Best tennis book ever?

[norcal]

Originally Posted by lefty10spro

"A Handful of Summers" by Gordon Forbes is the best and I have read them all. Life on the tour in the 50s and 60s and it alternates between poetic and hilarious. Good luck finding a copy!

This book is soooo good. The era is well before my time but I still found it immensely entertaining. The randy session in the hotel window is something you will never read in another tennis book! Gotta love the old school Aussies!

[WCT]

Originally Posted by JAY1

My original thread on here was Douglas Henderson jnr's kindle book 'Endeavour to perservere'.
It is THE book for Jimmy Connors fans! Totally outstanding!!

Also I just found out you don't need an actual 'Kindle' device to download Kindle books. You can downloand a free Kindle app to your pc or ipod/iphone and then download your chosen books.

I read some of that book through google books. Had no idea that Henderson and Arthur Ashe had been so close. I accidentally posted this in the Djokovic Connors thread. Don't know how but I did.

While I don't recall the defending Mcenroe incident, I recall a TENNIS magazine article, circa 1983/84, where Connors and Mcenroe were discussing the type of language Chris Evert sometimes used, contrary to her image.

I don't recall Connors and Tanner overall having a bad relationship there were some heated moments in a couple matches. 1980 Wimbledon and the 1982 Masters. IIRC, Tanner thought Connors was mocking him. Probably gamesmanship on Connors end.

Who wrote The Courts of Babylon? That was also a good read about that era.

Peter Bodo. I'm in the middle of reading it now, on a kindle.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by kiki

I think so, too.an AO title seems a bit short to me.One of the hottest rivalrieson court, with a lot of body language was Tanner vs Connors.Not many people may have noticied it, but it was real hot.

Well, Tanner and Connors had history that went way back. They'd known each other since 1962 or so, when Tanner practiced with Connors and saw Connors obeying his mother's coaching orders at every opportunity. In the early 1970s, they once trained together with Pancho Gonzales in Las Vegas, and neither of them knew the time because of the lack of clocks, and Gonzales would keep telling them to make sure they were ready for their match tomorrow morning. Gonzales was obviously warning them to always make sure of where they were and what they do the night before a match.

Tanner used to beat Connors in the juniors more often than not, but Connors usually won when they were professionals. Still, Tanner had a few good wins over Connors even in the pros, especially their 1976 Wimbledon quarter final.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by WCT

I read some of that book through google books. Had no idea that Henderson and Arthur Ashe had been so close. I accidentally posted this in the Djokovic Connors thread. Don't know how but I did.

While I don't recall the defending Mcenroe incident, I recall a TENNIS magazine article, circa 1983/84, where Connors and Mcenroe were discussing the type of language Chris Evert sometimes used, contrary to her image.

I don't recall Connors and Tanner overall having a bad relationship there were some heated moments in a couple matches. 1980 Wimbledon and the 1982 Masters. IIRC, Tanner thought Connors was mocking him. Probably gamesmanship on Connors end.



Peter Bodo. I'm in the middle of reading it now, on a kindle.

In 1981,at the Wimbledon´s Champions Dance it started it all

Tanner and Connors rivalry traces back from their junior days at college.Connors played for UCLA, Í don´t remember which college Tanner played for.

[kiki]

Tanner vs Connors, provided the most exciting, bombastic fireworks of any 1970´s rivalry, which extended to the early 80´s.Just memorable battles between the hardest S&V and the sharpest return of serve.

[muddlehead]

tanner. didn't know / care too much about him before reading the book. bud collins would always refer to his lookout mountain, tennessee upbringing. i thought he was a hillbilly ... couldn't have been more wrong. his dad was wealthy chattanooga atty. he went to prep school. his tennis team also had brian gottfried on it. (even though wiki's tanner page says sandy mayer, erroneously). then stanford. silver spoon the whole way. his candid, at this point what's left to hide, story of his descent into financial scumbaggery is an interesting read ... thanks for the above recommendations on other books. look forward to reading them. always thought a book thread like this should have its own talk tennis category...

[JAY1]

Originally Posted by kiki

In 1981,at the Wimbledon´s Champions Dance it started it all

Tanner and Connors rivalry traces back from their junior days at college.Connors played for UCLA, Í don´t remember which college Tanner played for.

