Tony Trabert

Marion Anthony (Tony) Trabert (born August 16, 1930 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a retired American former World No. 1 tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker. In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, included Trabert in his list of the 21 greatest players of all time.

Career

Trabert was a stand-out athlete in Tennis and Basketball at the University of Cincinnati, and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. In 1951, he won the NCAA Championship Singles title. He played doubles with Bob Mault and was coached by George Menefee, who became the head trainer for the LA Rams. Trabert was also a starter on the basketball team. Previously, at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, he had been State Singles Champion three times and played guard on the 1948 basketball team that won the District Championship.

Trabert honed his tennis skills on the courts of the Cincinnati Tennis Club with the help of another member of that club, fellow International Tennis Hall of Famer Billy Talbert. Talbert became Trabert's mentor. In 1951, Trabert posted his first win over Talbert in the final of Cincinnati's international tennis tournament (now known as the Cincinnati Masters). Both were enshrined into the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002 and Barry MacKay was enshrined in 2003.