| 1959 |
Born February 16 in Weisbaden, Germany |
| 1959 |
Family returns to Queens, N.Y., when McEnroe is nine months old and settles in Douglaston |
| 1970 |
Placed under instructorship of Tony Palafox and Harry Hopman at Port Washington Tennis Academy (at Long Island) |
| 1975 |
Receives a six-month suspension from Tennis Academy for a prank. His parents switch him to Cove Racquet Club |
| 1977 |
Graduates from Manhattan's Trinity School |
| 1977 |
Qualifies for Wimbledon at age of 18 and becomes youngest player and first qualifier to reach semi-finals |
| 1977 |
Enters Stanford University |
| 1978 |
Wins NCAA Championship |
| 1978 |
Turns professional |
| 1979 |
Nicknamed "superbrat" by British Tabloids, later shortened to "McBrat" |
| 1979 |
Starts playing guitar—rock and roll will become one of his passions |
| 1979 |
Wins first U.S. Open, beating Vitas Gerulaitis in straight sets |
| 1980 |
Lost Wimbledon to Bjorn Borg in what has been called the greatest match in sports history |
| 1980 |
Wins U.S. Open |
| 1981 |
Prevails this time and beat Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon; wins U.S. Open |
| 1981 |
Important member of winning U.S. Davis Cup team |
| 1982 |
Defeats Mats Wilander in a six hour 22-minute match at 1982 Davis Cup |
| 1983 |
Wins Wimbledon |
| 1984 |
Compiles an 82-3 record and wins a career high 13 tournaments, including his third Wimbledon and fourth U.S. Open |
| 1986 |
Takes a sabbatical from Tennis; marries actress Tatum O'Neal—they have their first child, Kevin, three months prior (will later add another brother, Sean, and a sister, Emily) |
| 1987 |
Fails to win a title for the first time since turning pro |
| 1990 |
Disqualified at Australian Open for using abusive language at officials |
| 1992 |
Divorces Tatum O'Neal |
| 1992 |
Final year on ATP tour |
| 1993 |
Meets Patty Smyth at a Christmas party |
| 1995 |
Kicks off his broadcasting career at the French Open |
| 1995 |
Opens the John McEnroe Gallery in SoHo |
| 1997 |
Records album with his band, The Johnny Smyth Band. McEnroe wrote the lyrics and music |
| 1997 |
Marries musician Patty Smyth |
| 1999 |
Named captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team; performs poorly at it and quits after barely a year in the position |
| 2001 |
Continues to lobby to become "Commissioner of Tennis" (a position that does not exist) |
| 2002 |
Publishes autobiography, You Cannot Be Serious; has a bit part in Adam Sandlar movie Mr. Deeds |
| 2002 |
Tries his hand at a game show, The Chair, on the BBC |
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