A young Suzanne Lenglen became a pre-war national sensation at age 15 when she reached the 1914 French Championships in her first appearance in the event and then won the World Hard Court (Clay) Championships in Paris shortly thereafter, but her father Charles' determination that she was not yet ready to face off with the more mature and hard-hitting veterans (namely soon-to-be seven-time champion Dorothea Lambert Chambers) at Wimbledon that summer meant, once Europe was engulfed in World War I by the end of August, that his daughter's true ascendency to stardom would be put on hold for five long years.
At the conclusion of the sport's hiatus, the 1919 Wimbledon would turn out to be the first major tennis championship held on the continent since the start of the war. The stage was set, and the wait for the official arrival of France's tennis prodigy was finally over.
The women's final -- a match-up of Chambers, representing a version of "Edwardian tennis" marked by convention and the "old rules" vs. Lenglen, who existed on the leading edge of change in both society and athletics -- would eventually serve as a line of demarcation for what came *before* and *after*.
Wimbledon, tennis and women's sports would never be the same.
Image is Everything (icon, fashion, image)
The Goddess Does New York (1921 U.S. vs. Mallory)
All Things Small and Great (childhood)
[1] - from The Goddess and the American Girl, by Larry Engelmann. 1988
[2] - from "The Lady In The White Silk Dress, by Sara Pileggi; Sports Illustrated September 13, 1982
[3] - from Memory's Parade (1932), by Arthur Wallis Myers (his article in Daily Telegraph July 7, 1919)
[4] - from Myths and Milestones in the History of Sport; edited by Stephen Wagg, 2011
[5] - from The Bud Collins History of Tennis; 2nd edition, 2008
Already the subject of fabled tales of her talent and exploits that had begun before World War I, the now 20-year old Suzanne Lenglen was the talk of the event before she'd ever hit her first ball at the All-England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club at Wimbledon.
The return of grand slam tennis to the European continent after a four-year absence only heightened the level of suspense surrounding Suzanne's debut on the lawns. For the first time in tournament history, spectators were turned away at the gates. (There was) "a phenomenal interest in her play and in her personality. It did not seem to matter against whom she played or where, it was all the same to the crowd." [1]
In the spirit of the legend of La Divine -- The Goddess -- that lives on today, it's not unexpected that most of young Suzanne's matches were placed on Centre Court, but perhaps lesser known is that in her first trip to London she wasn't quite yet the fashion trendsetter and social more-busting figure that she'd soon become. In her debut Wimbledon, Lenglen was mostly dressed similarly to the other women's competitors, sporting a mid-calf length cotton skirt, short-sleeved blouse and small wide-brimmed bonnet. She did surprise a few spectators by not wearing a corset or the sort of thick undergarments common for the era, but it was less how she *looked* than her mere presence -- her innate charisma -- that brought a sense of glamour to the occasion.
As would later come to be the case with other young female tennis prodigies, from the likes of Richard Williams to Cori Gauff in recent decades, part of "the show" was the eye-catching courtside actions of a parent. In this case, Papa (Charles) Lenglen. In a role he'd fill throughout Suzanne's career (until ill health prevented it), Charles was often seen directing his daughter's actions from the sideline, be it via hand signals or otherwise. She'd often look to him for mouthed words and gestures that helped her gain a tactical edge between the lines. The "sideshow" was often distracting to others, but Charles was never told to stop.
The rest was up to Suzanne, and her rise to power was perfectly timed to coincide with France's desperate need for a new hero.
At the conclusion of the Great War, France was suffering from what was considered a lack of good music and art. The nation was amidst a financial crisis, and an influx of U.S. tourists -- "parasites" -- due to a favorable exchange rate only caused a further depressive dip in national pride.
"When Lenglen went onto the court... the glamour show was over. Her smiling mask was set aside and the tense, drawn and at times haggard face of a driven, sleepless, unrelenting perfectionist was revealed, a face that looked decades older than the lithe, graceful body below it. Lenglen's face was not her fortune, but it told the story of her brief but brilliant life." [2]
While defending champ (from 1915) Dorothea Lambert Chambers, now 40, waited in the Challenge Round (final), the forty-two other women's competitors face off in the All-Comers competition for the right to play for the 1919 title. Lenglen worked her way through six matches against players (five Brits and one U.S. woman) who essentially didn't know exactly what to expect from the young French woman.
Playing in her first career grass court competition, she did not lose a set.
Suzanne dropped just one game to Annie Cobb, three to Ethel Larcombe, and one each to Doris Craddock and Kitty McKane, the latter of which who'd go on to win Wimbledon twice in 1924 and '26. At that point, U.S. star Elizabeth Ryan, who lived in England, was all that stood between Lenglen and what would be a berth in the preliminary final against Phyllis Satterthwaite for the opportunity to face Chambers.
After Lenglen led 6-4/5-2, Ryan saved two match points and knotted the 2nd set at 5-5, 30/30 before an hour-long rain delay. While spectators wondered whether the prodigy was indeed beatable after all, Charles inserted himself into the equation. Offering his patented blend of encouragement, analysis and threat, he returned his wavering daughter's mindset to its default "champion setting." She returned with her game back in order and finished off Ryan for a 6-4/7-5 victory.
A 6-1/6-1 win over Satterthwaite in the All-Comers final set up the hoped for clash with Chambers, whose defeat of a 15-year old Suzanne in early '14 possibly played a large part in Papa Lenglen's decision to delay his daughter's pre-war Wimbledon debut in '14.
After becoming a maiden Wimbledon champ in 1903 by winning a three-setter over Ethel Thomson, Chambers would claim her other six title-winning finals in straights sets fashion, dropping a total of twenty-nine games in the matches. In 1911, Chambers won the women's crown with a 6-0/6-0 victory over Dora Boothby, making her the first player to win a slam singles final without losing a game.
Like so many top players of the era, Chambers wrote a manual on playing the sport, entitled Lawn Tennis for Ladies. The book was published in 1910 and contained photographs of tennis techniques, and contained advice for female players on attire, etiquette and equipment. In the text, Chambers rejected women as the "weaker" sex, calling a true woman "a helpmeet" (a helpful companion or partner) to a man. She encouraged young women to play tennis, to practice, and to learn the strength and weaknesses of one's opponent. She instructed female players to dress in a "business-like" way, with a skirt five inches from the ground, a gymnasium shoe (not a dress shoe or boot) and no hat. Chambers doubted the suitability of the overhead serve, judging the strain of the shot to be "too severe for the average girl."
As it was, the stark difference between finalists Chambers and Lenglen was far greater than just their two decade age difference.
Not only was the visual image of the seven-time champion in her ankle length Edwardian skirt, tie, shirt fastened at the neck and wrists, and unseen corset, a startlingly different one from that of the more "free-flowing" Lenglen, but the match-up of classic baseliner against a balletic volleyer took things to an additional kinetic level in terms of the clashing of tennis sensibilities and eras. Chambers served underhanded, while Lenglen's overhead motion went directly against her opponent's previous advice.
