Bill Tilden
A dominant and controversial force who revolutionized tennis with his power and showmanship, becoming America's first international tennis star.
1893–1953 (age 60)·American tennis player·Birthday: February 10·The Lost Generation
Biography
Big Bill Tilden didn't just play tennis; he commanded it. In the post-World War I era, he almost single-handedly turned the sport into a major American spectacle, combining a thunderous serve, a tactical genius, and a flamboyant personality that captivated crowds. For six straight years, he was unbeatable, piling up Wimbledon and U.S. Championship titles and leading the U.S. to seven consecutive Davis Cup victories. Tilden was an innovator, popularizing the heavy topspin and a serve-and-volley aggression that moved the game beyond its genteel roots. His later life was marred by personal scandal and legal troubles, a tragic contrast to his on-court majesty. Despite this, his athletic impact was indelible; he was the standard against whom all future American champions were measured, a complex titan who defined an era of the sport.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Bill was born in 1893, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1893
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1893Born
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Started school
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1906Became a teenager
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could drive
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1911Could vote
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1914Turned 21
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 30
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 40
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 50
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 60
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
Key Achievements
- Won ten Grand Slam singles titles, including three at Wimbledon (1920, 1921, 1930) and seven U.S. Championships.
- Led the United States to seven consecutive Davis Cup victories from 1920 to 1926.
- Was ranked world No. 1 for six consecutive years from 1920 through 1925.
- Became the first American man to win the Wimbledon singles title in 1920.
Did You Know?
He wrote several books on tennis technique and also authored plays and novels.
He turned professional in 1930 at age 37, leading lucrative exhibition tours.
He won his last major title, the U.S. Pro Championships, in 1935 at the age of 42.
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1959.
“Never change a winning game; always change a losing one.”
