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==Tennis player== | ==Tennis player== | ||
A native of ], Bill Murphy and twin brother, Chet, learned tennis from ] at Tilden High School, starting in 1934. |
A native of ], Bill Murphy and twin brother, Chet, learned tennis from ] at Tilden High School, starting in 1934, according to Chet. The two brothers played for the ] from 1937 to 1939, leading the school to three Big Ten tennis championships.<ref>{{cite news|title=Helman Captures Illinois Crown|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=1936-08-31}}</ref> As a doubles team, they were "undefeated in collegiate meets,"<ref>{{cite news|title=Gene Mako To Show In Valley Net Meet|publisher=Appleton Post-Crescent|date=1939-07-11}}</ref> including wins at the Big Ten doubles championships in 1938 and 1939.<ref name=UCAHOF>{{cite web|title=University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame|publisher=University of Chicago|url=http://athletics.uchicago.edu/halloffame/hof-inductees-alpha.htm}}</ref> They were also the runner-up team at the 1939 NCAA doubles championship,<ref name=UCAHOF/> losing to ].NCAA Records | ||
In 1938, the Murphy brothers helped the undefeated University of Chicago tennis team score the first clean sweep in the history of the Big Ten tennis championships by winning all nine finals matches at ].<ref name=Chicago>{{cite news|title=Chicago Takes Net Title; Badgers 7th|publisher=Wisconsin State Journal (AP story)|date=1938-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Maroon Netmen Capture Title: Make Clean Sweep in Big Ten Tennis|publisher=Waterloo Daily Courier (UP story)|date=1938-05-22}}</ref> The brothers won the doubles title over the Northwestern team, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. ] won the No. 1 singles and the Murphy brothers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles, with William beating Northwestern's ], 6-0, 6-3.<ref name=Chicago/> At the national level, the Murphy brothers were ranked as the #10 doubles pair by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|title=Budge Wins Top Ranking|publisher=Oakland Tribune|date=1938-12-26}}</ref> | In 1938, the Murphy brothers helped the undefeated University of Chicago tennis team score the first clean sweep in the history of the Big Ten tennis championships by winning all nine finals matches at ].<ref name=Chicago>{{cite news|title=Chicago Takes Net Title; Badgers 7th|publisher=Wisconsin State Journal (AP story)|date=1938-05-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Maroon Netmen Capture Title: Make Clean Sweep in Big Ten Tennis|publisher=Waterloo Daily Courier (UP story)|date=1938-05-22}}</ref> The brothers won the doubles title over the Northwestern team, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. ] won the No. 1 singles and the Murphy brothers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles, with William beating Northwestern's ], 6-0, 6-3.<ref name=Chicago/> At the national level, the Murphy brothers were ranked as the #10 doubles pair by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|title=Budge Wins Top Ranking|publisher=Oakland Tribune|date=1938-12-26}}</ref> |
Revision as of 03:26, 9 March 2009
William E. "Bill" Murphy | |
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Born | Nov 15, 1917 Chicago, Illinois |
Died | May 16, 2005 Tucson, Arizona |
Citizenship | United States |
Alma mater | University of Chicago |
Occupation | Tennis coach |
Years active | 1948-69 |
Known for | Big Ten doubles tennis champion, 1938, 1939 Coached University of Michigan to NCAA team tennis championship, 1957 |
William E. "Bill" Murphy (November 15, 1917 - May 16, 2005) was a championship tennis player and coach. At the University of Chicago, he won consecutive Big Ten Conference doubles championships with his twin brother, Chet Murphy, in 1938 and 1939. He also won the 1939 singles title at the Western Tennis Association Tournament in Chicago. He earned a Masters Degree from George Williams College in 1941. according to Chet. After becoming a World War ll hero as a dive bomber pilot in the Pacific that helped sink the Yamoto battleship, according to Chet, he became the coach of the University of Michigan tennis team, where he remained for 21 years from 1948-1969. He led Michigan to 11 Big Ten Conference championships and the NCAA team championship in 1957.
Tennis player
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Bill Murphy and twin brother, Chet, learned tennis from Bill Parkhill at Tilden High School, starting in 1934, according to Chet. The two brothers played for the University of Chicago from 1937 to 1939, leading the school to three Big Ten tennis championships. As a doubles team, they were "undefeated in collegiate meets," including wins at the Big Ten doubles championships in 1938 and 1939. They were also the runner-up team at the 1939 NCAA doubles championship, losing to Bob Peacock and Doug Imhoff.NCAA Records
In 1938, the Murphy brothers helped the undefeated University of Chicago tennis team score the first clean sweep in the history of the Big Ten tennis championships by winning all nine finals matches at Evanston, Illinois. The brothers won the doubles title over the Northwestern team, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. John Shostrom won the No. 1 singles and the Murphy brothers won the No. 2 and No. 3 singles, with William beating Northwestern's Harry O'Neil, 6-0, 6-3. At the national level, the Murphy brothers were ranked as the #10 doubles pair by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1938.
In May 1939, when the Murphy brothers led the University of Chicago to its third straight Big Ten tennis championship, the Associated Press wrote: "The University of Chicago, where the athletic habit of recent years has leaned toward defeat, now has a new complex well established -- tennis championships." The Murphy brothers won their second consecutive doubles championship, and Chet won the No. 1 singles. Bill Murphy qualified to play for the No. 2 singles title, but defaulted due to an ailing back to save himself for the doubles competition. In June 1939, the brothers were runners up in the NCAA doubles championship, and Chet was runner up in the NCAA singles championship to Frank Guernsey.
