Must see video. The Australian Postal Service honours 11 of their own.
- Thread starter PDJ
- Start date
treblings
Hall of Fame
This video is absolutely charming. A different time, a different age. But each and every one of them, a timeless Champion.
Evonne Goolagong-Cawley "I wasn't a bad player"
thank you for digging up that video
many of these aussie players have been my heroes when i grew up. the way they handled themselves on and off the court set a great example for young people.
i enjoyed reading about them and i certainly blame them for my habit of drinking a beer after matches
i sometimes dream about owning a time machine that let´s me travel back to watch great tennis matches of years gone by.
of all the players in the video i might just pick Evonne.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
Laver and Court had postage stamps in 2003.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
Taken from a postage stamp site - I'm not a member!
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I have compiled this list of all Australian multiple grand slam winners since 1945
* Margaret Court 24 (* indicates featured on postage stamp)
* Roy Emerson 12
* Rod Laver 11
* Ken Rosewall 8
* Evonne Goolagong Cawley 7
* John Newcombe 7
* Frank Sedgman 5
* Ashley Cooper 4
Lew Hoad 4
* Neale Fraser 3
* Lleyton Hewitt 2
* Pat Rafter 2
* Fred Stolle 2
Mervyn Rose 2
It can be seen that all bar two players have now been featured on stamps.
It is also of note that Tony Roche and Pat Cash, who have each won one Grand Slam singles tournament, have been included in the latest issue.
Margaret Court and Rod Laver were on the 2003 legends stamps and a pre-war player (Sir Norman Brooks) was featured on a postage stamp in 1981.
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I have compiled this list of all Australian multiple grand slam winners since 1945
* Margaret Court 24 (* indicates featured on postage stamp)
* Roy Emerson 12
* Rod Laver 11
* Ken Rosewall 8
* Evonne Goolagong Cawley 7
* John Newcombe 7
* Frank Sedgman 5
* Ashley Cooper 4
Lew Hoad 4
* Neale Fraser 3
* Lleyton Hewitt 2
* Pat Rafter 2
* Fred Stolle 2
Mervyn Rose 2
It can be seen that all bar two players have now been featured on stamps.
It is also of note that Tony Roche and Pat Cash, who have each won one Grand Slam singles tournament, have been included in the latest issue.
Margaret Court and Rod Laver were on the 2003 legends stamps and a pre-war player (Sir Norman Brooks) was featured on a postage stamp in 1981.
I would add some others who won the Australian, like Ken McGregor and Dinny Pails, also John Bromwich and Adrian Quist. Also Gerald Patterson won at Wimbledon.
BUT, the big exclusion is HOAD.....some joke.
Hoad lost some popularity in Australia in the mid-1960's when there was some press anger that he helped coach the 1965 Spanish Davis Cup player Santana for his grass court skills, and then Santana went on to upset Emerson in their DC opener. Hoad relocated his residence from Sydney to Spain the following year, and later became the official Spanish Davis Cup coach.
Santana later claimed that Hoad was the true founder of Spanish tennis, and Santana had received some coaching from Hoad in the early sixties.
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PDJ
G.O.A.T.
I've played at his club in Spain many times. I've even won the odd tournament there.
Jenny still lives in the grounds of the complex.
What a great research you've made! Thank you.
I'm a long time fan of Australian tennis. Cash was my idol and I remember very clear that day when he won Wimbledon.
Sadly that Rafter was the last great typical Australian tennis player. Hewitt is completely different type of player, of course game have changed, not to the best way, but for me S&V will remain as typical Australian style.
That's a real great story, never heard about it. So it's very clear now for me that there's no Hoad stamp. And why Spanish tennis is so good.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
MLRoy
Hall of Fame
I love that these guys are honored with stamps. At the same time, I'm glad they, the USPS, waits until death before issuing a stamp. Imagine what OUR stamps would look like?! No thanks.
I remember a few years ago, before Joker became number one, he had just won an early round match at the Oz Open, and was being interviewed on court. When he said, "Yes, I played very well...", and he did, the crowd started booing him. Then it hit me. There's a protocol the Aussies follow. When ever any of them won a title or big match and were interviewed after, they ALWAYS say something like "I recon I did alright today", or something very humble, as if they got lucky. But you hear every one say that, after awhile you realize it's an affectation. If they don't present themselves in that way, they get booed or worse, I recon.
While I was watching the video, I thought of Ann-Margaret. And, NO, that doesn't happen often. She's THE most boring movie star interview I've ever seen, which is saying a lot. When asked about this co-star, or that one, they're always so "great", and "wonderful". And everyone's always "so talented"; so, you KNOW she's lying. And, I get it. Entertainment: movies, sports is as much a popularity contest as an art form. Probably more so.
Still, I would've loved if one of these old duffers said something other than the protocol: "Rochie snored like a mule." "Newcombe drank like a fish." Even something that benign. I know, it's only an 11 minute video, but you know what I mean. They're STILL concened about how things LOOK. There had to have been a lot of jealousy because of the stiff competition. Like everywhere else there's favoritism, jealousy, anger. REAL emotion. Not the "aw shucks, I recon I got lucky, again." I like them. If they put the facade away, I'd like them more. Honesty is a rare, refreshing trait anywhere.
I remember a few years ago, before Joker became number one, he had just won an early round match at the Oz Open, and was being interviewed on court. When he said, "Yes, I played very well...", and he did, the crowd started booing him. Then it hit me. There's a protocol the Aussies follow. When ever any of them won a title or big match and were interviewed after, they ALWAYS say something like "I recon I did alright today", or something very humble, as if they got lucky. But you hear every one say that, after awhile you realize it's an affectation. If they don't present themselves in that way, they get booed or worse, I recon.
While I was watching the video, I thought of Ann-Margaret. And, NO, that doesn't happen often. She's THE most boring movie star interview I've ever seen, which is saying a lot. When asked about this co-star, or that one, they're always so "great", and "wonderful". And everyone's always "so talented"; so, you KNOW she's lying. And, I get it. Entertainment: movies, sports is as much a popularity contest as an art form. Probably more so.
Still, I would've loved if one of these old duffers said something other than the protocol: "Rochie snored like a mule." "Newcombe drank like a fish." Even something that benign. I know, it's only an 11 minute video, but you know what I mean. They're STILL concened about how things LOOK. There had to have been a lot of jealousy because of the stiff competition. Like everywhere else there's favoritism, jealousy, anger. REAL emotion. Not the "aw shucks, I recon I got lucky, again." I like them. If they put the facade away, I'd like them more. Honesty is a rare, refreshing trait anywhere.
Great video, thanks for post ing it! Rosewall is my all time favorite player. Rafter, Newcombe and Cash were favorites of mine too. Goolagong, along with Bueno, Turner-Bowery and Justine Henin are my all time female favorites. I am talking Favorites here, not all time greats. I saw Turner, Court, Goolagong and Bueno live. I was lucky to see the Court-Goolagong USO final, live at Forest Hills in 73, which was a great match.
suwanee4712
Professional
I don't think there will ever be another group of players again like these Aussies. Adventurous, resourceful, and the best sports. They each can show their own self pride in their own way without stepping all over others or each other. In fact, they revere their rivals. They know these are the people that pushed them and helped them to shape their careers and accomplishments. Something that the fans need to remember sometimes when debating this or that between two players.
SO TRUE! They are from another time of different values.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
Exactly.
And it's rather refreshing to see.
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