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Tennis great Don Budge dead at 84
Posted: Wednesday January 26, 2000 07:17 PM
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) -- Don Budge, who in 1938 swept all four major tennis tournaments to become the sport's first "Grand Slam" winner, died Wednesday of cardiac arrest. He was 84. Budge died at 2:04 p.m. EST at Mercy Hospital in Scranton, hospital spokeswoman Mary Leone said. Budge was injured Dec. 14 in northeastern Pennsylvania when he apparently lost control of the car he was driving and it went off the road. He had to be cut from the wreckage and was hospitalized in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., until Jan. 8, when he was transferred to a nursing home in Scranton. Budge had a complete game built around a whiplash backhand, which still is considered the best ever. He backed up a strong serve with power and accuracy off the ground and volleyed effectively.After reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 1936, Budge took five months off the following winter to change his game, taking the ball earlier and improving his forehand. In 1937, he won Wimbledon easily, then on July 20, 1937, met Von Cramm on the grass courts of the All-England Club. While in the dressing room before beginning the match, Von Cramm received a telephone call. As Budge listened, Von Cramm, an anti-Nazi, listened, then ended the call by saying politely, "Ja, mein Fuhrer." It was Adolph Hitler. By the time the two took the court, the best-of-5 competition was tied a two victories apiece. Budge triumphed 6-8, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 8-6, giving the United States the victory. "Don," Von Cramm said, "this was absolutely the finest match I have ever played in my life. I'm very happy that I could have played it against you, whom I like so much." Budge received the James E. Sullivan Trophy as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete in 1937 and was The Associated Press athlete of the year in 1938. After his 1938 Grand Slam, Budge turned pro and dominated in an era when professionals were not allowed to play tournaments, including the major championships. "I was the amateur champion for two years and then the pro champion for many years after that," Budge said. "There was no one who could beat me. Just think of how many more Wimbledons I could have won." Budge was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1964, and selected one of Tennis Magazine's 20 greatest players of the 20th century. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Wednesday. In addition to David Budge, he was survived by his second wife, Loriel Budge, and another son, Jeffrey Budge, an investment counselor in Boston.
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