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William Murphy (tennis)
Encyclopedia
William E. "Bill" Murphy (November 15, 1917 – May 16, 2005) was an American championship tennis player and coach. In 1938 and 1939, Murphy and his twin brother, Chet, won consecutive Big Ten Conference
doubles championships while competing for the University of Chicago
. Murphy also won a 1939 singles title at the Western Tennis Association tournament in Chicago. He earned a Masters Degree in Physical Education from George Williams college in Chicago in 1941. He was a war hero in World War 11 as a dive bomber pilot in the Pacific. In 1948, he became the coach of the University of Michigan
tennis team, where he remained for 21 years until 1969. He led Michigan to eleven Big Ten team championships and the NCAA team championship in 1957.
from 1937 to 1939, leading the school to three Big Ten tennis championships. As a doubles team, they were "undefeated in collegiate meets," including wins at the Big Ten doubles championships in 1938 and 1939. They were also the runner-up team at the 1939 NCAA doubles championship.
In 1938, the Murphy brothers helped the undefeated University of Chicago tennis team score the first clean sweep in the history of the Big Ten tennis championships by winning all nine finals matches at Evanston, Illinois
. The brothers won the doubles title over the Northwestern team, 5–7, 6–4, 7–5. John Shostrom won the No. 1 singles and the Murphy brothers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles, with Bill beating Northwestern's Harry O'Neil, 6–0, 6–3. At the national level, the Murphy brothers were ranked as the #10 doubles pair by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938.
In May 1939, when the Murphy brothers led the University of Chicago to its third straight Big Ten tennis championship, the Associated Press wrote: "The University of Chicago, where the athletic habit of recent years has leaned toward defeat, now has a new complex well established – tennis championships." The Murphy brothers won their second consecutive doubles championship, and Chet won the No. 1 singles. Bill Murphy qualified to play for the No. 2 singles title, but defaulted due to an ailing back to save himself for the doubles competition. In June 1939, the brothers were runners up in the NCAA doubles championship to Bob Peacock and Doug Imhoff, of the University of California-Berkeley, and Chet was runner up in the NCAA singles championship to Frank Guernsey of Rice in Texas.
In July 1939, when Bill Murphy won the singles title at the Western Tennis Association tournament in Chicago, the Associated Press reported that he won his championship "the hard way," defeating top ranked Wilbur F. Coen, Jr., of Kansas City in the semifinals, and then defeated second seeded Jack Tidball of Los Angeles, 6–8, 6–1, 6–1, 9–7 in the Finals. The following week, he won the mixed doubles final at the Longwood Bowl tennis tournament in Brookline, Massachusetts
with Mary Arnold
.
At the August 1939 Meadow Club Invitational Tournament in Southampton, New York
, the Murphy brothers beat the team of Peacock and Imhoff, but lost a close doubles match against Wimbledon champions Bobby Riggs
and Elwood Cooke
. They won two of the first three sets but ultimately lost, 13–11, 3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 0–6. At Seabright
, they beat Riggs and Bitsy Grant
. Whenever Bill played Billy Talbert in Singles, he beat him.
and Richard Potter, broke the Big Ten record held by Bill and Chet for most Big Ten Conference doubles championships. MacKay and Potter won the Big Ten doubles championship three times—in 1955, 1956, and 1957.
Bill Murphy's year-by-year coaching record at Michigan is as follows:
. The Murphy brothers were jointly inducted into the University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. They were both members of the USPTA. Both were past presidents and chairmen of the National Collegiate Tennis Coaches Association and National Collegiate Tennis Committee in 1965 and 1966. Bill flew 72 combat missions in the Pacific and was awarded the Navy Cross for helping sink the Battleship, Yamato, in 1945, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and four air medals during World War II. (Citations from Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal
).
Bill Murphy died in 2005 in Tucson, Arizona
at age 87; his wife, Mimi, died in June 2011, and twin brother, Chet. remains alive at 93.
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
doubles championships while competing for the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. Murphy also won a 1939 singles title at the Western Tennis Association tournament in Chicago. He earned a Masters Degree in Physical Education from George Williams college in Chicago in 1941. He was a war hero in World War 11 as a dive bomber pilot in the Pacific. In 1948, he became the coach of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
tennis team, where he remained for 21 years until 1969. He led Michigan to eleven Big Ten team championships and the NCAA team championship in 1957.
Tennis player
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Bill Murphy and twin brother, Chet, played for the University of ChicagoUniversity of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
from 1937 to 1939, leading the school to three Big Ten tennis championships. As a doubles team, they were "undefeated in collegiate meets," including wins at the Big Ten doubles championships in 1938 and 1939. They were also the runner-up team at the 1939 NCAA doubles championship.
