Roscoe Tanner
His thunderous left-handed serve, one of the fastest of his era, powered him to become a top-five player and a Wimbledon finalist.
Born 1951 (age 75)·American tennis player·Birthday: October 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
In the 1970s, Roscoe Tanner brought a weapon to the tennis court that felt almost futuristic: a serve of pure, unadulterated power. The left-hander from Tennessee had a motion that was a model of explosive efficiency, launching balls that regularly clocked over 130 mph, a staggering speed for the wood and early graphite racket era. This cannon of an arm propelled him to the upper echelons of the game, peaking at World No. 4 in 1979. That year was his zenith, culminating in a run to the Wimbledon final. There, on the sport's most hallowed grass, his serve met its match in the legendary Björn Borg, who weathered the storm to win in a tense five-set classic. Tanner's game was more than just a serve; he possessed a sharp volley and a potent forehand, making him a constant threat. While a major singles title ultimately eluded him, his role in the 1981 U.S. Davis Cup victory was a career highlight, and his name remains synonymous with one of the most formidable serves in tennis history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Roscoe was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Roscoe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Roscoe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
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
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
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
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the men's singles final at Wimbledon in 1979, losing a five-set thriller to Björn Borg.
- Achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 4 in July 1979.
- Won the 1981 Australian Open doubles title partnering with compatriot Dick Stockton.
- Was a key member of the United States team that won the Davis Cup in 1981.
Did You Know?
Tanner's serve was officially measured at 153 mph in 1978 during a tournament in Palm Springs, though this pre-dated the ATP's official radar gun records.
He famously used a steel-framed racket, the Wilson T2000, early in his career, the same model favored by Jimmy Connors.
After his playing career, he faced significant legal troubles and spent time in prison for passing bad checks.
He defeated top-seeded Björn Borg in the quarterfinals of the 1979 U.S. Open, one of Borg's rare losses that year.
“My serve was a weapon, and I went to the net to finish the point.”
