Greatest Canadian player ever

[kiki]

Originally Posted by robow7

Hawaii couldn't secede, I thought I read where it's more dependent on Federal entitlements per capita than any other state.

Puerto Rico?

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by robow7

Hawaii couldn't secede, I thought I read where it's more dependent on Federal entitlements per capita than any other state.

Now you understand why Quebec will not leave Canada.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Francis27

Milos Raonic and Filip Peliwo is the new era of Canadian Tennis!!

Raonic becomes the first player since Tony Trabert in 1953-55 to win San Jose three years in a row, beating Querry and Haas in the last two rounds, and not losing his serve in the entire tournament.
Raonic leads Murray 2 to 1 lifetime.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

Raonic becomes the first player since Tony Trabert in 1953-55 to win San Jose three years in a row, beating Querry and Haas in the last two rounds, and not losing his serve in the entire tournament.
Raonic leads Murray 2 to 1 lifetime.

The match with Querry might be a preliminary for the possible Davis Cup encounter between Canada and the USA in the semifinals.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

I should mention that Bedard has the distinction of winning a set off both Hoad and Rosewall.
He took a set off Hoad at Wimbledon in 1954, and a set off Rosewall in the 1955 Davis Cup. Not bad for someone still learning the game.

I have found some more stats for Bob Bedard which support his stature as the greatest ever Canadian player.

For one, he defeated the number one player from 15 different countries, including the USA and Australia.

Here are some additional wins and matches against noted players.

1) 1954 University of Miami
df. Frank Froehling (Sr.) 6-4, 6-8, 6-4

2) 1954 Italian
df. Sven Davidson (who would beat Rosewall at Roland Garros that year)
4-6, 3-6, 11-9, 6-3, 6-2
(Bedard lost qf. to Drobny)

3) 1954 Stuttgart
lost final to Gottfried von Cramm 6-4, 6-8, 6-2

4) 1955 Italian
df. Orlando Sirola 2-6, 6-0, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

5) 1955 Queens Club
df. Nicola Pietrangeli 5-7, 7-5, 6-4

6) 1955 Cannes
df. Jackie Brichant 6-2, 9-11, 6-4

7) 1956 Dixie Championship
df. Bitsy Grant 6-4, 2-6, 6-3

1957 Kent Championships
df. Roy Emerson 6-2, 6-4

9) 1957 O'Keefe (Toronto)
df. Kurt Nielsen 8-6, 1-6, 6-1
(lost semifinal to Davidson)

10) 1957 Sutton Hardcourt Championships (Britain)
df. Bob Howe in the final 6-2, 6-1 to win the championship

11) 1957 Canadian
df. Ramanathan Krishnan in the final 6-1, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 to win the championship

12) 1957 Wimbledon
df. Torben Ulrich 9-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1

13) 1958 Canadian
df. Whitney Reed (ranked #1 in the USA) in the final 6-0, 6-3, 6-3 to defend his championship

14) 1958 USA Championship
df. Eugene Scott 7-5, 7-5, 6-4
lost to Giammalva 10-8, 3-6, 6-8, 7-5, 7-5

15) 1967 British Hard Court Championship
df. John Bartlett 6-4, 6-1, 9-7

In Davis Cup, his greatest win was over Rafael Osuna in 1961, in four sets.

This record is still the best of any Canadian player, and includes four international tournament victories.

[kiki]

^^von cramm played in 1954?

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by kiki

^^von cramm played in 1954?

Yes, he played at Wimbledon in 1952, and apparently looked good at that time.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by kiki

^^von cramm played in 1954?

It is important to note that von Cramm was a political opponent of the Nazis.

[kiki]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

It is important to note that von Cramm was a political opponent of the Nazis.

I knew but what got to do with him playing like 20 yrs after his prime?

[BobbyOne]

Originally Posted by kiki

I knew but what got to do with him playing like 20 yrs after his prime?

kiki, von Cramm was pretty tough in the 1950s in Davis Cup and tournament play as also Nüsslein was.

[kiki]

I really had no idea.I just have a personnal vision of Von Cramm as a true junker who hated nazis but was himself a member of the social elite, looked to me a true german romantic character.He had great courage though and I respect that.

[kiki]

Kodes was also somewhat a romantic.He mercilessly beat the USSR himself at DC matches ever after his wonderful country was invaded by soviet troops in the spring of 68.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by kiki

I really had no idea.I just have a personnal vision of Von Cramm as a true junker who hated nazis but was himself a member of the social elite, looked to me a true german romantic character.He had great courage though and I respect that.

Von Cramm had contacts in the German underground during WWII, and was probably saved from the Gestapo death machine because of his close friendship with the King of Sweden. Hitler needed Swedish neutrality during the war.

[Morgan]

http://www.bradenton.com/2013/02/22/...ng.html#tennis

This Canadian pro is in hot water down here in FLA.

[Ronaldo]

Wayne Gretsky

[kiki]

margaret trudeau

[newmark401]

Here's the entry from the 1915 editon of "Ayres' Lawn Tennis Almanack" on Robert B. Powell, probably the most successful Canadian lawn tennis player before World War One:

"Powell, Robert Branks. B. Victoria, British Columbia, April 2, 1881. (Private Secretary to Sir H. Joly de Lotbiniere, K.C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia, 1900-1904; in charge of arrangements in connection with the visit of Prince and Princess of Wales to B.C., 1901, when he was attached to staff of Lord Minto, Governor-General of Canada; appointed to Government Service in Fiji, 1904; employed on Governor's Staff and on Western Pacific High Commission, 1905-1906; passed final examination for the English Bar, May 1909; Fellow of Royal Colonial Institute.)