I've not seen anyone mention Joel Drucker's book about Jimmy Connors. 'Jimmy Connors Saved My Life'
Has anyone else read it? I'm reading it for the 2nd time at the moment.
If so what are your views on it?
I so wish I had'nt been a young kid from 74 to 84 and been old enough to really appreciate this Golden period of tennis, i've tried to make up for it as much as i'm able too, with attaining old dvd's matches and reading as many books as I can on this era.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by JAY1

I've not seen anyone mention Joel Drucker's book about Jimmy Connors. 'Jimmy Connors Saved My Life'
Has anyone else read it? I'm reading it for the 2nd time at the moment.
If so what are your views on it?
I so wish I had'nt been a young kid from 74 to 84 and been old enough to really appreciate this Golden period of tennis, i've tried to make up for it as much as i'm able too, with attaining old dvd's matches and reading as many books as I can on this era.

It was a journalistic affair.I laughed my *** off when I first read the story.

[JAY1]

This was my original thread on best tennis book ever...

Not only with his relationships with Connors & Ashe but what an incredible role model for all young men not only young black men, totally inspiring on so many levels!
If you like well written, well thought out and the best insight into life on the tour, then do yourself a huge favour and download this Kindle book (you can't buy a hard copy), Dont forget you can download a free kindle book app to your pc, i phone or i pad and then just buy the Kindle book as normal.
I've read over 50 tennis books and this one by Douglas Henderson jnr is number 1!

[bjk]

I just read Open by Agassi. What a raging narcissist. There is no mention of his opponents. He never mentions his doubles partners or friends on the tour. His friends are on his payroll, Gil, Perry, Brad, etc. Yet no mention of the fact that all the people he "loves" are taking a paycheck from him. And he trashes most of his former associatesa, like Shields and Bolletieri. Another interesting fact, most of the cash supporting his years of losses must have come from Nike. It wasn't being covered by prize money. The entourage stuck around because he could make more money in one photo shoot than most players made in a career.

[kiki]

AA was ugly to death.I never undesrtood that thnig about sexy and so on.

[WCT]

Originally Posted by JAY1

I've not seen anyone mention Joel Drucker's book about Jimmy Connors. 'Jimmy Connors Saved My Life'
Has anyone else read it? I'm reading it for the 2nd time at the moment.
If so what are your views on it?
I so wish I had'nt been a young kid from 74 to 84 and been old enough to really appreciate this Golden period of tennis, i've tried to make up for it as much as i'm able too, with attaining old dvd's matches and reading as many books as I can on this era.

I read it, enjoyed it. Honestly, more about Drucker's life than I was looking for because I bought it for Connors. But I think that was what he was going for in the book. A parallel between his life and Connors' so as to display the impact that Connors' attitudes and persona had on his life. He started out as a Connors hater and gew into a Connors fanatic.

Ironic that Connors own book is coming out this year. Drucker's book details how hard he tried to get Connors to tell such a book with him. Drucker did not write a love letter to Connors either. His book is filled with criticism of Connors and some of his behavior. Seemed to me that Drucker found Connors treatment of Segura particularly shameful.

I tried to contact Drucker, through one of the columns he wrote, to ask some questions. Wanted to ask him if he interviewed Segura specifically for that book. Also wanted to discuss how he saw Connors' game. The book keeps coming back to the term counterpuncher, and I don't see prime Connors as a counterpuncher although the return was his biggest strength. In my mind, prime Connors is not a reactive player. He is not waiting for you to miss or looking to counter your aggression. He is going for the lines and the corners.
He is dictating the play.

What is the story with the 81 Wimbledon Dance? Never heard the story. Tanner went to Stanford with Sandy Mayer, I believe. Nothing I've ever read about Connors really delved into his college tennis career. I mean specific matches or rivalries. He spent a year at UCLA. Don't recall reading anything about collerge matches versus Tanner.

The guy who owned him in the juniors was Dick Stockon. An elite junior player, but Connors turned the tables in the pros. I saw multiple Connors/Tanner matches that were played in good spirit. I never thought of that rivalry as being nearly as heated as Connors/Mcenroe. No doubt, though, on a good day Tanner could beat anyone.

[Mustard]

Tanner and Connors played plenty of times against each other in the 1960s when they were youngsters. There's a picture in Tanner's book of them after Tanner beat Connors in one final, and the caption said that Connors never looked so happy after losing a match (Connors had a big smile).