In July 1939, when Bill Murphy won the singles title at the Western Tennis Association Tournament in Chicago, the Associated Press reported that he won his championship "the hard way," defeating top ranked Wilbur F. Coen, Jr., of Kansas City in the Semifinals, and then defeating Second Ranked Jack Tidball of Los Angeles, 6-8, 6-1, 6-1, 9-7 in the Finals. The following week, he won the mixed doubles final at the Longwood Bowl tennis tournament in Brookline, Massachusetts with Mary Arnold.
At the August 1939 Meadow Club Invitational Tournament in Southampton, New York, the Murphy brothers lost a close doubles match against Wimbledon champions Bobby Riggs and Elwood Cooke. The Murphy brothers won two of the first three sets but ultimately lost, 13-11, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 0-6.
Tennis coach
Bill Murphy was the Tennis Coach at the University of Michigan for 21 years from 1948-1969. His Michigan tennis teams won 11 Big Ten Conference championships and the NCAA championship in 1957. His career coaching record at Michigan was 198-45-0, for an .821 winning percentage. Two of his players at Michigan, Barry MacKay and Dick Potter, broke the Big Ten record held by Bill and Chet for most Big Ten Conference doubles championships. MacKay and Potter won the Big Ten doubles championship three times -- in 1955, 1956, and 1957.
Bill Murphy's year-by-year coaching record at Michigan is as follows:
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Rank | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Michigan (Big Ten Conference) (1948–1969) | |||||||||
1948-49 | Michigan | 8–0 | 2nd | ||||||
1949-50 | Michigan | 9–0 | 3rd | ||||||
1950-51 | Michigan | 6–2 | 2nd | ||||||
1951-52 | Michigan | 6–4 | 5th | ||||||
1952-53 | Michigan | 8–3 | 3rd | ||||||
1953-54 | Michigan | 11–3–1 | 2nd | ||||||
1954-55 | Michigan | 13–0 | 1st | 5th | |||||
1955-56 | Michigan | 12–0 | 1st | ||||||
1956-57 | Michigan | 12–0 | 1st | 1st | |||||
1957-58 | Michigan | 8–2 | 3rd | ||||||
1958-59 | Michigan | 9–1 | 1st | ||||||
1959-60 | Michigan | 7–4 | 1st | ||||||
1960-61 | Michigan | 9–3 | 1st | ||||||
1961-62 | Michigan | 8–2 | 1st | ||||||
1962-63 | Michigan | 7–6 | 2nd | ||||||
1963-64 | Michigan | 9–4 | 2nd | ||||||
1964-65 | Michigan | 10–4 | 1st | ||||||
1965-66 | Michigan | 10–0 | 1st | ||||||
1966-67 | Michigan | 9–3 | 2nd | ||||||
1967-68 | Michigan | 13–0 | 1st | ||||||
1968-69 | Michigan | 15–2 | 1st | ||||||
Total: | 198–45–0 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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Work as an author
Bill Murphy also had success as a writer of books about tennis with his brother, Chet. They wrote the "Tennis Handbook", published in 1962, Championship Drills, Advanced Tennis, Tennis for Thinking Players, and Tested Tennis Tips. The two were recognized for their books with a USTA Educational Services Award in 1972.
Honors and awards
Bill Murphy was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Men's Hall of Fame in 1984, and his brother followed him in 1985. In 1983, Murphy was also inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor. The Murphy brothers were jointly inducted into the University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.They were both members of the USPTA. Both were past presidents and chairmen of the National Collegiate Tennis Coaches Association and National Collegiate Tennis Committee. Bill was a World War 11 Navy pilot who helped sink the Japanese battleship, Yamoto. He received the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and four Air Medals.
Bill Murphy died May 16, 2005 in Tucson, Arizona at age 87.
See also
- University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
- Barry MacKay, Michigan's star player on Murphy's teams from 1955-57
Notes
- "Helman Captures Illinois Crown". Los Angeles Times. 1936-08-31.
- "Gene Mako To Show In Valley Net Meet". Appleton Post-Crescent. 1939-07-11.
- ^ "University of Chicago Athletics Hall of Fame". University of Chicago.
- ^ "Chicago Takes Net Title; Badgers 7th". Wisconsin State Journal (AP story). 1938-05-22.
- "Maroon Netmen Capture Title: Make Clean Sweep in Big Ten Tennis". Waterloo Daily Courier (UP story). 1938-05-22.
- "Budge Wins Top Ranking". Oakland Tribune. 1938-12-26.
- ^ "Chicago Tennis Squad Repeats: Murphy Brothers Capture Doubles Title, and Chet the Singles Title. Honors". Appleton Post-Crescent. 1939-06-01.
- "Weekend Sports in Brief". Moberly Monitor-Index (AP story). 1939-07-17.
- "Bill Murphy Is new Western Tennis Association Net Champ: Fourth-Seeded, He Defeats Two Top-Ranked Men". Ironwood Daily Globe (AP story). 1939-07-17.
- "Weekend Sports in Brief". Moberly Monitor-Index (AP story). 1939-07-24.
- "Bobby Riggs Throttles Wood: Sizzling Play Is Answer To Dubious Critics". The Abilene Reporter-News. 1939-08-06.
- ^ "Michigan Sports Briefs". Detroit Free Press. 2005-05-20.
- "U of M Men's Tennis".
{{cite web}}
: Text "University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library" ignored (help) - ^ "Michigan Men's Tennis Year-by-Year Results". MGoBlue.com.
- "2008-2009 Big Ten Record Book, p. 269" (PDF). Big Ten Conference.
- William Murphy and Chet Murphy (1962). Tennis Handbook. John Wiley & Sons Inc. ISBN 0471072109.
- "ITA Men's Hall of Fame". Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
- "Hall of Honor". M Club.