Legendary Tennis Players (1940's) OTHER OUTSTANDING PLAYERS WHO REMAIN IN THE AMATEUR FIELD	Browse Other Pages Homepage A Viewpoint on the Game How It Began A Viewpoint on the Game 2 A Viewpoint on the Game 3 Concentration; Practice Condition, Physical and Mental Keep Your Eye on the Ball Footwork and Weight Control Women's Tennis The Grips The Service The Drive The Chop and the Slice The Volley The Subtle Shots Courage Your Opponent's Weaknesses General Tactics Outside Conditions Pressure on Your Opponent Doubles and Mixed Doubles The Coaching Job Legendary Tennis Players Olympic Tennis Does Youth Rule Tennis Hall of Fame Amateurism to Open Tennis Some Defects in Tennis Doping Olympic Review Technology and Sport The Slice Service Flat Serve The American Twist The Drive The Backhand Drive Drive - The Main Uses The Volley Net Position The Volley Position The Overhead Smash The Half-Volley The Drop Shot The Mechanics of the Slice The Main Uses of a Slice The Grips Doubles and Mixed Doubles To Open the Court Doubles In Europe and US Legendary Tennis Players (1940's) Questions in Australian Tennis History of Australian Tennis History of Australian Tennis 2 History of Australian Tennis Players Women's Tennis in Australia Australian Tennis: Nature Ages of Tennis Players The Careers of Women Players
	(1949) Although Gonzales, Schroeder, and Parker have been the Big Three of amateur tennis in the United States, there remain a good many players, young and not so young, pressing on their heels. None of them calls for extensive discussion, as none looks destined for world class, but many have interesting features that do require comment. There are two veteran stars, whose consistent play since the war must give them places immediately after Schroeder, among the players left in the field. They are Gardnar Mulloy and Billy Talbert. Gardnar Mulloy is one of the finest stroke players in amateur tennis today. Just why he has never quite scaled the heights is difficult to say. He has courage and intelligence coupled with experience, yet he just falls short. His ground strokes are splendid solid drives, his service, if not remarkable, is good, his volley and overhead are reliable and severe. I think perhaps it is his tendency to allow little things to annoy and upset him during play that has kept him from hitting the peak. The margin between his game and greatness is small but definite enough so that now there seems little chance for him ever to attain his goal. Mulloy served with great distinction in the Navy during the war, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He is one of the finest-Iooking men in the tennis world, which, coupled with his beautiful game, makes him a popular figure with the galleries. For years Billy Talbert knocked at the door of the championship so consistently that it seemed as if his theme song must be "Open the Door, Richard." Here is another man who hits a tennis ball beautifully yet never could quite make the final grade. There was no real weakness in Talbert's game. Off the ground, his backhand is stronger than his forehand. His service, overhead, and volley are powerful and straightforward. My impression is that his game is too simplified. It has no variety, very little imagination, no change of pace, no finesse, but a splendid mechanical control that always makes Talbert difficult to beat. Yet he is beatable, when a first-rate player calls out all his resources against him. Talbert has played under the handicap of diabetes for years, and it is amazing how he has stood up under the tremendous physical strain he has put on himself. Talbert and Mulloy have won the United States Doubles Championship several times, and they must rank among the best doubles teams of recent years. Both Talbert and Mulloy are rather drab to watch, except in Mulloy's moments of irritation, since both are definitely gloomy on the court. I feel that both men have passed their peaks. They will be dangerous to any player for some years to come, but I cannot see either of them as a championship contender much longer, unless the desertion of top amateurs to the pro ranks leaves them with nothing but minor competition. Bob Falkenberg, the 1948 Wimbledon Champion, is a tennis paradox to stump the experts. The youngest of the "Fabulous Falkenbergs," whose brightest star is the beautiful Jinx of picture and radio fame, Bob is a close second to his sister in racking up publicity. Bobby has been winning tennis matches since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, without a real tennis game to do it with. It is quite some time ago he started, for he is now one of the biggest men in tennis, standing about six feet, four inches. He has held the Boys' Championship of the United States, and the Junior Crown, but so far the men's has eluded him. He did take the honours at Wimbledon in 1948, however. It is difficult to analyse Bob's game and do him credit. He has no ground strokes worthy of the name, hitting both his forehand and backhand without form and apparently without much knowledge of technique, yet in some way he gets the ball over the net to the place where he wants it, and up to the net he goes. His volley has a wonderful touch, and he has a miraculous sense of anticipation that carries him to the front of his opponent's shot consistently; yet, watching him volley, it does not look as if the shot is hit correctly. Only in his blasting service and shattering overhead can I see correct form. These are absolutely first-class. The secret of Bob Falkenberg's ability to win tennis matches definitely does not lie in his stroke production. It rests, and has always rested, in his wonderful match temperament, his generalship and tactics, and his ability to come through in the pinch. As a boy, and for his first years in men's tennis. Bobby had the strongest will to win of any player in the game. He knew what tennis would mean to him from a material standpoint if he became a winner, and this spurred him on to remarkable achievements in spite of his stroke production. He had everything that goes to make a great player except the shots. Then he met and married a charming South American girl, heiress to a tremendous fortune. They had a child and Bobby began to lose interest in tennis, since the game no longer meant his future to him. He started to lose his will to win slightly. He grew soft, compared to his old condition, and he began the downhill journey in his early twenties, at an age when many players have not reached their peak. Only same really great incentive will key Bob up these days to his old-time spirit. Wimbledon, with all its glamour, was a challenge to him in 1948, and aided by several lucky breaks, he seized his opportunity and won it. He had no right to be Wimbledon Champion on his ability, but on guts and match temperament he deserved it. 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