While Lenglen had played six matches in order to reach the championship match, Chambers had rested and waited for her opponent to be determined. The set-up effectively erased the benefit of endurance that the barely-out-of-her-teens Lenglen may have gained from her comparative youth.
Before more than 8000 spectators gathered in perfect weather, Chambers and Lenglen combined to produce what is still regarded as one of the greatest slam finals ever played, setting a new standard for the women's game. Said Arthur Wallis Myers, considered the leading tennis journalist of the first half of the 20th century, "It was a day for scientific accuracy and for exploiting the highest and most difficult arts of the game; and that is what we got - not for intermittent periods as so often happens, and has happened frequently in this first post-war championship, but all through, from the first ball to the last." [3]
Added Wallis Myers, "The greatest ladies' challenge round match in the history of lawn tennis! After twenty years' experience of the game in many countries and amid many vicissitudes, the historian has need for circumspection, but one may safely declare that the match between Mrs. Lambert Chambers and Mlle. Lenglen on the Centre Court today has never been equaled in the high quality of its play, the sustained uncertainty of its issue, and the tense excitement of its finish. The circumstances surrounding this contest were unique; so were the attendant attributes. On the one hand was a British player who had won the blue riband of the lawn on seven occasions, and had not been beaten at Wimbledon for eleven years - a lady who, if she had retained her title today, would have retired from singles with a record superior to that of Willie Renshaw on the men's side; on the other hand, a young French girl, born in the devastated province of Picardy, who had brought her racket across the Channel for the first time, and who was playing on a surface and before a crowd foreign to her nature, and perhaps inimical to her training." [3]
KING GEORGE V and QUEEN MARY, arriving at AELTC in 1919
As would soon become common, many of the world's most famous people were not immune to the "cult of La Divine," as even King George V and Queen Mary, along with Princess Mary, looked on from the Royal Box.
Continued Wallis Myers, "The King, who was in civilian dress, raised his brown bowler hat repeatedly in response, while the Queen (wearing cornflower blue) and Princess Mary (in a white coat and skirt with a toque in blue) smiled their acknowledgements with obvious pleasure. No spectators in the vast throng watched the ladies' match with keener zest or closer attention. During its tense stages, when the issue hung on a single stroke, the King and Princess Mary by his side did not attempt to conceal their excitement. His Majesty, who had removed his hat, leaned eagerly forward in his seat, applauding heartily at the end of every long rally - impartially, it goes without saying. That he enjoyed the experience and was amazed at the skill and endurance of both ladies was evidenced not only by what he said afterwards, but by his exclamations during the contest." [3]
"When they left, after a stay of over an hour and a half, the King, Queen and the Princess - escorted to their car by Mr H. Wilson Fox, M.P. (President of the Club), and Commander Hillyard - were given another popular reception. I may add that at the conclusion of this match His Majesty expressed a desire to congratulate both the winner and the loser on their splendid and courageous fight. A message was sent to the dressing room, to which the exhausted rivals had repaired, but it was understood neither was then in a condition to reappear - and after what both had gone through one is not in the least surprised." [3]
The match opened ominously for the newcomer, as a tentative Lenglen dropped serve at love in game #1.
"If [Lenglen] had expected shorter-length returns, hit with less speed and confidence - such as some of her opponents in former rounds had given her - she was instantly disillusioned, and the revelation shook her twenty-year mind a little," wrote Wallis Myers. "For this was Mrs. Lambert Chambers at her very best, a best that she had not shown before this season, a best that would obviously require extraordinary skill and morale to combat." [3]
Lenglen won the next three games to put a smile on her face. But Chambers surged back as the young, and perhaps overconfident, Frenchwoman began to make a series of unwise net rushes behind weak approach shots, setting up the Brit to deliver many of her patented passing shots. Chambers, tactically employing a series of drop shots to keep her opponent off balance, broke to put the set back on serve, but Lenglen carved out a set point on Chambers' serve at 5-3. It was unconverted, and the defending champ then proceeded to break the 20-year old, once more rushing and approaching the net without a well thought out plan, and hold to knot the score at 5-5.
"For the first time, Mlle. Lenglen seemed doubtful about the wisest tactics," wrote Wallis Myers. "That she came up on a weak second service in the eleventh game and lost the game thereby was evidence of her indecision. She was passed easily, and Mrs. Lambert Chambers led 6-5. Long and remarkably confident rests [rallies] (no male competitor in the championship placed so shrewdly) characterized the twelfth game. At last Mrs. Lambert Chambers got to within an ace [single point] of the set; the coolest person on the ground was Mlle. Lenglen. Twice the French girl, taking the attacking risks, saved the game. Each was making shots which in any other match but this must have scored; the retrieving was really wonderful." [3]
After having saved the two SP a game earlier, Lenglen then held for a 7-6 lead. But after exchanging words with Mama Lenglen between games #13 and #14 she seemed to lose her concentration. Chambers held the next game at love, followed by a Lenglen hold to lead 8-7. It was then that the would-be star put on her final push, and ultimately broke the Brit's serve to take the 1st set at 10-8.
It was Chambers' first lost set at Wimbledon since 1908.
Reported Wallis Myers, "...in the eighteenth game the end came. A delightful incident, typical of the French girl's gaiety, marked this crisis. Mrs. Lambert Chambers had served a ball in the corner, which beat Mlle. Lenglen outright. A portion of the crowd disagreed with the umpire's verdict; they shouted 'fault'. When she tripped over to their side, Mlle. Lenglen brought these unruly critics to instant silence by a gesture of disapproval and an announcement that the service was quite good. A moment later she won the set at 10-8 with a perfect drop-volley." [3]
But there was a reason that Chambers was a seven-time Wimbledon champ, and she showed as much in the 2nd set.
Firing hard and accurate shots, Chambers took control of the action. Lenglen uncharacteristically stayed on the baseline and lost the groundstroke battle, and double-faulted several times. She shot unhappy glances to Papa after each point pushed the set more and more in Chambers' favor. Charles glared back, and constantly muttered under his breath in a low voice while he pounded his umbrella against the ground after each lost point. Chambers took a 4-1 lead.
Future champ McKane, an eyewitness to the match, later wrote: "It was very hot afternoon, and I think Suzanne wanted to quit when she was behind, 4-1, in the 2nd set. But her father would have none of it, shaking his umbrella furiously at her."
After the fifth game, Lenglen managed a rally after Papa had tossed a small vial onto the edge of the court. Suzanne had retrieved the vial and sipped from it. Reporters were told it was a sugar solution, but Charles and Mama Anaïs later said that it contained their daughter's "special stimulant" -- ice and sugared cognac.
Noted Wallis Myers, "Little Suzanne was obviously in distress for the first time, and she showed it by signalling to her distracted parents. Presumably they had the remedy at hand, for a tiny bottle was thrown to the court. I was told afterwards it contained sugar. Whatever the stimulant, its effect was quickly beneficial. Mlle. Lenglen was soon volleying again with supreme confidence; she made a splendid bid for the squared set, and, after a prodigious eighth game, reached it at 4-4. But Mrs. Lambert Chambers was not to be denied the fruits of her consistently sound baseline campaign, of which her backhand recoveries were the feature. She went out, to great cheering, at 6-4. One set-all." [3]
In the deciding 3rd set, La Divine was effectively born.
