 | |
| Full name | Clarence Munroe Clark |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | (1859-08-27)August 27, 1859 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | June 29, 1937(1937-06-29) (aged 77) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Turned pro | 1881 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1885 |
| College | University of Pennsylvania |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1983(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| US Open | F (1882) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| US Open | W (1881) |
Clarence Munroe Clark (August 27, 1859 – June 29, 1937) was an Americantennis player who won the1881 U.S. National Championship - Doubles withFrederick Winslow Taylor and was a finalist in the1882 U.S. National Championships - Singles. He was one of the founders of theUnited States Lawn Tennis Association in 1881 and served as the first secretary. He and his brotherJoseph Sill Clark Sr. were the first Americans to play doubles onCentre Court atWimbledon. He was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983. He was a partner in the banking firmE. W. Clark & Co.. He invested in and managed electric light, power, and railway companies.
Clark was born on August 27, 1859,[1] in theGermantown neighborhood ofPhiladelphia, toEdward White Clark and Mary Todhunter Sill Clark.[2] He was a member of theYoung America Cricket Club with his brother Joseph Sill Clark Sr. and Frederick Winslow Taylor where they all became interested in tennis. In 1878, the Clark brothers built a tennis court on their father's property and Frederick Winslow Taylor built a court on his family's property where they all played tennis together frequently.[3] He attendedGermantown Academy and graduated from theUniversity of Pennsylvania in 1878.[2]
In 1879, he created the All-Philadelphia Lawn Tennis Committee to codify rules and regulations for local competitions and organized matches against other organizations. In 1881, he helped organize a meeting of thirty-three tennis clubs to develop consistent regulations for the sport. From this meeting, the United States Lawn Tennis Association was formed and Clark served as the first secretary.[4]
That same year, he won thefirst doubles tournament in the U.S. National Championships (later called the U.S. Open), playing with Frederick Winslow Taylor, after defeating first the favoredRichard Sears/James Dwight, and in the final round,Alexander Van Rensselaer/Arthur Newbold. In1882, he reached the final of the championships, where he lost to reigning champion Sears in straight sets. Clark also reached the semifinals in 1884.[2]
In 1883, Clark and his brother Joseph competed in doubles at Wimbledon againstErnest Renshaw andWilliam Renshaw. The Clark brothers were the first Americans to play at Centre Court.[5]
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983.[1]
He worked in a chemical lab and in the forging department at theMidvale Steel company. In 1883, he took a six-month leave of absence and traveled throughout Europe to learn from European steel companies. After his return, he led theordnance and railroad- and automobile-wheel production. He was promoted to second assistant superintendent and to assistant superintendent in 1886. He left Midvale Steel in 1887 and took a position as treasurer and secretary of the Flat Top Coal Land Association, which owned most of the land for mining of thePocahontas Coalfield.[6]
In 1900, he became a partner in the bank, E. W. Clark & Co., founded by his grandfatherEnoch White Clark. He was placed in charge of public utility investments. He invested in electric light, electric power, and electric street railway companies. He served as president of the Nashville Railway and Light Company, the Northern Ohio Power Company, theTennessee Electric Power Company, the Portland Electric Power Company, as well as a director of several other companies.[2]
Clark endowed a professorship in Mountain Agriculture atBerea College.[7]
He died on June 29, 1937, at the age of 77, at his home, Cedron, in Germantown, Philadelphia.[2] He was interred atWest Laurel Hill Cemetery inBala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[8]
He married Mary Newbold Taylor in 1884 and together they had three sons.[2]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1881 | 1881 U.S. National Championships – Doubles | Grass |  Arthur Newbold/Alexander Van Rensselaer | 6–5, 6–4, 6–5 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1882 | 1882 U.S. National Championships – Singles | Grass | Richard D. Sears | 1–6, 4–6, 0–6 |
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