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Tom Pettitt | |
|---|---|
 Tom Pettitt at the 1890 Championship in Dublin | |
| Born | (1859-12-19)19 December 1859 Beckenham, Kent, England |
| Died | 17 October 1946(1946-10-17) (aged 86) Newport, RI, United States |
Thomas "Tom" Pettitt ((1859-12-19)19 December 1859 -(1946-10-17)17 October 1946) was an Americanreal tennis player. He was the court tennis world champion in 1885 and 1890. He was also adept at lawn tennis, and was also a professional coach and player.
Born inBeckenham,Kent, England, Pettitt emigrated toBoston, Massachusetts, United States, as a penniless teenager. He quickly rose from being the dressing-room boy at a Boston Tennis & Racquet Club, to being the club’s head tennis professional,[1] at age seventeen.[2] He began playing matches in Great Britain andFrance to improve his game, and finally challengedGeorge Lambert at theRoyal Tennis Court,Hampton Court Palace, for theworld championship in 1885. He defended his title inDublin in 1890, then retired the title the same year. He is credited with inventing therailroad, a fast overarm service that runs the length of the penthouse with a reverse twist.
Pettitt continued to work in Boston at various clubs, retiring from theTennis and Racquet Club in 1927 after half a century of service.
An all-around athlete, Pettitt was also an accomplished cricketer, a sport he brought with him from his native Kent. He frequently represented theBoston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) in local matches. On October 7, 1897, at a benefit match held at theLongwood Cricket Club for the professional Chambers, Pettitt recorded the highest score of the day, a "brilliant" 58 runs, helping the B.A.A. defeat a "Picked Team" of Massachusetts players.[3]
He also taughtlawn tennis at theNewport Casino during the summers from 1880–1929, and afterwards continued as a supervisor there. He also took part in theNewport Pro Amateur Challenge a series of one day men's tennis tournaments that pitted best professional tennis players against the best amateur tennis players.[4] In 1883 he played against the amateur two time U.S. National championRichard Sears who in beat in four sets. In 1885 they met again with Sears gaining the upper hand winning in straight sets.
Pettitt died inNewport, Rhode Island. He was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 1982.[5]