The set began with an exhausted Lenglen, and a reinvigorated Chambers. Suzanne requested and was given more cognac. She asked a linesman to use his chair for a moment (the changeover areas didn't include them), then stayed there past the time limit between sets and had to be called back to the court to continue the match by Chambers.
"She rose slowly and painfully, as though she had to lift a large weight with her shoulders. Then she walked to the baseline to continue this ordeal, head down, with all the enthusiasm of a woman on her way to the gallows." [1]
Lenglen emerged as a "new" woman, taking a 4-1 lead. Her play then dipped again, and once more Chambers took advantage, winning four straight games to take a 5-4 lead. Lenglen struggled to knot the score a game later. "The crowd was now worked up to a pitch of the tensest excitement, and the umpire had to call for silence during the rallies," Wallis Myers recounted. "You could almost have heard a pin drop on the turf while the ball was speeding backwards and forwards... while eyes were glued on the players." [3]
Chambers soon found herself at double match point at 6-5, 40/15. On MP #1, Lenglen came in to the net behind a deep approach shot, with Chambers positioned well beyond the baseline. The Brit fired back an angled crosscourt pass that seemed destined to end the match, but Lenglen lunged at the ball and blocked its flight with the tip of the frame of her wooden racket. The ball plopped back over the net and died in the short court.
On MP #2, Lenglen's backhand winner down the line (a shot that once bedeviled her before Papa had made her practice it for hours on end until she'd perfected the stroke) prevented Chambers from securing Wimbledon crown #8 once again. Lenglen won a grueling rally to get the game back to deuce, then won it to tie the score at 6-6.
Wrote McKane, "[Suzanne] was unstoppable after that."
Feeling the turn in momentum, Lenglen pressured Chambers with deep, penetrating groundstrokes that pushed the defending champ behind the baseline. The 20-year old, prancing around the court from baseline to net, took a 7-6 lead. Moments later, Lenglen closed out the match with a love game to win 10-8/4-6/9-7. The forty-four games were the most ever played in a women's slam final, a record that stood for fifty-one years (until Margaret Court defeated Billie Jean King 14-12/11-9 in the '70 Wimbledon final).
"As soon as she was sure of her championship, won under such desperate conditions, Mlle. Lenglen swept off her soft white hat and rushed forward with streaming locks, to shake hands with her opponent. It was her great moment of triumph, and she may be pardoned exultation. Kissed on the court by one of her countrymen [Max Decugis], she was overwhelmed by her parents when she emerged, pressed on all sides, through the corridor. I have witnessed [Charles] Lenglen's devotion for several years - it is sometimes embarrassing to tournament executives - but his joy on this occasion was ecstatic. The deliverance of France's lost provinces did not produce stronger emotion than the deliverance of Suzanne from what looked like certain defeat. I heard nothing but praise for Mrs. Lambert Chambers' splendid and heroic defence. On the whole, I think she had a little the worst of the luck; but on a day when both ladies were so obviously at the top of their form luck must come in somewhere." [3]
"The new queen of tennis was crowned and the tone of her long reign set when, after the match, she received congratulations while in her bath." [2]
Chambers, even in defeat, said that she'd never played better tennis. Later, the Brit confided to famed tennis fashion designer, spy and author Ted Tinling that the loss, while also rewarding, was a tragedy for herself, as she'd come so close to title #8, but also a tragedy for Suzanne because the victory brought with it a taste of invincibility "and a subsequent compulsion for it, which brought endless sacrifices and unnatural unhappiness, out of all proportion to the rewards of her fame."
With the ascension of 20-year old Suzanne to the top of the tennis world, with shades of R.Williams' comments nearly eight decades later about the eventual rise of daughters Venus and Serena, no one could now doubt Charles Lenglen's assertions of his daughter's future greatness and champion's mindset. She had won *and* shown courage in a comeback.
"He said that Suzanne would win, and he said she was courageous, and he said she was the greatest tennis player in the world. Now the world knew it." [1]
As Wimbledon's first non-English speaking champion, Suzanne, according to Wallis Myers, proved to the world that, in the devastating wake of the war, "France possessed the will to conquer."
The embodiment of that will was indeed The Goddess herself.
She would radiate "unparalleled imperiousness and was the dazzling cynosure of whatever domain she occupied at a given moment. Every European nation saw evidence of her majesty and appeal. She was greeted everywhere by masses of awed and adoring fans. She traveled exclusively by chauffeured limousine or private rail car. ...What she wore set the style for women throughout the Western world. What she said, did, ate, how she felt, and where she lived were all reported in painstaking and adoring detail in the newspaper. She was the best known and most admired woman in Europe -- perhaps in the world. To see her was the rage. to speak with her -- the exchange of only a word -- set one apart. To France she was a national heroine, as great as Joan of Arc. And when people spoke of her, more often than not they used one of her mythic appellations rather than her name. She was 'La Belle Suzanne,' 'Notre Gracieuse Championne,' 'The Maid Marvel,' 'The Little Sorceress,' and 'The Queen.' But the deific reference to Suzanne as 'The Goddess' perhaps best expressed the feelings of France." [1]
"A star was born at Wimbledon in 1919, and it was obvious that the sponsors of the prestigious competition had a show-business bonanza on their hands. Never before had there been such crowds at the All-England Club. Never before had there been such enthusiasm and excitement. There was a tennis revolution on the horizon. A revolution for woman in sports was under way. In the past there had been toleration of the women on the Centre Court. No longer. Now they were welcome." [1]
Lenglen's title run at just age 20, though delayed for several years because of the war, established a women's tennis template that continues to this day, as her groundbreaking path toward dominance of the sport at a young age would later be followed by phenoms such as Maureen Connolly, Tracy Austin, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis and more before the 20th century was complete, while recent title runs by a new generation of women's stars have already proven that the trend will likely continue well into the 21st, as well.
From her Wimbledon title forward, "Lenglen had everything - fame, adulation and all the trappings, if not the substance, of wealth. The city of Nice provided the Lenglens a large, comfortable house, the Villa Ariem, just across the street from the entrance to the tennis club. Her clothes were designed by [Jean] Patou, the celebrated Parisian couturier. Her friends were beautiful or rich or titled or all three; her lovers were legion if not always suitable. Before she was 22 she had already broken off an affair with the French tennis player Pierre Albarran, a married man. Her mother, a dumpy little woman whom Suzanne sometimes called 'ma poule' was her daughter's sympathetic chaperon. Tinling, who as a youth of 14 and 15 had umpired many of Lenglen's matches on the Riviera, recalls Anaïs and Charles Lenglen seated below him, wrapped in rugs against the chill, arguing loudly and reproving their daughter for her slightest errors." [2]
A press darling, Suzanne's triumph and new-found fame fueled her self-confidence and allowed her to spread her wings. In 1920, after winning three titles at Saint-Cloud, as well as her first French Championships (with a 6-1/7-5 win over Marguerite Broquedis, the same countrywoman who'd defeated her in the last Frech final contested in 1914), she returned to London to defend her crown. Now transformed, largely at the direction of Papa, she was no longer the "little girl" of 1919.