[WCT]

Haven't read Tanner's book and certainly not disputing that Connors and Tanner played each other in the juniors or college. Just not something 've ever read described as some big rivalry. Connors wasn't a junior phenom, though.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by bjk

I just read Open by Agassi. What a raging narcissist. There is no mention of his opponents. He never mentions his doubles partners or friends on the tour. His friends are on his payroll, Gil, Perry, Brad, etc. Yet no mention of the fact that all the people he "loves" are taking a paycheck from him. And he trashes most of his former associatesa, like Shields and Bolletieri. Another interesting fact, most of the cash supporting his years of losses must have come from Nike. It wasn't being covered by prize money. The entourage stuck around because he could make more money in one photo shoot than most players made in a career.

As great as a player AA was, I think he is, from a personality POV, one of the least interesting champions ever.Not much inside...

[kiki]

Originally Posted by WCT

I read it, enjoyed it. Honestly, more about Drucker's life than I was looking for because I bought it for Connors. But I think that was what he was going for in the book. A parallel between his life and Connors' so as to display the impact that Connors' attitudes and persona had on his life. He started out as a Connors hater and gew into a Connors fanatic.

Ironic that Connors own book is coming out this year. Drucker's book details how hard he tried to get Connors to tell such a book with him. Drucker did not write a love letter to Connors either. His book is filled with criticism of Connors and some of his behavior. Seemed to me that Drucker found Connors treatment of Segura particularly shameful.

I tried to contact Drucker, through one of the columns he wrote, to ask some questions. Wanted to ask him if he interviewed Segura specifically for that book. Also wanted to discuss how he saw Connors' game. The book keeps coming back to the term counterpuncher, and I don't see prime Connors as a counterpuncher although the return was his biggest strength. In my mind, prime Connors is not a reactive player. He is not waiting for you to miss or looking to counter your aggression. He is going for the lines and the corners.
He is dictating the play.

What is the story with the 81 Wimbledon Dance? Never heard the story. Tanner went to Stanford with Sandy Mayer, I believe. Nothing I've ever read about Connors really delved into his college tennis career. I mean specific matches or rivalries. He spent a year at UCLA. Don't recall reading anything about collerge matches versus Tanner.

The guy who owned him in the juniors was Dick Stockon. An elite junior player, but Connors turned the tables in the pros. I saw multiple Connors/Tanner matches that were played in good spirit. I never thought of that rivalry as being nearly as heated as Connors/Mcenroe. No doubt, though, on a good day Tanner could beat anyone.

Connors,Tanner,Gottfried,Solomon,Dibbs,Stockton , one of the best ever US generation.Tanner and Connors were hot on each other in many matches, like at the 1979 and 1981 Masters (Connors won barely in 79 and lost in 3 tie breakers in 81) and also at the 1975 and 1980 Wimbledon.They played also the USO sf in 74 and the W QF in 76, when Tanner just put Connors down.They played a big match at Palm Springs in 1979 and another one at Las Vegas that same year ( they also played a 4 setter at Phily).many hard hitting matches, and lots of body language.I am not saying it was as obvious as Connors vs mac, just that something was burning inside both players when they played each other.maybe it was like a duel between the best serve and the best return, but it was there.

I´ll explain the 1981 story in another post.I did it before, I just don´t remember anymore in which thread.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by WCT

Haven't read Tanner's book and certainly not disputing that Connors and Tanner played each other in the juniors or college. Just not something 've ever read described as some big rivalry. Connors wasn't a junior phenom, though.

I wouldn't describe it as a big rivalry back in the 1960s as neither were teen phenomenons, and in fact, Tanner usually beat Connors in the juniors. There was never any hate between them that I know of, just feisty encounters when they did meet as both were determined to win. What it does show is that Connors and Tanner had a long history going back to 1962 or so when they first practiced together, and this becomes relevant when one considers how big they later made it as professional tennis players, especially Connors.

[WCT]

Was there a lot in the book about Tanner's feelings for Connors? If so, what were they? Although Tanner didn't tun out to be any moral pillar.

[kiki]

...whatever can be said about who was the best player of the 70´s, nobody had such a gorgeous wife as Connors had (Patty Mc Guire).I´d say she was the nicest looking face on a tennis court since Hingis and Kournikova made the tour in the second half of the 90´s...

[kiki]

story has it that, in the 1981 Champions dance, Chris Evert took a microphone and said ( of absent John Mc Enroe, who left London after a big journalists quarrel) " I´d like to talk on John´s name, but I am afraid I can´t since I don´t use his vocabulary".

next day, some journalists repported that to Connors, and in typical Jimmy´s mood, he repplies: " I have been on court with Chris enough times to know that she can match vocabularies with John anytime "...Connors defending his worst toe from the attacks of his ex grilfriend¡¡¡¡.

As I said, being an Evert ex, possibly changes your perception of the world¡¡¡