 Woosnam in 1920 | |
| Full name | Maxwell Woosnam |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) | Great Britain |
| Born | (1892-09-06)6 September 1892 Liverpool, England |
| Died | 14 July 1965(1965-07-14) (aged 72) London, England |
| Singles | |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (1923) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games | 2R (1920) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1921)[1] |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games |  Gold medal (1920) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | F (1921)[1] |
| Other mixed doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games |  Silver medal (1920) |
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft10+1⁄2 in (1.79 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre half | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1914–1919 | Corinthian | 17 | (9) |
| 1914[3] | Chelsea | 3 | (0) |
| 1919–1925 | Manchester City | 96 | (5) |
| 1924–1926 | Northwich Victoria | ? | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1922 | England | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sTennis | ||
 | 1920 Antwerp | Doubles |
 | 1920 Antwerp | Mixed doubles |
Maxwell "Max" Woosnam (6 September 1892 – 14 July 1965) was aBritish sportsman who is sometimes referred to as the 'Greatest British sportsman' in recognition of his achievements.[4][5]
Among his achievements were winning an Olympic gold and silver in tennis at the1920 Summer Olympics,[6] winning thedoubles atWimbledon, compiling a147 break insnooker, making acentury atLord's Cricket Ground, captaining the BritishDavis Cup team, captainingManchester City F.C. finishing ultimately runners-up for the Football League Championship in1920–21, and captaining theEngland national football team.[7]
Max Woosnam was born inLiverpool, the son ofMaxwell Woosnam, a clergyman who served ascanon of Chester and Archdeacon of Macclesfield, and his wife Mary Seeley, daughter of Hilton Philipson. The Woosnam family were landed gentry, of Cefnllysgwynne,Brecknockshire, Wales, originally ofMontgomeryshire.[8][9][10] Woosnam spent most of his childhood inAberhafesp,Mid Wales.
He attendedWinchester College, where he captained the golf and cricket teams,[11] and also represented the school at football and squash.[12] As a schoolboy, he made scores of 144 and 33not out for a Public Schools XI while playing against theMarylebone Cricket Club (MCC) atLord's.[11]
In 1911, Woosnam went up toTrinity College, Cambridge, representingCambridge University atfootball,cricket,lawn tennis,real tennis and golf (being a scratch golfer), becoming a quadrupleBlue.[12][13]
In theFirst World War, he fought alongsideSiegfried Sassoon on thewestern front and in theGallipoli Campaign. Woosnam took part in a number of wartime sporting events, including football matches between a team of enlisted Corinthians players and Aldershot Command,[14][15] and a Military vsQueen's Club tennis match.[16]
Straight from his University years, Max was chosen to travel on the Corinthians tour of Brazil in the summer of 1913. Managing the tour's first goal, against Rio de Janeiro, he also scored against Paulistano and made quite a name for himself. In 1914, he again set sail with the Corinthians for Brazil...however this tour was cancelled when still at sea, the side discovered War had been declared at home. At once, the Corinthians decided, true to their ethos that there was more to life than just sport, to return and join the army. After a quick stop in Rio, allowing the players a brief walk around the town, they set sail for home. Dodging German U-boats and torpedo fire, they eventually made it back to England. For Max, it would be his last adventure abroad with Corinthian FC.[12] He remained with Corinthian for five years, as well as making a handful of appearances forChelsea.[3]
After the war, Woosnam continued his amateur sporting career, taking part in several sporting events. Woosnam was a finalist in the 1919All England Plate tournament, a tennis competition held at theWimbledon Championships, consisting of players who were defeated in the first or second rounds of the singles competition.[17] Following a defeat of Woosnam while representing Cambridge University in a tennis match against Queen's Club in April 1919, theTimes remarked that "Woosnam is a player of many games, and he could excel at tennis if he could devote enough time to the game... ...tennis is a mistress who must be constantly wooed."[18] However, Woosnam continued to divide his attention; he played football for Chelsea either side of the Queen's Club match, captaining the team.[19][20] His performance for Chelsea led to selection for a North versus South international trial match.[21] Once the football season finished, Woosnam took part in several tennis tournaments. He won both the singles and doubles titles in the Cambridge University tournament,[22] and enteredWimbledon for the first time. His tennis form in 1919 ledThe Times correspondent to describe his partnership withNoel Turnbull as a "doubles team of promise".[13] Woosnam declined the opportunity to become a professional sportsman, finding the idea 'vulgar'.
Upon moving toManchester, he signed forManchester City on amateur terms. He made his debut on 1 January 1920 againstBradford City, a match that also saw the debut ofSam Cookson.[23] Initially he played only home matches due to other commitments. However, when Manchester City, without Woosnam, suffered a shock 3–0FA Cup defeat toLeicester City at the end of the month, some supporters blamed Woosnam's employers,Crossley Brothers. As a result, the engineering firm ordered Woosnam not to miss another game.[9]
Playing at centre half, Woosnam eventually became Manchester City captain at the recommendation of his teammates. This was highly unusual for an amateur among professionals. Eventually his success allowed him to play for England (both for the amateur team and as a full international as captain). Woosnam was also selected to captain the British football team at the Olympics, but refused, having already committed himself to the tennis team. He continued other sporting endeavours outside of football however, winning doubles titles at Wimbledon and the Olympics, and captaining theGreat Britain Davis Cup team.[12]
Woosnam had been working for chemical companyICI inWinnington,Northwich, and, while still being on Manchester City's books, he played for Winnington Park and then forNorthwich Victoria in theCheshire County League. He made his debut for Northwich on Christmas Day, 1924, in a derby match againstWitton Albion, resulting in a 3–0 victory for Northwich. He sometimes captained the side, before ending his football career in February 1926 due to injuries and other commitments.[24][25]
He was appointed to the board ofICI, and died in 1965 ofrespiratory failure, having been a heavy smoker all his life.[26]
His life is chronicled in the bookAll Round Genius – The Unknown Story of Britain's Greatest Sportsman, by Mick Collins.[26]
Woosnam's uncle,Hylton Philipson, was a cricketer and played fiveTest matches forEngland.
He once defeated actor and film directorCharlie Chaplin at table tennis, playing with a butter knife instead of a bat.[26]
Besides being a pioneer for table tennis, he was very accomplished atsnooker, once achieving amaximum break of 147.[citation needed]
Jane Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, is Woosnam's sororal grandniece.[27]
Woosnam had three children:Denise Woosnam who was engaged toPeter Pease, and a friend ofRichard Hillary (Author ofThe Last Enemy); Max, and Penny.
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