"If Suzanne was really a goddess, he believed, then she must dress and act the part." [1]
Patou dressed Lenglen what would become her signature look: bandeau of bright silk on her forehead, fastened in front by a large diamond pin. Short pleated silk skirt cut just below her knees, shockingly short for the day. Silk stockings rolled just above the knee. One or two light pastel sweaters color coordinated with her bandeau. Stylish and functional, as Patou (and Papa) had new ideas about women's fashion, and in particular women's fashion in sports.
In her new outfit, Suzanne was able to leap, dance and whirl her way to victory on the court while, off it, she dressed in an oversized coat of white ermine or mink (it was Papa's way to denote her "royalty), no matter the temperature. By now she was also playing in full make-up (a first in the sport), and often wore a gold bracelet above her left elbow (as Bianca Andreescu did during her star-making turn nearly a full century later in an apparently accidental homage to La Divine).
Not everyone approved, as U.S. men's star Bill Tilden's notorious misogyny and jealousy over Lenglen stealing his spotlight would turn out to be to a running tête-à-tête throughout her career. Naturally, Tilden loathed Suzanne's "new look," commenting that "she wore a white fur cape over her white tennis costume and around her head a crimson band so flaming that I earnestly hoped no bull was in the neighborhood."
But the accoutrements served their intended purpose.
"Now, from the moment she made an appearance anywhere, Lenglen became the center of attraction, the radiant sun around which all other bodies semed to orbit." [1]
For the first time, sport and show business combined. Sometimes literally.
Before the 1920 Wimbledon, Lenglen had agreed to write a column for London's Daily Sketch, which came up with a then novel way to promote their new hire alongside "America's Sweetheart," actress Mary Pickford.
"Lenglen's celebrity, founded on the excitement she had engendered in Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo among the Riviera tennis set and enhanced by her dynamism and lack of inhibition on Wimbledon's Centre Court, had grown steadily from 1919. By then her level of recognition had reached the point where sections of the popular British press felt able to abandon her surname, just as they did for film stars. In the 1920 the American actress Mary Pickford visited Wimbledon on honeymoon with Douglas Fairbanks. The press arranged for Lenglen and Pickford to kiss, the Daily Sketch rewarding them with the front page headline MARY KISSES SUZANNE. (The Sketch was, of course, promoting Lenglen, their columnist. The Daily Mirror had the kiss on page 9.)" [4]
As the defending Wimbledon champ, Lenglen didn't waste time when it came to flexing her influential muscles for her own benefit.
The French tennis federation wanted Lenglen to play mixed doubles with a French man, but she wished to play with Australian Gerald Patterson. When the FFT threatened to not pay the expenses for Suzanne's trip to London, the Lenglens financed their own travels. With that, the MX duo for Wimbledon was that of Lenglen & Patterson.
They won the title, too. In fact, Lenglen swept all three titles at the event for the first time, claiming the singles again and taking the doubles with Ryan.
The singles final saw Lenglen face off with Chambers in a rematch of the '19 Challenge Round championship match. For just the second time (after '13) since her '11 win, Chambers was forced into the All-Comers tournament. She fared well, defeating the likes of Ryan (two-time Wimbledon finalist), Molla Mallory (one final) and Winifred McNair (one) en route, but was not fresh for what would be her final attempt -- as the oldest-ever women's slam singles finalist at age 41 -- to win her eighth career women's title at the All-England Club.
A year after their epic three-set clash, Lenglen successfully defended her title with a 6-3/6-0 victory. After a close start, with the two tied at 2-2 in the 1st set, Lenglen won ten of the final eleven games.
Chambers wouldn't reach another Wimbledon women's final, and while she played singles sporadically after 1921 (reaching the '25 QF at the U.S. National Championships at age 46) she in fact never appeared in another singles draw at the AELTC. She continued to play doubles until '27, though, before turning to coaching the following year. Chambers was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1981, twenty-one years after her death in Kensington, England at age 81 in 1960.
Later in 1920, calling herself "The Great Lenglen," Suzanne went to Antwerp and won three medals, Golds in singles (winning 60 of 64 games) and mixed, as well as doubles Bronze.
[1]Her magnetism and invincibility made the original Wimbledon too small, leading to the construction of the "new" (present) complex in 1922. That year, Lenglen agreed to forego the Challenge Round setup and enter the main draw, effectively ending the long-time practice of the defending champion awaiting a challenger in the final the following year. Playing six matches, she won the women's title again, and would eventually extend her reign to five straight titles in '23 then, after missing the '24 event due to poor health, claimed a sixth championship in 1925.
A hero in France, a champion in England, and a star around the globe, Lenglen spent most of the 1920's as a focus of the sporting world, and at all other times the center of attention wherever she roamed.
"It was called 'The Golden Age of Sport -- hyperbolic, probably, considering the purple language of the sports pages of the past, although there was some truth to it. Sport came on strong in the 'Roaring Twenties' as never before, held high by such highly-publicized stars as Babe Ruth in baseball, Jack Dempsey in boxing, Red Grange in football, Bobby Jones in golf, Man o' War in horse racing. Tennis was right up there, too, with players whose names had a broad public impact: Big Bill Tilden, Suzanne Lenglen, Helen Wills Moody, the Gallic 'Four Muskateers -- Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon, Henri Cochet and Rene Lacoste. World War I was over, the trenches were silent and a prosperous period, with more leisure, seemed ripe for games-playing heroes and heroines who could be colored gold." [5]
More glamorously than them all, The Goddess sat atop such a world.
Papa had once told Suzanne that, "Of glory and the price, the higher up the scale you go, the harder your work becomes, the more difficult for you to retain your place. When you are champion, you have become the legitimate prey for those beneath you. Your weakness will be grossly exaggerated. The hour of your failure may be eagerly looked forward to. The slightest variation in your play will be interpreted as a signal of your decline. Do not permit yourself to be carried away by congratulations or flatteries or eulogies. Receive calmly the applause of the public. They will undoubtedly forget you on the morrow. All this is ephemeral. When the day comes that you will go down to defeat, you will taste the bitterness of your own disillusionment, but glory is often worth the price one pays. [1]
In 1926, Papa's words would once again prove prophetic, as the walls of Suzanne's tennis fiefdom began to close in around her.
=SINGLES=
1903 def. Ethel Thomson/IRL 4–6,6–4,6–2
1904 def. Charlotte Cooper Sterry/GBR 6–0,6–3
1905 lost to May Sutton/USA 3–6,4–6
1906 def. May Sutton/USA 6–3,9–7
1907 lost to May Sutton/USA 1–6,4–6
1910 def. Dora Boothby/GBR 6–2,6–2
1911 def. Dora Boothby/GBR 6–0,6–0
1913 def. Winifred McNair/GBR 6–0,6–4
1914 def. Ethel Thomson Larcombe/GBR 7–5,6–4
1919 lost to Suzanne Lenglen/FRA 8–10,6–4,7–9
1920 lost to Suzanne Lenglen/FRA 3–6,0–6
=DOUBLES=
1913 (w/ Charlotte Cooper Sterry/GBR) lost to D.Boothby/W.McNair, GBR/GBR 6–4,4–2,ret.