In 1938, the Murphy brothers helped the undefeated University of Chicago tennis team score the first clean sweep in the history of the Big Ten tennis championships by winning all nine finals matches at Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. The brothers won the doubles title over the Northwestern team, 5–7, 6–4, 7–5. John Shostrom won the No. 1 singles and the Murphy brothers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles, with Bill beating Northwestern's Harry O'Neil, 6–0, 6–3. At the national level, the Murphy brothers were ranked as the #10 doubles pair by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938.
In May 1939, when the Murphy brothers led the University of Chicago to its third straight Big Ten tennis championship, the Associated Press wrote: "The University of Chicago, where the athletic habit of recent years has leaned toward defeat, now has a new complex well established – tennis championships." The Murphy brothers won their second consecutive doubles championship, and Chet won the No. 1 singles. Bill Murphy qualified to play for the No. 2 singles title, but defaulted due to an ailing back to save himself for the doubles competition. In June 1939, the brothers were runners up in the NCAA doubles championship to Bob Peacock and Doug Imhoff, of the University of California-Berkeley, and Chet was runner up in the NCAA singles championship to Frank Guernsey of Rice in Texas.
In July 1939, when Bill Murphy won the singles title at the Western Tennis Association tournament in Chicago, the Associated Press reported that he won his championship "the hard way," defeating top ranked Wilbur F. Coen, Jr., of Kansas City in the semifinals, and then defeated second seeded Jack Tidball of Los Angeles, 6–8, 6–1, 6–1, 9–7 in the Finals. The following week, he won the mixed doubles final at the Longwood Bowl tennis tournament in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
with Mary Arnold
Mary Arnold
----Mary Arnold Prentiss was an amateur American tennis player of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.Arnold was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 every year between 1939 and 1947. Her highest ranking came in 1942 and 1944 when she was ranked No...
.
At the August 1939 Meadow Club Invitational Tournament in Southampton, New York
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
, the Murphy brothers beat the team of Peacock and Imhoff, but lost a close doubles match against Wimbledon champions Bobby Riggs
Bobby Riggs
Robert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs was a 1930s–40s tennis player who was the World No. 1 or the co-World No. 1 player for three years, first as an amateur in 1941, then as a professional in 1946 and 1947...
and Elwood Cooke
Elwood Cooke
Elwood Thomas Cooke was an outstanding amateur tennis player in the 1930s and 1940s....
. They won two of the first three sets but ultimately lost, 13–11, 3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 0–6. At Seabright
Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club
The Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club is one of the oldest active tennis clubs in the United States. It was organized in 1877 and incorporated in 1886. The Seabright Invitational Tournament was a major tournament from 1884 through 1950. It was ended not because of funding, but because the...
, they beat Riggs and Bitsy Grant
Bitsy Grant
Bryan Morel "Bitsy" Grant, Jr was an American professional tennis champion. At 5 feet 4 inches and 120 lbs , Grant was the smallest American man to win a championship on the international tennis circuit...
. Whenever Bill played Billy Talbert in Singles, he beat him.
Tennis coach
Bill Murphy was the tennis coach at the University of Michigan for 21 years from 1948–1969. His Michigan tennis teams won 11 Big Ten Conference championships and the NCAA championship in 1957. His career coaching record at Michigan was 198–45–0, for an .821 winning percentage. Two of his players at Michigan, Barry MacKayBarry MacKay
Barry MacKay is a former American tennis player and tournament director and a current tennis broadcaster. While competing in college for the University of Michigan, he won the singles title at the 1957 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship to clinch the team title for Michigan. He was also a finalist...
and Richard Potter, broke the Big Ten record held by Bill and Chet for most Big Ten Conference doubles championships. MacKay and Potter won the Big Ten doubles championship three times—in 1955, 1956, and 1957.
Bill Murphy's year-by-year coaching record at Michigan is as follows:
Work as an author
Bill Murphy also had success as a writer of books about tennis with his brother, Chet. They wrote the "Tennis Handbook", published in 1962, Championship Drills, Advanced Tennis, Tennis for Thinking Players, and Tested Tennis Tips. The two were recognized for their books with a USTA Educational Services Award in 1972.Honors and awards
Bill Murphy was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 1984, and his brother followed him in 1985. In 1983, Bill was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
The University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
. The Murphy brothers were jointly inducted into the University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. They were both members of the USPTA. Both were past presidents and chairmen of the National Collegiate Tennis Coaches Association and National Collegiate Tennis Committee in 1965 and 1966. Bill flew 72 combat missions in the Pacific and was awarded the Navy Cross for helping sink the Battleship, Yamato, in 1945, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and four air medals during World War II. (Citations from Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....
).
Bill Murphy died in 2005 in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
at age 87; his wife, Mimi, died in June 2011, and twin brother, Chet. remains alive at 93.
See also
- University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorThe University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
in 1983 - Barry MacKayBarry MacKayBarry MacKay is a former American tennis player and tournament director and a current tennis broadcaster. While competing in college for the University of Michigan, he won the singles title at the 1957 NCAA Men's Tennis Championship to clinch the team title for Michigan. He was also a finalist...
, Michigan's star player on Murphy's teams from 1955–57