Seymour Greenberg
Encyclopedia
Seymour Greenberg was an amateur American
clay-court specialist tennis player in the 1940s and 1950s.
Greenberg was ranked fifth in the US in singles in 1943 and 1944 and also in the top 10 in three other years.
in Chicago, where he was valedictorian.
Greenberg won the Illinois State Championships nine times.
Greenberg was captain of the Northwestern University
tennis team and became that school's first Big Ten Conference
singles champion when he won the title in 1940. He repeated in 1941 and won the Big Ten doubles championships in 1940 (with Jerry Clifford), 1941 (with Gene Richards
), and 1942 (also with Richards). Greenberg's three doubles titles still rank first all-time in Big Ten history. He led the Northwestern Wildcats to the Big Ten team championships in 1940 and 1942.
Greenberg won the City of Chicago Championship in 1939 and the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
in 1942 and 1943.
Greenberg was also a singles quarterfinalist at the U.S. Championships in 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945.
In 1943 at the tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio
, Greenberg reached the singles and doubles finals but lost the singles final to future International Tennis Hall of Fame
inductee Bill Talbert
. He lost the doubles final to Talbert and partner Alvin Bunis. Greenberg had partnered with Joe Scherr to reach the final.
Greeberg's tennis career was interrupted by World War II
. He was a lieutenant in the Air Force and served in Greenland
as a communications officer.
Greenberg's sister Toby played in the Maccabiah Games
in Israel
.
Greenberg's death resulted from complications of Parkinson's disease
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clay-court specialist tennis player in the 1940s and 1950s.
Greenberg was ranked fifth in the US in singles in 1943 and 1944 and also in the top 10 in three other years.
Tennis career
Greenberg won the Illinois State high school singles titles in 1936 and 1937 while at Lane Technical College Prep High SchoolLane Technical College Prep High School
Albert G. Lane Technical College Preparatory High School , is a public, four-year, magnet high school located on the north side of Chicago...
in Chicago, where he was valedictorian.
Greenberg won the Illinois State Championships nine times.
Greenberg was captain of the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
tennis team and became that school's first Big Ten Conference
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...
singles champion when he won the title in 1940. He repeated in 1941 and won the Big Ten doubles championships in 1940 (with Jerry Clifford), 1941 (with Gene Richards
Gene Richards
Gene Richards was a race car driver with the Automobile Racing Club of America, which primarily ran in the Midwestern United States. Richards was killed at the age of 28 in a crash during the ARCA 200 at the Talladega Superspeedway....
), and 1942 (also with Richards). Greenberg's three doubles titles still rank first all-time in Big Ten history. He led the Northwestern Wildcats to the Big Ten team championships in 1940 and 1942.
Greenberg won the City of Chicago Championship in 1939 and the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship is an annual ATP Tour tennis tournament that started in 1910. It is the last remaining ATP Tour-level tournament in the United States to be played on clay courts....
in 1942 and 1943.
Greenberg was also a singles quarterfinalist at the U.S. Championships in 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945.
In 1943 at the tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
, Greenberg reached the singles and doubles finals but lost the singles final to future 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...
inductee Bill Talbert
Bill Talbert
William Franklin "Billy" Talbert was an American tennis player and administrator.He was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 13 times between 1941 & 1954. He won nine Grand Slam doubles titles, and also reached the men’s doubles finals of the U.S. National Championship nine times. mainly with favorite...
. He lost the doubles final to Talbert and partner Alvin Bunis. Greenberg had partnered with Joe Scherr to reach the final.
Halls of Fame
Greenberg has been inducted into:- the Chicago Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1982),
- the United States Tennis Association/Midwest (formerly Western Tennis Association) Hall of Fame (in 1990),
- the Northwestern University Athletic Hall of Fame (2000), and
- the Chicago Tennis Hall of Fame (2004)
Personal life
Greenberg was the son of Jacob and Sylvia Greenberg and married the late Wanda Henderson in 1952.Greeberg's tennis career was interrupted by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was a lieutenant in the Air Force and served in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
as a communications officer.
Greenberg's sister Toby played in the Maccabiah Games
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Greenberg's death resulted from complications of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.