | U.S. Championships (2nd) |  France Henri CochetHenri Cochet Henri Jean Cochet was a champion tennis player, one of the famous "Four Musketeers" from France who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s.... |
6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
Runner-ups (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1933 | 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... |
 Australia Jack CrawfordJack Crawford (tennis player) ----John Herbert Crawford was an Australian tennis player of the 1930s. He was the World No. 1 player for 1933.Crawford was born in Urangeline, near Albury, New South Wales... |
4–6, 11-9, 6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
Results in major championships
Note: Vines did not play in the British OpenThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
.
| Tournament | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Amateur | DNP | DNP | R64 | NT |
| British Amateur | R64 | NT | NT | NT |
| Tournament | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | NT | NT | NT | DNP | T24 | T28 | 38 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
NT | NT | NT | T26 | T51 | T14 | T14 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
NT | DNP | DNP | R64 | DNP | DNP | DNP | R32 | SF | DNP | R64 | R64 | DNP | R64 | R32 |
NT = No tournament
DNP = Did not play
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
Yellow background for top-10
Source for The Masters: www.masters.com
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for PGA Championship: PGA Championship Media Guide
Source for 1939 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 26, 1939, pg. 21.
See also
- Frank ConnerFrank Conner (golfer)Frank Conner is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Champions Tour. He was also an accomplished amateur tennis player. He and Ellsworth Vines are the only men to play in the U.S. Open in both tennis and golf.-Biography:Conner was born in Vienna, Austria...
, the only other man to have competed in the U.S. Open in both tennis and golf - List of male tennis players
Sources
- The Game, My 40 Years in Tennis (1979), Jack Kramer with Frank Deford (ISBN 0-399-12336-9)
- Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia (2003), by Bud Collins (ISBN 0-9731443-4-3)
- How to Play Tennis (1933), by Mercer Beasley
- Tennis, Myth and Method (1978), by Ellesworth Vines
- Los Angeles Tennis Club