Editing Ellsworth Vines (section)

==Career==
===Amateur===
Vines attended the [[University of Southern California]] in [[Los Angeles, California]], where he was a member  of the [[Sigma Nu]] fraternity and played on the freshman basketball team.<ref name=tpcom>Ed Atkinson [http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/champions/Ed_Atkinson/ed_atkinson_ellsworth_vines/ed_atkinson_ellsworth_vines.html Ellsworth Vines: Ultimate Ball Striker], tennisplayer.net, Accessed July 8, 2008.</ref> Many believe that Mercer Beasley started him on his tennis career at age 14 in Pasadena. He was mentored by [[Perry T. Jones]] through the [[Los Angeles Tennis Club]] and the Southern California Tennis Association.

;1927 
Vines, aged 15, reached the quarter-finals of the Pacific Northwest Championships in Tacoma in July, where he lost to Dick Stevens.
<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tacoma Daily Ledger|date=July 15, 1927|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/725344189/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In September Vines lost in the last 16 of the California state championships to Bowie Dietrick. "Vines had the first set, 5–3, on his own service, but was unable to sustain the pace against his able and more experienced opponent, and lost the first set, 8–10. He seemed pretty well tried out by that time, and Dietrick put the second set away at 6–2".<ref>{{cite web|title=Oakland Tribune|date=September 15, 1927|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/725344189/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

;1928
Vines reached the quarter-finals of the Pacific Southwest tournament in October, where he lost to [[Christian Boussus]]. "Vines forced Boussus to the limit in their match. The young Pasadenan's service was far better than that of Boussus, but the Frenchman's marvelous placements and his steadiness brought him through victoriously. He usually was content to hit the ball back, without trying fancy shots, and forced Vines into errors in long rallies."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 5, 1928|url= https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385560095/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

;1929
In July, Vines lost in the final of the Western Championships in Chicago to [[Keith Gledhill]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Lansing State Journal|date=July 22, 1929|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/204050490/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
At the Wisconsin Championships in Milwaukee in August, Vines lost to Gledhill in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tacoma Daily Ledger|date=August 26, 1929|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/725543713/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

;1930 
In February, Vines beat [[Lester Stoefen]] in the final of the Los Angeles championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=The News Pilot, San Pedro|date=February 17, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/605675763/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In May, Vines won the Southern California championships beating Gledhill in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Evening Express|date=May 19, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608592590/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In June, Vines won the Pasadena championships, beating Stoefen in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Pasadena Post|date=June 16, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/622352514/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In July, Vines beat [[Francis Hunter|Frank Hunter]] in the final of the New York Metropolitan championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Reading Times|date=July 28, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/48089790/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In September, Vines won the Pacific Southwest championships, beating [[Wilmer Allison]] in a long and close five sets in the quarters, [[Clifford Sutter]] in four sets in the semifinal and [[Gregory Mangin]] in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Austin American|date=September 28, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/386008342/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

;1931
Vines won his first title of the year in February, beating Stoefen in five sets to win the Los Angeles championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times|date=February 23, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380534582/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines won the River Oaks tournament in Houston in April beating [[Bruce Barnes (tennis)|Bruce Barnes]] in the final. "Vines's service had so much pace that at times today it almost knocked the racquet from Barnes's hand."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Star Press, Muncie|date=April 13, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/251925501/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines won the Ojai valley championships in April over Stoefen.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times|date=April 27, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380617249/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In May, Vines won the Southern Californian championships beating Alan Herrington in the final. "The flashiness of Vines's playing is shown in the fact that he scored forty placement aces to Herrington's three during the four sets. Vines also led in practically every other department of the game."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times|date=May 18, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380428442/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines won the California State championships in June beating Ed Chandler in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The San Francisco Examiner|date=June 15, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/457596515/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In July, Vines won the U. S. clay court championships in St. Louis beating Gledhill in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Pittsburgh Post Gazette|date=July 6, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/89493944/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and the same month won the Longwood Bowl in Brookline, Mass. over [[John Doeg]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Yonkers Herald|date=July 20, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/677045756/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Then at the Seabright tournament, Vines came from two sets down to beat Doeg in the final. "The turning point of the match came in the tenth game of the fourth set. At this stage Doeg was leading five to four in games and won the first two points from Vines' service in the tenth. Employing his powerful backhand stroke, the Pasadena youngster pulled the match out of the fire by winning the next four points to take the game."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=August 1, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/173810387/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In August, Vines beat [[Fred Perry]] in the final of the Newport Casino tournament.<ref>{{cite web|title=Star Press, Muncie|date=August 23, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/251549163/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines was still 19 when he won his first Grand Slam singles title, the  [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]], beating George Lott in the final in four sets.  Vines played "erratically throughout the major part of match, but his brilliant placements and cannonball service were sufficient to overcome Lott's steadier volleying and effective service", according to ''The Daily News (New York)''. Trailing 5–2 in the fourth set, Vines won five consecutive games to close out the match.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Daily News from New York, 13 September 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/414666985|website=newspapers.com}}</ref> In September Vines beat Perry in the final of the Pacific Southwest championships in five sets. "Vines served the almost unbelievable total of twenty-three double faults during the match. When he finally got going, he didn't score many aces, but he was getting his first ball in regularly, and although the Englishman, who battled furiously to the finish, usually managed to get his racket on the ball, he couldn't handle the serve at all. Perry covered the court brilliantly, making many seemingly impossible gets."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Los Angeles Times|date=September 28, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380612267/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In October, Vines beat Perry again in the final of the Pacific coast championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Gazette (Montreal)|date=October 5, 1931|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/419820184/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines was ranked world No. 2 by Pierre Gillou<ref>"M. Pierre Gillou donne son classement des dix meilleurs joueurs du monde" [Mr. Pierre Gillou gives his ranking of the ten best players in the world]. L'Auto (in French). 1931-09-16. p. 1.</ref> and by Didier Poulain.<ref>Les Dix Meilleurs Joueurs du Monde Sont..." [The Ten Best Players in the World Are...]. L'Auto (in French). 1931-09-15. pp. 1, 5.</ref>