1919 (w/ Ethel Thomson Larcombe/GBR) lost to S.Lenglen/E.Ryan, FRA/USA 6–4,5–7,3–6
1920 (w/ Ethel Thomson Larcombe/GBR) lost to S.Lenglen/E.Ryan, FRA/USA 4–6,0–6
=MIXED=
1919 (w/ Albertem Prebble/GBR) lost to E.Ryan/R.Lycett, USA/USA 0–6,0–6
*UTR PRO SERIES FINALS (AUS)*
Sydney: Ellen Perez d. Alexandra Bozovic
Melbourne: Destanee Aiava d. Storm Sanders
Brisbane: Maddison Inglis d. Lizette Cabrera
Adelaide: [July 5-8]
Perth: [July 7-10]
*USTA NATIONAL CLAY COURT CHSP. 18s WINNERS*
1967 Linda Tuero
1968 Linda Tuero
1969 Kristien Kemmer
1970 Sue Stap
1971 Sue Stap
1972 Robin Tenney
1973 Kathy May
1974 Barbara Jordan
1975 Sheila McInerney
1976 Lea Antonoplis
1977 Linda Siegel
1978 Tracy Austin
1979 Andrea Jaeger
1980 Kathleen Horvath
1981 Gretchen Rush
1982 Beth Herr
1983 Ginny Purdy
1984 Stephanie Rehe
1985 Lanae Renschler
1986 Amy Frazier
1987 Ann Grossman
1988 Jennifer Capriati
1989 Kristin Osmond
1990 Stacy Sheppard
1991 Lindsay Davenport
1992 Meilen Tu
1993 Stephanie Nickitas
1994 Lilia Osterloh
1995 Lilia Osterloh
1996 Keiko Tokuda
1997 Jacqueline Trail
1998 Jenny Hopkins
1999 Tanner Cochran
2000 Cory Ann Avants
2001 Carly Gullickson
2002 Alexandra Podkolzina
2003 Audra Cohen
2004 Jennifer Stevens
2005 Jamie Hampton
2006 Mallory Burdette
2007 Courtney Clayton
2008 Lauren Embree
2009 Krista Hardebeck
2010 Caroline Price
2011 Gabrielle Andrews
2012 Danielle Collins
2013 Chloe Ouellet-Pizer
2014 Katerina Stewart
2015 Ellyse Hamlin
2016 Ann Li
2017 Katie Volynets
2018 Emma Navarro
2019 Gabriella Price
2020 Amelia Honer
UTR Pro Match (Fla.): Alison Riske (in F), D.Collins/A.Tomljanovic (SF rained out), A.Anisimova (3rd/4th)
President's Cup (CZE): Petra Kvitova
Mima Jausovec Cup (SLO): [Team East - w/m]
UTF Invitational (UKR): Marta Kostyuk
LiveScore Cup (CZE): Karolina Pliskova
Tipsport Charity Cup (CZE): Black Team def. Pink Team
Black Team: Bartunkova,Martinec,Muchova,Ka.Pliskova,Kr.Pliskova,Vondrousova
Credit One Bank Invitational (Charleston): Team Peace def. Team Kindness
Team Peace: Bouchard, Brady(MVP), Dolehide, Kenin, Keys(Captain), Mattek-Sands, Navarro, Tomljanovic
German Ladies Series (GER): Laura Siegemund
Elle Spirit Open (SUI): Iga Swiatek
.@destaneeaiava is the #UTRProTennisSeries champion in Melbourne, a 6-1 7-6(9) victor over Storm Sanders in today's final @MyUTR pic.twitter.com/xzTkkuNY3s
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 2, 2020
Maddison Inglis wins the #UTRProTennisSeries in Brisbane, defeating Lizette Cabrera 6-4 1-6 [11-9] @MyUTR pic.twitter.com/dM8PJAETBz
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 2, 2020
Congratulations to #teampeace who took home the #creditonebankinvitational title! pic.twitter.com/VEMdogj6fy
— Volvo Car Open (@VolvoCarOpen) June 29, 2020
Megargee, Frosch Win Titles at 16s American Clay Court Nationals; UTR One-Day Tournaments Set for National Campus; Eight Top WTA Players Begin Play Friday at Young Kings Scholarship Exhibition in Kentucky:https://t.co/mn50VuO4oD pic.twitter.com/I0VdqxZ42T
— Colette Lewis (@zootennis) July 3, 2020
Top seed doing top seed things! @laurasiegemund continues her flawless run at the German Ladies Series presented by Porsche.
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) July 4, 2020
She won all her matches during the second-week group stage, dropping only a single set in her last match on Friday. pic.twitter.com/kgNv1UITLZ
Catch! You know you’re a tennis player in Corona times when the winners bouquet is thrown at you instead of handed over ?? pic.twitter.com/tkWYAWANyY
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) July 4, 2020
There are just no words. ??????
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) July 1, 2020
Watch @HubertHurkacz make the tweener of the year. pic.twitter.com/lxxXZclDC0
Talk about being on the wrong side of history here.... https://t.co/WAVXykBgD2
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) June 30, 2020
Rats? For holding someone accountable? Strange way to think of it champion, I’m just looking out for people. WHEN my family and families all over the world have respectfully done the right thing. And you have a goose waving his arms around, imma say something.
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) June 30, 2020
Probably explains why Tiafoe was struggling so much in the heat as he beat Querrey yesterday: “I haven’t been feeling the best the last couple of days.” pic.twitter.com/u2K1vFbjO8
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) July 4, 2020
Now would be a great time to RIP this tweet for good... https://t.co/qMUfToCea4
— Sachia Vickery (@SachiaVick) July 4, 2020
So far, from what I can gather, female tennis players have conducted themselves in an admirable manner in these trying times of crisis, amirite.
— Andrea Petkovic (@andreapetkovic) June 30, 2020
This format may have a future! https://t.co/UaGUkAM0vo
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) June 30, 2020
They say you can't keep a good man, or a good dog, down.
In 2020, while Joey Chestnut *can* indeed keep more than six dozen hot dogs and buns consumed in ten minutes down, you can't keep the greatest eater of our life and times -- nor the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest -- off the July 4th menu.
Not even in the middle of a pandemic.
While this year's usually-just-off-the-boardwalk competition wasn't held in its traditional spot on corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues, it did take place in the noon hour of Independence Day in a remote location under safe conditions (with social distancing in place and plexiglass between the eaters) without all the usual pumped-up crowd and accompanying bells and whistles.
And in such a temperature controlled environment, it was a record setting day across the board in both the men's *and* women's competitions. One got the feeling that something great would happen this July 4th weekend, and it was fitting that someone with the nickname "Jaws" gulped down the day's biggest meal.
