Willard Crocker
Encyclopedia
Willard Frederick Crocker (21 July 1898 or 1900) was a former Canadian National singles and doubles tennis champion and Canadian Davis Cup player.
Born in either Newton
or Quincy, Massachusetts
, Crocker won the 1925 Canadian National Championship defeating American Wallace Scott in the final, 4–6, 9–7, 18–16, 6–2. He captured three doubles crowns as well, in 1923, 1925, and 1929, all partnering his Davis Cup and McGill Redmen teammate Jack Wright
.
Crocker competed in the United States National Championship twice, in 1923 and 1924, reaching the Round of 16 in his second appearance. He reached the second round in his only appearance at the Wimbledon Championships, defeating Briton Jack Harrison in straight sets before falling to another British player, John Olliff, 2-6, 3-6, 3-6.
Crocker was ranked No. 2 singles player in Canada from 1926 to 1929. He captured the Canadian Indoor Championship for singles, moreover, in 1923, and was doubles champion three times, partnering Wright, in 1922, 1925, and 1926. He was also Ontario and Quebec provincial champion, in both singles and doubles, in both 1923 and 1925.
In Davis Cup, Crocker won 5 of 16 matches he played in singles and 3 of 8 in doubles, in ties played from 1923 to 1930. Canada's best result during Crocker's time with the team was defeating Cuba
to reach the America Zone final, in 1927, where they lost to Japan
2-3.
Crocker attended McGill University
, studying medicine and later English, and captained the tennis team in 1920 when he captured both the singles and doubles Canadian intercollegiate championships. He was team president when again won the singles crown in 1923.
Crocker was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in addition to the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991. He was inducted into the McGill Redmen Hall of Fame in 1999.
Born in either Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
or Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, Crocker won the 1925 Canadian National Championship defeating American Wallace Scott in the final, 4–6, 9–7, 18–16, 6–2. He captured three doubles crowns as well, in 1923, 1925, and 1929, all partnering his Davis Cup and McGill Redmen teammate Jack Wright
Jack Wright (tennis)
Jack Wright was a noted Canadian tennis player.Wright captured the Canadian National tennis tournament singles title three times, in 1927, 1929, and 1931, and the doubles title four times, in with Willard Crocker in 1923, 1925, and 1929, and once with Marcel Rainville, in 1931.Wright competed...
.
Crocker competed in the United States National Championship twice, in 1923 and 1924, reaching the Round of 16 in his second appearance. He reached the second round in his only appearance at the Wimbledon Championships, defeating Briton Jack Harrison in straight sets before falling to another British player, John Olliff, 2-6, 3-6, 3-6.
Crocker was ranked No. 2 singles player in Canada from 1926 to 1929. He captured the Canadian Indoor Championship for singles, moreover, in 1923, and was doubles champion three times, partnering Wright, in 1922, 1925, and 1926. He was also Ontario and Quebec provincial champion, in both singles and doubles, in both 1923 and 1925.
In Davis Cup, Crocker won 5 of 16 matches he played in singles and 3 of 8 in doubles, in ties played from 1923 to 1930. Canada's best result during Crocker's time with the team was defeating Cuba
Cuba Davis Cup team
The Cuba Davis Cup team represents Cuba in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Federación Cubana de Tenis de Campo.Cuba currently compete in the Americas Zone Group III. They played in the World Group in 1993.-History:...
to reach the America Zone final, in 1927, where they lost to Japan
Japan Davis Cup team
The Japan Davis Cup team represents Japan in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by the Japan Tennis Association.Japan finished as runners-up in 1921, their first year of competition. They currently compete in the Asia/Oceania Zone of Group I...
2-3.
Crocker attended McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, studying medicine and later English, and captained the tennis team in 1920 when he captured both the singles and doubles Canadian intercollegiate championships. He was team president when again won the singles crown in 1923.
Crocker was inducted posthumously into the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in addition to the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991. He was inducted into the McGill Redmen Hall of Fame in 1999.