Pauline Betz
A dominant tennis champion of the 1940s with a ferocious forehand, whose amateur titles were stripped when she dared to consider turning professional.
1919–2011 (age 92)·American tennis player·Birthday: August 6·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Pauline Betz played tennis with a fierce, attacking style that seemed to announce a new era for the women's game. Nicknamed 'Poker Face' for her unreadable expression, she powered her way to the top of amateur tennis during the World War II years, capturing the U.S. Championships in 1942, 1943, and 1944. Her fluid, aggressive play, built around a devastating forehand, made her the world's top-ranked amateur. In 1946, she achieved a career Grand Slam by winning Wimbledon. Her downfall was a simple conversation. After asking a USLTA official about the possibility of playing professionally—a forbidden thought for an amateur—she was abruptly declared a 'professional' by the association and barred from defending her amateur titles. Undeterred, she joined the pro tour, barnstorming the country and facing other pioneers like Sarah Palfrey Cooke. Though her official amateur career was cut short, Betz’s legacy is that of a pure, powerful player who challenged the rigid amateur system and helped pave the way for the open era, all while compiling a record that places her among the sport's greats.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Pauline was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Pauline Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Pauline's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 70
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 80
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2011Died at 92
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
Key Achievements
- Won six Grand Slam singles titles, including the U.S. Championships four times (1942-44, 1946) and Wimbledon in 1946.
- Achieved a career Grand Slam by winning Wimbledon in 1946, having already won the U.S., French, and Australian titles.
- Was ranked World No. 1 in 1946.
- Won the U.S. Championships women's doubles title three times with different partners.
Did You Know?
She was a student at Rollins College and later graduated from UCLA.
After being banned from amateur tennis, she toured as a professional with fellow champion Bobby Riggs.
She later became a successful tennis coach at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club.
She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1965.
“My game was attack; I went to the net and took the point.”