Joey Chestnut arriving for the Nathan’s Famous contest. Told me he “feels good.” I hope that’s “World record good!” #NathansHotDogEatingContest pic.twitter.com/L1QIqqsul9
— James Walker (@jwalkermobile) July 4, 2020
when you’re a hot dog and joey chestnut shows up pic.twitter.com/UI4Y6rJywE
— Ryan Perry (@rynprry) July 4, 2020
In the 104th anniversary edition of the traditional July 4th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, New York, 36-year old mega-eater Chestnut added yet another notch to the belt encircling his career girth. Not only did he surpass the 1000th Career Dog mark in the contest...
Best Caption In ESPN History: “Joey Chestnut has eaten his thousandth career dog!” pic.twitter.com/GMFzo5ErS3
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 4, 2020
...but he also further expanded the stomach contents of his legend by ingesting a record 75 dogs and buns in the timed ten-minute frame, surpassing his own mark of 74 set two years ago. In winning his 13th Mustard Yellow Belt (for now, at least) Chestnut edged ahead of Rafa Nadal's accumulation of twelve Roland Garros crowns for the most major championships won at a single event.
Ooh, can Rafa handle the pressure he'll be under *now* to successfully defend the postponed RG scheduled to be held in Paris two months from now? Stay tuned.
Joey Chestnut does it again! Wins the Nathan Hot Dog ?? eating contest ?? name a better duo than hot dogs and Joey Chestnut ??
— the Sports ON Tap (@thesportsontap) July 4, 2020
pic.twitter.com/hYC3IOrv6R
Chestnut was dominant throughout this Saturday. He ate twenty-four dogs and buns in the first two minutes, and passed through the fifty barrier in a record 5:30. After seeing his pace slow in the middle portion of the eat-off, Chestnut's gluttony and desire knew no bounds recognized by law down the stretch. In the closing seconds, he stuffed #75 into the seemingly cavernous opening in the middle of his face to secure the new record. Well behind, but impressively close, was Darron Breeden with 42 in the runner-up spot.
Joey Chestnut eats 75 Hot Dogs & Buns.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 4, 2020
Here is the Nutritional Info for that accomplishment... pic.twitter.com/5ckG3EBWGt
RECORD BROKEN! ??
— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) July 4, 2020
Joey Chestnut hits the OVER and wins the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest! pic.twitter.com/GytbEhRyF1
Of course, without the usual summer heat to slow him down, future generations might view this astounding feat with an arched eyebrow. The controlled temperature and conditions could very well lead to an asterisk being placed next to Chestnut's accomplishment in the official record books, ala Roger Maris' record-breaking 61 home run season (accomplished in a slightly longer season) that broke the mark of Babe Ruth (60), and in a figurative sense the later season and career home run milestones set by Barry Bonds during baseball's "steroids era."
Also, with many of the usual competitors (including 2015 upset winner Matt Stonie) unable to make the trip, not nearly as many hot dogs were prepared for the contest, providing another "unusual advantage" en route to the new mark.
Joey Chestnut: “The dogs were cooked really well today...that helped a lot.” pic.twitter.com/TbfLnnJQAP
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) July 4, 2020
*NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING MEN'S CHAMPS - since 2000*
2000 Kazutoyo Arai
2001 Takeru Kobayashi
2002 Takeru Kobayashi
2003 Takeru Kobayashi
2004 Takeru Kobayashi
2005 Takeru Kobayashi
2006 Takeru Kobayashi
2007 Joey Chestnut
2008 Joey Chestnut [def. Takeru Kobayashi in 5-dog "Eat-Off"]
2009 Joey Chestnut
2010 Joey Chestnut
2011 Joey Chestnut
2012 Joey Chestnut
2013 Joey Chestnut
2014 Joey Chestnut
2015 Matt Stonie
2016 Joey Chestnut
2017 Joey Chestnut
2018 Joey Chestnut
2019 Joey Chestnut
2020 Joey Chestnut
[competition record]
75 - Joey Chestnut, 2020 (*-held indoors)
74 - Joey Chestnut, 2018
72 - Joey Chestnut, 2017
You can now call Joey Chestnut the GOAT of GOATs! pic.twitter.com/YJGJXSzmBZ
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 4, 2020
Most championships/titles in a single event:
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 4, 2020
1. Joey Chestnut: 13 (Nathan’s Famous)
2. Rafael Nadal: 12 (French Open)
T3. Margaret Court: 11 (Australian Open)
T-3. Bill Russell: 11 (NBA title)
T-3. Henri Richard: 11 (Stanley Cup)
?? status
Blessed to be alive on this earth at the same time as Joey Chestnut
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) July 4, 2020
Earlier, in the women's competition, Miki Sudo downed a record 48.5 hot dogs and buns to win her seventh straight title, breaking former "Jaws" rival Takeru Kobayashi's mark to take sole possession of second behind Chestnut (13) for most career Nathan's belts claimed. Sudo surpassed the now retired Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas' competition record of 45 dog and buns set in 2013.
Right from the start, Sudo's appetite for victory encountered no constraints as she surged to the lead in the early going, first setting a personal best and then blasting through the finish line with the winning total (though one wonders if she might have stuffed in an extra dog or so in the final moments had she and the other competitors been able to properly hear the final 10-second countdown).
?? SEVEN STRAIGHT TITLES ??
— ESPN (@espn) July 4, 2020
Miki Sudo dominated the field, setting a women's record by eating 48.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes ?? pic.twitter.com/dDdAnTJyla
*NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING WOMEN'S CHAMPS*
2011 Sonya Thomas
2012 Sonya Thomas
2013 Sonya Thomas
2014 Miki Sudo
2015 Miki Sudo
2016 Miki Sudo
2017 Miki Sudo
2018 Miki Sudo
2019 Miki Sudo
2020 Miki Sudo
[competition record]
48.5 - Miki Sudo, 2020 (*-held indoors)
45.0 - Sonya Thomas, 2013
41.0 - Miki Sudo, 2017
40.0 - Sonya Thomas, 2011
Catch of the day!?? pic.twitter.com/I123gE3Ffd
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) July 3, 2020
Uffff that match ?? https://t.co/TCUuse7F61
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) July 4, 2020
If you had organised a meeting at 12. And then the meeting has been rescheduled and moved forward by 2 hours. Which one?
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) July 1, 2020
If you had organised a meeting at 12. And then the meeting has been rescheduled and PUSHED back by 2 hours. Which one?
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) July 1, 2020
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) July 1, 2020
?? BREAKING ?? 23-time Grand Slam champion, 4-time Olympic gold medalist & 5-time WTT #KingTrophy winner, @Venuseswilliams has announced she will competing for the @WashKastles during #WTT2020 this summer!
— World TeamTennis (@WorldTeamTennis) June 25, 2020
???Get Tickets Now at https://t.co/ygCamx30zW!https://t.co/RMMRV4JJGY
#forbes ?? #Ukraine ???? pic.twitter.com/N6ghDNMVML
— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) July 3, 2020
This might be the best political advertisement I’ve ever seen. https://t.co/5QJKR6GqOj
— Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) July 2, 2020
She called it. pic.twitter.com/5JTQIBQHtE
— Idea Jonez?? (@ideuhz) July 1, 2020
With this move, Republican senators have stopped merely being enablers when Trump seeks foreign help to win elections. They’ve become accomplices. https://t.co/GKOhj4oPJN
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 30, 2020
I’m sure glad Obama killed Osama bin Laden before Trump had a chance to become friends with him.
