Don Budge Career Briefs and Commentary about the Tennis Grand Slam:

DON BUDGE, THE FIRST PERSON TO WIN A GRAND SLAM

BUDGE, THE ONLY AMERICAN MALE GRAND SLAM WINNER IN HISTORY

UNBROKEN GRAND SLAM RECORD SINCE 1938 

Budge did not just win the four Grand Slam events in one year,  
he won six Grand Slam events in a row, 
a feat no one else has accomplished. 

Before turning professional in 1939, 
Budge was a leading Davis Cup player  
who led the United States to many notable victories, 
the most famous of which was the Interzonal match 
against Baron Gottfried von Cramm of Germany, 
a match many considered the greatest match ever played,
because of the historical and political context just before WWII.

Budge also holds numerous singles, 
doubles, and mixed doubles titles, 
winning all three at Wimbledon.

Budge set out to be the best in the world at tennis, 
while he was still an amateur. He believed he could achieve 
this distinction by being the first to win 
four major international tournaments in one calendar year, 
a feat that is called the Grand Slam. 

Although a few others male players have won the 
four tournaments individually at some point in their career, 
they have not done so in one year from January to December.
Only Budge and Rod Laver have won it in one calendar year, 
an extraordinary accomplishment. Laver did it once as an amateur 
and once as a professional, 
after the tennis world went to an open format, 
allowing professionals and amateurs to compete for the titles.


Budge studied the record books before 1938, 
found no one else had ever accomplished 
winning the four tournaments in one year. 
Budge then set about to be the first to do so. 
Budge's extraordinary record has stood unbroken since 1938,
through the 20th century and into the 21st Century, 
an amazing accomplishment. 

Budge's Grand Slam feat continues 
to be one of the longest standing records 
in major United States sports history.

Budge also reigned as the pro champ, 
a record shared by Pancho Gonzalez in the 1950s.

In the process of achieving the Grand Slam titles, 
Budge designed a game that has stood the test of time. 
His theories and style of play influenced and shaped the game 
of modern power tennis style now prevalent in singles,
doubles, and mixed doubles. 

Budge's style was so dominant that other players, 
such as Jack Kramer, who had an opportunity to play
against Budge, even after the war, had to change their games. 
Kramer noted in an interview that he had to change his style 
after playing Budge and called Budge 
one of the greatest players of all time. 

Although Budge injured his shoulder 
in World War II, he continued to win pro championships 
into the late forties. 

One of the pleasures enjoyed by Budge was
the knowledge that he could still occasionally
call upon his dominating style of play 
even well after his prime years had passed.

In the 1960's, in an exhibition match 
with the only other male Grand Slam winner, Rod Laver, 
Budge split sets, taking a set off Laver, 
when Laver was in his prime and Budge 
was 20 years past his prime years.

A banquet honoring Don Budge was held 
in Pike County, Budge's home community, 
on July 24, 1998, on the 60th anniversary 
of his 1938 Grand Slam year. The banquet 
honored Budge for his 1938 accomplishment, 
his 60 year unbroken streak, and his lifetime 
contributions as a diplomat for tennis.

Pennsylvania legislature, the governor, 
local branches of government in his home 
Pennsylvania community, nearby Montague New Jersey, 
Sullivan County historian John Conway, 
world boxing champ Billy Soos, saluted Don Budge 
as a premier international diplomat of tennis. 

Many bodies of governments passed resolutions, 
issued proclamations, and in other ways honored 
and recognized Budge for his historical role
in establishing the first Grand Slam record in 
American and international sports history.

Budge, who turned 83, just before the 1998 
60th Anniversary Banquet, led a quiet life with his wife Lori,
but graciously continued to lend his support and advice 
to the Pike Tennis Association and 
the Don Budge Tennis Grand Slam Program, 
two regional tennis community development associations 
affiliated with the USTA.

Budge mentored Ken Baumel, founder of the two organizations,
right up to the end of Budge's life. 
In December 1999, Budge dozed off at the wheel of his car, 
which skidded off a highway in Pike County. 
Budge died six weeks later from injuries sustained in the crash.

  Though his life was cut short, 
he had the satisfaction of knowing his record 
survived into the 21st Century.

On January 27, 2000,  Budge's record was extended 
into the 21st century. He died shortly after I had the opportunity 
to inform him that Todd Martin, the last remaining male 
United States professional tennis hope for a 2000 Grand Slam, 
was eliminated in the quarter final round of the 2000
Australian Open, the first leg of this year's four Grand Slam events. 

Budge noted in a conversation I had with him,
just before his accident, that he thought 
Pete Sampras had the best opportunity 
among the top American players to win a Grand Slam 
because of the style of his game, but felt Sampras' 
previous record on clay, especially at the French Open 
may have indicated that Sampras' 
was not entirely comfortable on that surface.

Every year, at the start of the year, 
Budge got excited as the Grand Slam season 
started in Australia. He eagerly followed 
American players like Agassi and Sampras, 
whose intensity and talents he appreciated. 

Budge believed his record would one day be broken, 
but told me in January 1999 that he wanted to see his 
record stand into the 21st century. 
In January 2000, he indicated to me through signals, 
that he was aware a week before his death, that his 
record stood intact. He knew he was still a winner. 

Budge imbued to tennis players in his community 
and all players who approached him 
that he wanted them to be a winner in life 
no matter what what they did for a living 
or what level of tennis player theye were. 
He believed we needed a goal and vision in life 
and that we should all commit to perfecting our craft.

At Pike Tennis and the Don Budge Tennis Grand Slam Program, 
we have started a small annual tennis 
incentive program in the community he called home 
for the last half of his life. The grant/scholarship program
helps youth. 

We are also gathering Budge memorabilia, 
articles, and other relevant information about his life 
to preserve his legacy. 

If you have articles, clipping, photos, 
stories about Budge, an old Don Budge racquet, or memorabilia,
please contact us by sending an email to 
tennis@newsfax.com. 
The stories may be recent or past newspaper, 
magazine, printed matter, interviews, 
video, or audio matter.

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