"Learnt lawn tennis on father's courts at Victoria; was four times champion of British Columbia; won Champ. of Pacific N.W. States of America, 1901; Champ. of State of Oregon, 1904; founded North Pacific L.T.A. (embracing Western States of America and British Columbia clubs), and won Association's first Internat. Champ. at Victoria, 1904; Singles Champs. of Fiji, 1905-6; in semi-final All-Comers' Singles at Wimbledon, won Champ. of Scotland (singles and doubles), singles at Vienna (defeating M. Decugis), represented Canada in Olympic Games at Wimbledon, 1908; won Northern Champ. at Manchester, All England Plate at Wimbledon, Sussex Champ. at Brighton, Doubles at Eastbourne (with K. Powell), at Queen's Covered Courts (with M.J.G. Ritchie), and at Cannes (with F.G. Lowe), and in semi-final of Champ. Doubles at Wimbledon (with K. Powell), 1909; won Scottish Champ. and in final of Champ. Doubles (with K. Powell) and of mixed doubles with (with Mrs Sterry) at Wimbledon 1910; won Dawlish singles cup outright, 1913; member of English (Drive Club) team in South Africa, 1910-11; won mixed doubles at Dinard, singles at Dawlish, and represented London v. Paris at Auteuil, 1911; won doubles (with F.L. Riseley) at and mixed at Dinard and represented All England Club v. Germany at Wimbledon, 1912; captain of Canada v. South Africa at Queen's, v. Belgium at Folkestone, and v. America at Wimbledon (final round) in Davis Cup competition in 1913; represented Canada v. Australasia at Chicago, 1914.

"Is a keen horseman and has won amateur races on the flat in Canada and Fiji. Address: Victoria, B.C."
--

When World War One broke out, Robert B. Powell enlisted in the Canadian infantry and served with the 48th Canadian Infantry Battalion. He saw a lot of action at the front in France, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant. He was killed in action on April 28, 19197, during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 36.
--

The wikipedia entry on Robert B. Powell has some good links, here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Powell_%28tennis%29

The above entry also features a photograph of the 1913 Canadian Davis Cup team of Powell, Bernard Schwengers, Henry G. Mayes and James F. Foulkes.
--

A number of Robert B. Powell's singles results, including his complete Wimbledon singles record, can be found here: http://www.tennisarchives.com/coureurs.php
-----

[Ronaldo]

Originally Posted by kiki

margaret trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

[Dan Lobb]

--

When World War One broke out, Robert B. Powell enlisted in the Canadian infantry and served with the 48th Canadian Infantry Battalion. He saw a lot of action at the front in France, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant. He was killed in action on April 28, 19197, during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 36.
--



Thanks for this. Quite a record and quite a life.
The Canadian Corps was the only army in WWI that never retreated and never failed to gain an objective.

[Dan Lobb]

Originally Posted by Dan Lobb

I have found some more stats for Bob Bedard which support his stature as the greatest ever Canadian player.

For one, he defeated the number one player from 15 different countries, including the USA and Australia.

Here are some additional wins and matches against noted players.

1) 1954 University of Miami
df. Frank Froehling (Sr.) 6-4, 6-8, 6-4

2) 1954 Italian
df. Sven Davidson (who would beat Rosewall at Roland Garros that year)
4-6, 3-6, 11-9, 6-3, 6-2
(Bedard lost qf. to Drobny)

3) 1954 Stuttgart
lost final to Gottfried von Cramm 6-4, 6-8, 6-2

4) 1955 Italian
df. Orlando Sirola 2-6, 6-0, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

5) 1955 Queens Club
df. Nicola Pietrangeli 5-7, 7-5, 6-4

6) 1955 Cannes
df. Jackie Brichant 6-2, 9-11, 6-4

7) 1956 Dixie Championship
df. Bitsy Grant 6-4, 2-6, 6-3

1957 Kent Championships
df. Roy Emerson 6-2, 6-4

9) 1957 O'Keefe (Toronto)
df. Kurt Nielsen 8-6, 1-6, 6-1
(lost semifinal to Davidson)

10) 1957 Sutton Hardcourt Championships (Britain)
df. Bob Howe in the final 6-2, 6-1 to win the championship

11) 1957 Canadian
df. Ramanathan Krishnan in the final 6-1, 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 to win the championship

12) 1957 Wimbledon
df. Torben Ulrich 9-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1

13) 1958 Canadian
df. Whitney Reed (ranked #1 in the USA) in the final 6-0, 6-3, 6-3 to defend his championship

14) 1958 USA Championship
df. Eugene Scott 7-5, 7-5, 6-4
lost to Giammalva 10-8, 3-6, 6-8, 7-5, 7-5

15) 1967 British Hard Court Championship
df. John Bartlett 6-4, 6-1, 9-7

In Davis Cup, his greatest win was over Rafael Osuna in 1961, in four sets.

This record is still the best of any Canadian player, and includes four international tournament victories.

.................................................. ........
I have added the scores for the 1957 and 1958 Canadian finals.