— Travis Allen ???? (@TravisAllen02) July 1, 2020
Opinion | Another meaningless Trump photo op https://t.co/JH3opSPClO pic.twitter.com/hX0BAbwtuv
— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) July 4, 2020
No one is wearing a mask at Mount Rushmore. People are squeezed together..I can’t believe what I’m seeing...
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) July 3, 2020
WHAT HE SAID https://t.co/NQNY3brGFX
— sloanestephens (@SloaneStephens) July 3, 2020
The USA, the country that played a pivotal role in freeing Europe from the Nazis, that put a man on the moon and that invented the internet is officially just giving up on a global issue..
— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) July 4, 2020
Almost too much to even grasp. https://t.co/OH7IlJc5nR
His name is... Alexander Hamilton ???? Start streaming the musical event of the Summer, now on #DisneyPlus! #Hamilfilm pic.twitter.com/YURFzt8r05
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) July 3, 2020
On this date in 1995 we lost an icon with the passing of Bob Ross. I loved (and still do) watching his episodes on TV. #RIPBobRoss pic.twitter.com/RcWvj4ZHoG
— LandOfThe80s (@landofthe80s) July 4, 2020
In 1963, accomplished tennis pro, musician, and golfer Althea Gibson broke the color barrier when she became the first African American to play on the LPGA Tour. ??#LPGA70 Story ?? https://t.co/sjTfZhy4cy
— LPGA (@LPGA) July 3, 2020
Explaining Canada Day to an American.. ???? pic.twitter.com/iG71Phoe6T
— Cause We're Canadian (@MadelnCanada) July 1, 2020
A very different #Wimbledon eve... pic.twitter.com/m3esPTeaZH
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 28, 2020
Missing @wimbledon right now and one of the best moments of my life with @martinahingis80 ?? ?? ?? #SanTina pic.twitter.com/mJFS1hhHiC
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) June 30, 2020
Olivia de Havilland is 104 years old today. Here she is in 1942 and 2018. pic.twitter.com/4fAxiL86xU
— Fred Connelly (@brendonconnelly) July 1, 2020
Dame Olivia de Havilland celebrates her 104th year on Earth today. Still rides a bike like a boss. pic.twitter.com/VIseeY73hG
— Angela Lansbury News (@_AngelaLansbury) July 1, 2020
Where it all began for Pam Shriver.
— USTA (@usta) July 4, 2020
This doubles legend jumpstarted her career as a 16-year-old at the 1978 @USOpen.
Happy Birthday, @PHShriver! pic.twitter.com/H2tD2K3m0d
Hey, Remember When Trump Destroyed Precious Art History? https://t.co/afSDAAXnuv
— Teresa Roberts Logan (@LaughingRedhead) June 29, 2020
Goodbye to my greatest mentor in movies and in life. Thank you, dear Carl. https://t.co/H7A4ZwIqfc
— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) June 30, 2020
Hi, here is your unroll: @AshcanPress: I have a Carl Reiner story that I hold very dear to me. I figured I'd share it today, on the day of his… https://t.co/Bl1Iw4y6Sc Share this if you think it's interesting. ??
— Thread Reader App (@threadreaderapp) June 30, 2020
The late @carlreiner loved tennis. Here is an ad from the late 1970s for AMF (aka Head) racquets with some excellent copy. pic.twitter.com/CWZO5OOpnD
— Thierry Côté (@tcote) June 30, 2020
Would that all of us could tweet so sagely on any day, much less our last. RIP, Carl Reiner. https://t.co/vjJ6LgnYbl
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) June 30, 2020
Johnny Mandel, Composer Who Wrote ‘MASH’ Theme Song, Dies at 94 https://t.co/tMydQh2Xz7
— Variety (@Variety) June 30, 2020
RIP Johnny Mandel#ClassicMASH pic.twitter.com/eozzl8IkrW
— Classic MASH (@ClassicMASH) June 30, 2020
Unfortunately, that bittersweet clip from the finale of "M*A*S*H", my all-time favorite TV series, just made me dread the future moment when Alan Alda, probably my all-time favorite TV star in the role of Hawkeye Pierce, is no longer with us. That "goodbye" moment will likely accompany many tweets about the news... hopefully still quite a few years from now.
I know as the list of the show's stars who pass on has started to accumulate in recent years -- McLean Stevenson (1996) early on, then Larry Linville (2000), Harry Morgan (2011), Wayne Rogers (2015), William Christopher (2016), David Ogden Stiers (2018) and Kellye Nakahara (2020) -- it surely marks the passage of time.
By the way, Alda recently did a show featuring Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks on his "Clear+Vivid" podcast.
I also love that so much. You might enjoy this too: https://t.co/IRgaonLly8
— Leigh Morgan (@leigh_35) July 1, 2020
"Pandemic Windows"
— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) June 26, 2020
(personal project)
5' x 10.5'
watercolors, prisma pencils on bristol pic.twitter.com/RAzwSNvU9j
— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) June 28, 2020
Finally over! My New York painting that I worked on during the pandemic has come to an end. Love this city! ????@WTA #homecourt @Eurosport pic.twitter.com/Ux0Q7X4DS3
— Alexandra Dulgheru (@AlexDulgheru) June 27, 2020
I can’t stop laughing... pic.twitter.com/hRQzeONSrO
— Rex Chapman???? (@RexChapman) June 26, 2020
NEWS ALERT: Joe Bugel has died.
— WTOP (@WTOP) June 28, 2020
He was the @Redskins offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1981-82 and the assistant head coach from 1983 to 1989.
Bugel coached in the @NFL for 32 seasons.https://t.co/mWOclmhILk
Sad news from the Redskins: Joe Bugel has died: pic.twitter.com/oS9MFDd97X
— John Keim (@john_keim) June 28, 2020
FedEx's decision to ask the #Redskins to change their name marks a monumental shift on this issue. Extremely proud of the work @Matthew_Paras and I (but primarily Matt) did today to report this story, with comments from investors and activists.
— Adam Zielonka (@Adam_Zielonka) July 3, 2020
READ: https://t.co/2mJH7uUCfv
Redskins to conduct 'thorough review' of name. Staff writer @Matthew_Paras provides more updated details. https://t.co/3U0DdEt1Bw #Redskins
— WashTimes Sports (@WashTimesSports) July 3, 2020
The Redskins name has been rightly-or-exaggeratingly controversial for a long while now, even if most of the rancor kicked up by it has been led by many people who have appointed themselves as the superior arbiters who deign to tell Native Americans what they should or should not be offended by, even if numerous polls and the names of the athletic teams at predominantly American Indian schools raise serious issues about how many actually are, but you'd have to be culterally totally "out to lunch" (so, I expect you-know-who to call for keeping the name soon) to have not recognized in recent weeks that this day was coming soon. Very soon.
