Spencer Gore

Gore

Spencer William Gore (born March 10, 1850 in London , † April 19, 1906 in Ramsgate , Kent ) was an English tennis and cricketer who won the first edition of the Wimbledon tournament in 1877.

Life

Gore, the brother of the Bishop of Birmingham , was born in Wimbledon , London, in 1850 . Actually a cricket and rackets player, he took part in the first Wimbledon Championships in 1877 . In the final he prevailed 6: 1, 6: 2 and 6: 4 against William Cecil Marshall , where he surprised his opponent playing at the baseline with volleys . For his victory he received twelve guineas and a silver cup.

At the Wimbledon tournament in 1878 he lost the final against Frank Hadow 5: 7, 1: 6 and 7: 9 and then ended his tennis career. Spencer did not believe in the future of the new sport ( lawn tennis ), so he wrote in 1880: “That anyone who has really played well at cricket, (real) tennis or even rackets will ever seriously give his attention to lawn tennis [... ] is extremely doubtful for in all probability the monotony of the game [...] would choke him off [...] ".

Gore took part in a total of five first-class cricket games from 1874 to 1879 . He died at the age of 56 in the seaside resort of Ramsgate on the English Channel coast.

swell

H. Gillmeister: cultural history of tennis. Wilhelm Fink Verlag, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-7705-2618-X .
J. Parsons, H. Wancke: The Tennis Book. Carlton Books, London 2010, ISBN 978-1-78097-012-7 .

Individual evidence

↑ H. Gillmeister: cultural history of tennis. 1990, p. 244.
↑ According to the tournament mode at that time ( Challenge Round ), last year's winner automatically qualified for the final.
^ J. Parsons, H. Wancke: The Tennis Book. 2010, p. 13; Translation: “That someone who plays cricket, real tennis or even rackets well will ever seriously turn to lawn tennis [...] is extremely doubtful, since in all probability the monotony of the game would stifle [his enjoyment of the game] [ ...] "
↑ Spencer Gore. crickinfo.com, accessed September 27, 2012 .

personal data
SURNAME	Gore, Spencer
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Gore, Spencer William (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	English tennis and cricketer, first Wimbledon winner
DATE OF BIRTH	March 10, 1850
PLACE OF BIRTH	London
DATE OF DEATH	April 19, 1906
Place of death	Ramsgate , Kent

[1] H. Gillmeister: cultural history of tennis. 1990, p. 244.

[2] According to the tournament mode at that time ( Challenge Round ), last year's winner automatically qualified for the final.

[3] J. Parsons, H. Wancke: The Tennis Book. 2010, p. 13; Translation: “That someone who plays cricket, real tennis or even rackets well will ever seriously turn to lawn tennis [...] is extremely doubtful, since in all probability the monotony of the game would stifle [his enjoyment of the game] [ ...] "

[4] Spencer Gore. crickinfo.com, accessed September 27, 2012 .