| Born on February 10, 1883, American
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| | player that ever lived. There has never
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| William Tilden II or "Big Bill" Tilden,
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| | been a single player who dominated an
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| as he was more popularly known, was the
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| | entire era of tennis as Tilden had during
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| first great tennis superstar. He was the
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| | his prime. For seven straight years in
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| number one player in the world for seven
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| | the 1920s, he never lost a single
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| years and reigned the courts until the
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| | important match, especially when the
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| age of 38.
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| | Davis Cup was at stake. He claimed the
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| Tilden was the most dominant tennis
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| | United States amateur championship six
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| player in the world in the 1920s and
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| | times in succession and seven times
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| 1930s and is now considered by many as
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| | overall. He also led the United States to
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| the single most influential person in the
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| | seven consecutive Davis Cup victories
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| history of the sport. His raw physical
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| | from 1920 to 1926, a record that is still
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| power and unbelievable skill and
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| | unmatched today.
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| quickness on the tennis court did much to
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| | A stunning revelation surfaced later on
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| change the image of tennis from that of a
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| | that added even more mystique to the
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| "sissy" country-club sport played by rich
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| | Tilden legend. It was revealed that
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| white people in long white pants to that
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| | during the mid-1920s, Tilden's middle
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| of a major sport played by world-class
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| | finger on his playing hand had become
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| athletes.
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| | infected and was subsequently amputated.
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| In 1920s America, sports was a huge thing
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| | But he still kept on playing and still
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| for the public and Tilden was one of five
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| | kept on winning after that.
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| sports figures who loomed as
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| | Today, Tilden is not that widely
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| larger-than-life superstars at the time.
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| | remembered despite his almost iconic
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| The others were baseball's Babe Ruth,
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| | renown. But in his prime, he was a
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| football's Red Grange, golf's Bobby Jones
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| | flamboyant character who was always in
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| and boxing's Jack Dempsey
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| | the public eye, even acting in some
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| From 1920 to 1955, except for an extended
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| | movies and stage plays. In 1950, an
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| period in the 1950s, Tilden thoroughly
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| | Associated Press poll named Bill Tilden
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| dominated tennis in a manner that left
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| | as the greatest tennis player of the
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| little doubt that he was the greatest
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| | half-century by a wide margin.
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