And it's time, I suppose. Things change.
Personally, I've felt for most of the past month that the team should have made an announcement about an imminent change weeks ago in order to get out in front of the situation and lead *itself* into the future rather than be seen to have been forced into it. Of course, naturally, it took public utterances by sponsors to push the decision through the door after all this time.
So, with the reality of the change (at least it would surely seem) just around the corner, as a lifelong fan of the team, my personal favorite choices (culled from at least some *half-way legitimate* lists of possible new names floating around the last few days):
=LIKES ON JULY 4th=
Washington Pigskins/Hogskins - "the pigskin" is another name for a football, and either would allow the shortened 'Skins nickname to persist. Both have a link to team history on the basis that they'd pay tribute to the golden era of the Joe Gibbs "Hogs" teams (a term coined by just-deceased offensive line coach Joe Bugel), and with only minor changes (using Hogs, pigs, swine, slop, etc. in place of the Indian imagery) would adapt well to the "Hail to the Redskins" fight song. Also, aside from the Arkansas Razorbacks, I can't think of another hog/pig-related mascot, so there's a certain uniqueness, on the professional level, at least.
Washington Hogs/Warhogs/Redhogs - similar to the Pigskins/Hogskins idea. Hogs seems a little too plain, while WARhogs would have the alliterative angle that so many seem to want (not sure why) while the REDhogs would adapt well to the fight song.
Washington Burgundy & Gold - some people are trying to come up with Washington D.C. related names that would (like, say, the Capitals) use a red, white and blue color scheme. But there is *NO* way the team will change its "burgundy & gold" combination. That identity is actually far more set in stone than any involving Native American imagery, and aside from the helmet logo and very old fight song nothing of that sort has been team sanctioned or utilized by vast numbers of fans for many, many decades. Unlike, say, the Atlanta Braves' "tomahawk chop," which is *way* overdue to get its turn on the, no pun intended, chopping block. In the CFL, there's a recently new team called the Ottawa Redblacks (because of the color scheme of the city's previous team), so there is precedent for such a move.
Washington Veterans - could be an option, but only as a compromise
=DISLIKE ON JULY 4th=
Washington Warriors/Redhawks/Potomacs - "Warriors" seems to be atop many new name lists, but I don't like it.
For one, there's already a pro basketball team in the NBA with that name, and what's the desire for a "WW" name, anyway? The "Redhawks" are just what Miami of Ohio renamed its Redskins teams a few years ago, and why would you follow in the path of Miami of *Ohio*? I mean, really.
Also, for the life of me, I don't know why anyone would want the headache of holding onto the Native American imagery (though Warriors could be military related, I suppose) rather than just totally leave it in the past. Yes, I say that partially because I'd like a turn on the moral high horse in order to wave a disapproving finger at the likes of the Indians, Braves, Chiefs, Blackhawks and, yes, maybe even the Golden State Warriors, as Marquette University was made to move away from the same name, and even the Florida State Seminoles and Utah Utes, even if they have some sort of tie-in with a particular tribe... since we've been told that it's horrible to name an athletic team after a group of people, unless those schools are now suddenly predominantly Native American then the continued existence of *those* names makes all arguments against other current Indian-themed nicknames hypocritical, right?
Of course, if all Native American nicknames are abolished, I fully expect those who've been arguing against them for so long will make it their life mission to educate future generations about the history of the indigenous North American tribes so that decades from now an entire generation will not react in confusion and mystification upon seeing their mention in history class as most do now when they hear about the Inca or Aztecs. Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on *that* to happen.
Washington Federals/Generals/Commandos/Defenders/Diplomats - naming the team after any previously unsuccessful pro franchises in the city is just stupid. The Federals were *the* worst USFL club, and they were once compared by their owner to "untrained gerbils" (and the Washington Post turned their logo from that of an eagle to a gerbil in the sports pages a few days later). So... no. Interestingly, the Federals eventually moved to Orlando and were rebranded as the Renegades... with a feather-laced tomahawk as the main logo.
The Generals were the team the Harlem Globetrotters beat into submission for decades, the Commandos were an Arena League Football team, the D.C. Defenders' league didn't even last a full season, and the Diplomats were a soccer team affectionately (or not) called "The Dips." 'Nuff said.
Washington Monuments - trying WAY too hard with this one
Washington Presidents - that name may have once had some cache and a feeling of prestige. Not so much at the moment.
Washington Senators - if the Nationals had gone with the name of the old baseball team(s), it'd been fine. Instead, they went another way but retained the old shortened "Nats" nickname. Leave it alone. And why would you want to name a team after politicians? Yuck.
Washington Sentinels - the name of the team in the "The Replacements" movie, which was based on the strike team players for the Redskins who went 3-0 in '87 and laid the groundwork for what would be a Super Bowl title for the regular roster members when they returned. It took the franchise thirty-plus years to properly honor those players with Super Bowl rings for their very important contributions (including home field playoff games that were crucial to the January run) so... nope.
By way of saying thank you to all my followers I hope this brings you a moment of happiness??????#Animal lovers are clearly capable of more #empathy so this should work well??#BeKindToAllKinds??
— ANIMAL ADVOCATE ? (@_AnimalAdvocate) June 27, 2020
Be #vegan??@RickyGervais @Ivy_MiddletonUK @PeterEgan6 @Protect_Wldlife @zbleumoon pic.twitter.com/wfWqXtyo0C
Parisian cafe uses stuffed bears to enforce social distancing. I miss this city. ???????????? pic.twitter.com/hi0ybIbxX8
— Harlan Coben (@HarlanCoben) June 29, 2020
Does Steve Daines think D.C. residents — 46 percent of whom happen to be black — aren't "real people"? https://t.co/Z79ybanbfM
— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) July 1, 2020
Much like the pandemic, this vintage store warning sign escalated quickly pic.twitter.com/wm9LMVw7Dx
— Chris Illuminati (@chrisilluminati) June 30, 2020
This bodega sign should be plastered in every shop window in the US pic.twitter.com/H4ym01zJbz
— Jeff Baskin (@FlamingTwits) July 3, 2020
I heard this In the voice of Samuel L. Jackson...
— K. J. Hargan (@KJHargan) July 3, 2020
GOP Sen Health Cmte Chair @LamarAlexander says masks are imp, & also a good way to make a statement:
— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) June 30, 2020
"I like to wear my plaid mask," he said. "Dr Fauci uses his mask to demonstrate his loyalty to the Washington Nationals. Sen Kaine is either a cowboy or a bandit-I'm never sure" pic.twitter.com/aF2816kG7U
A mother duck accompanied an officer for more than a quarter of a mile as he brought her ducklings to safety after they were found in a pool. From previous experience, the officer knew the duck would follow him and stopped for several breaks along the way. https://t.co/PTvsdXLmzQ pic.twitter.com/OVLXby1o34
— ABC News (@ABC) July 1, 2020
If I have worn a mask to stalk Laurie since 1978, then you can wear a mask to go to the store.
— Michael Myers (@RealMMyers78) June 28, 2020
All for now.
