Kirijax
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- Dec 20, 2012
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Not sure if any one noticed, but Gardnar Mulloy celebrated his 100th birthday last month. For those of you who don't know Mulloy, he is the father of the tennis program at the University of Miami. Back in 1935, Mulloy went to UM President Bowman Ashe and asked if he could switch his football scholarship to tennis and start a tennis program for the school. He got his ok and that was how it all started.
Mulloy recruited Pancho Segura who won three consecutive NCAA championships in the 40s, and he went on to be ranked No. 6 in the amateur ranks and No. 1 in the pro ranks. He was the U.S. Open finalist in 1952, won 5 Grand Slam doubles titles, and helped the United States win three Davis Cups. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1972.
The team he started at Miami has gone on to finish runner-up twice in the NCAA championships, have 43 appearances in the NCAA Championships, produce 28 All-Americans, and NCAA champions Pat Cramer, Luis Garcia and Andrew Burrow.
The Hurricanes have also set an all-time NCAA record for most consecutive wins (137), set a win-loss record of 1015-331-67 for a .718 winning percentage and have had only seven losing seasons in its history.
Mulloy has written a book called "The Will to Win". It was revised and republished in 2009 as "As it Was." Both are great books with some history about the university.
Most of the major sports sites wrote articles on him to celebrate his 100th. Congrats to an icon of Miami sports and the founder of Miami tennis!
Official Site Article
Mulloy recruited Pancho Segura who won three consecutive NCAA championships in the 40s, and he went on to be ranked No. 6 in the amateur ranks and No. 1 in the pro ranks. He was the U.S. Open finalist in 1952, won 5 Grand Slam doubles titles, and helped the United States win three Davis Cups. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1972.
The team he started at Miami has gone on to finish runner-up twice in the NCAA championships, have 43 appearances in the NCAA Championships, produce 28 All-Americans, and NCAA champions Pat Cramer, Luis Garcia and Andrew Burrow.
The Hurricanes have also set an all-time NCAA record for most consecutive wins (137), set a win-loss record of 1015-331-67 for a .718 winning percentage and have had only seven losing seasons in its history.
Mulloy has written a book called "The Will to Win". It was revised and republished in 2009 as "As it Was." Both are great books with some history about the university.
Most of the major sports sites wrote articles on him to celebrate his 100th. Congrats to an icon of Miami sports and the founder of Miami tennis!
Official Site Article
