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Richard "Pancho" Gonzales

Chronology



1928 Born May 9 in Los Angeles, California
1940 Receives first tennis racquet as a Christmas present
1942 Wins first junior tournaments
1943 Drops out of high school; caught burglarizing houses
1945 Joins U.S. Navy
1947 Leaves Navy on a discharge; begins playing in men's tennis tournaments
1948 Wins men's singles title, U.S. Championships at Forest Hills
1948 Marries Henrietta Pedrin
1949 Wins men's singles title, U.S. Championships at Forest Hills
1949 Wins men's doubles title, Wimbledon, with partner Frank Parker
1949 Wins men's doubles title, French Open, with partner Frank Parker
1949-50 Loses to Jack Kramer in round-robin tour, 27-96
1953-59 Wins U.S. Professional Championships
1954-60 Dominates the round-robin tours, beating Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, and others
1958 Divorces Henrietta
1960 Marries Madelyn Darrow
1961 Wins U.S. Professional Championships
1963 Coaches U.S. Davis Cup team to final in Australia
1968 Returns to play major tournaments after tennis "opens" to allow amateurs to compete with professionals
1968 Divorces Madelyn
1969 Plays longest Wimbledon match ever (five hours, 12 minutes), beating Charles Pasarell in the tournament's first round
1970 Remarries Madelyn Gonzales
1972 Becomes oldest man to win a tournament, in Iowa, at age 44
1974 Joins Caesars Palace in Las Vegas as a professional coach
1975 Divorces Madelyn for second time
1984 Marries Rita Agassi
1995 Dies of cancer, July 3, in Las Vegas

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsTennisRichard "Pancho" Gonzales Biography - Taught Himself To Play, Prevailed In The Touring Circuit, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information