Wimbledon Pro
Encyclopedia
During Wimbledon
in 1966, Jack Kramer was doing radio commentary for the BBC
when Wimbledon's working chairman Herman David came to the broadcast booth and talked to Kramer and BBC tennis exec Bryan Cowgill
to discuss the possibility of making the tournament "open" to both amateurs and pros. The topic had been raised on and off for years. In the summer of 1960 the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) had met in Paris and voted on open tennis, but the motion, which required 139 out of 209 votes to pass, got only 134 votes, 5 short. By 1966 public interest in tennis had been at a long-sustained low. Cowgill suggested a trial pro tourney at Wimbledon for the following year, and in late August, 1967, the tourney was held at Wimbledon with total prize money of U$S 35,000 for singles and U$S 10,000 for doubles, making it the largest prize-money event in tennis history at that time. The Wimbledon pro tourney was very successful. There was an 8 player draw for singles and a 16 player draw for doubles, all professionals.
Most of these players had won honours at Wimbledon in their amateur days but had forfeited the right to play there on turning professional. The segregation of the two categories was soon to come to an end. In December that year the Annual Meeting of the LTA voted overwhelmingly to admit players of all categories to Wimbledon and other tournaments in Britain. Faced with a fait accompli the ILTF yielded and allowed each nation to determine its own legislation regarding amateur and professional players.
The Wimbledon Pro wasn't a Grand Slam pro tournament (and of course not a Grand Slam amateur tournament) but it was probably the greatest professional event of the 60's and in particular of 1967.
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
in 1966, Jack Kramer was doing radio commentary for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
when Wimbledon's working chairman Herman David came to the broadcast booth and talked to Kramer and BBC tennis exec Bryan Cowgill
Bryan Cowgill
Bryan Cowgill was a senior British television executive. He was Head of Sport for BBC Television from 1963–1973, Controller of BBC One from 1973–1977, and Managing Director of Thames TV from 1977-1985.-Early life:...
to discuss the possibility of making the tournament "open" to both amateurs and pros. The topic had been raised on and off for years. In the summer of 1960 the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) had met in Paris and voted on open tennis, but the motion, which required 139 out of 209 votes to pass, got only 134 votes, 5 short. By 1966 public interest in tennis had been at a long-sustained low. Cowgill suggested a trial pro tourney at Wimbledon for the following year, and in late August, 1967, the tourney was held at Wimbledon with total prize money of U$S 35,000 for singles and U$S 10,000 for doubles, making it the largest prize-money event in tennis history at that time. The Wimbledon pro tourney was very successful. There was an 8 player draw for singles and a 16 player draw for doubles, all professionals.
Most of these players had won honours at Wimbledon in their amateur days but had forfeited the right to play there on turning professional. The segregation of the two categories was soon to come to an end. In December that year the Annual Meeting of the LTA voted overwhelmingly to admit players of all categories to Wimbledon and other tournaments in Britain. Faced with a fait accompli the ILTF yielded and allowed each nation to determine its own legislation regarding amateur and professional players.
The Wimbledon Pro wasn't a Grand Slam pro tournament (and of course not a Grand Slam amateur tournament) but it was probably the greatest professional event of the 60's and in particular of 1967.