;1932
In April, Vines beat Allison in the final of the Mason-Dixon tournament at [[The Greenbrier]] resort in White Sulphur Springs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily News (New York)|date=April 24, 1932|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/414718197/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> At [[Wimbledon Championships]], Vines beat Bunny Austin easily in the final and the winning ace was hit so hard, Austin claimed he couldn't see it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/612431-pete-sampras-and-the-top-25-servers-in-the-history-of-mens-tennis|title=Pete Sampras and the Top 25 Servers in the History of Men's Tennis|website=[[Bleacher Report]] }}</ref><ref>Tennis's Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Baseline Blunders, Clay Court Wonders, and Lucky Lobs by Floyd Conner, 2002</ref> Vines beat Allison in the final of the Newport Casino event in August.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=August 21, 1932|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/59990348/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> At the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]], Vines beat [[Cliff Sutter]] in the semi-finals in five long sets when he came very close to defeat.<ref>Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 10, 1932</ref> He then beat [[Henri Cochet]] in the final to retain his title. In November Vines beat Allison in five sets in the final of the New South Wales championships.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Northern Herald (Cairns)|date=November 26, 1932|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149911337|via=Trove}}</ref> Vines was ranked World No. 1 amateur by A. Wallis Myers,<ref>{{Cite news|date=1931-11-14|title=Ranking The World's Best Players Of Lawn Tennis This Year: Wallis Myers Discusses His Placings and Notes a British Decline|volume=55|page=4|work=Manawatu Times|issue=7005|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19321115.2.12}}</ref> Bernard Brown,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Bernard |date=1932-09-13 |title=Vines Heads Ranking of World's First Ten Tennis Players |pages=12 |work=[[Brooklyn Times-Union]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/576055722/}}</ref> Pierre Gillou,<ref>{{Cite news|date=1932-09-14|title=Les dix meilleurs joueurs et joueuses de tennis du monde : Le classement de M. Pierre Gillou|language=French|trans-title=The ten best male and female tennis players in the world: the ranking of Mr. Pierre Gillou|pages=1|work=[[L'Auto]]|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4633875g|access-date=}}</ref> F. Gordon Lowe<ref>{{cite news|date=9 November 1932|title=WORLD SPORT|page=2|newspaper=[[The Referee (newspaper)|The Referee]]|issue=2381|location=New South Wales, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135337248|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=28 November 2021}}</ref> and [[Jean Borotra]].<ref>{{cite news|date=14 December 1932|title=TENNIS TOPICS OF MOMENT|page=23|newspaper=[[The Referee (newspaper)|The Referee]]|issue=2386|location=New South Wales, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135326067|via=National Library of Australia|access-date=22 November 2021}}</ref>

;1933
1933 was a poor year for Vines.  One of his most surprising losses was to young Australian player [[Vivian McGrath]] in the Australian championships quarter finals.<ref>The Sydney Morning Herald, January 28, 1933</ref> Vines won the Ojai Valley championships in April beating Gledhill in the final.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Nevada State Journal|date=April 30, 1930|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/75052952/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines reached the final of Wimbledon, but lost a classic five set battle to [[Jack Crawford (tennis)|Jack Crawford]]. It was a "Wimbledon final that produced some of the greatest tennis in the history of the world famous tournament" and "the crowd gave Crawford one of the longest, wildest cheers that ever has echoed through Wimbledon".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Hartford Courant, 8 July 1933|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/370128146|website=newspapers.com}}</ref>  At the US Championships, Vines lost in the fourth round to [[Bryan Grant]].

===Professional===
;1934
Vines played his first professional tennis match on January 10, 1934, and then became the leading pro player until 1938 (and the [[World number one male tennis player rankings|World No. 1]] or No. 2 in the combined amateur-professional rankings). In his first [[Tennis pro tours and tournament ranking series|World Professional Championship]] tour, Vines overcame the 41 year old [[Bill Tilden]].  From May to June, Vines participated in the US tournament circuit.  Vines won tournaments at New York,<ref>Des Moines Register, May 28, 1934</ref> Philadelphia,<ref>The Greenwood Commonwealth, June 4, 1934</ref> Boston<ref>Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 10, 1934</ref> and Cleveland,<ref>Fort Worth Star-Telegram, June 18, 1934</ref> beating Tilden in each of these events.  Then Vines lost in the semi-finals at Detroit to [[Karel Kozeluh]] and didn't play in the remaining events of the tour at Milwaukee and St. Louis.  At the US Pro in Chicago, Vines lost surprisingly in the semi-finals to [[Hans Nusslein]].  At Wembley, Vines won the title in a round robin that also featured Nusslein, Tilden, [[Martin Plaa]], [[Bruce Barnes (tennis)|Bruce Barnes]] and [[Dan Maskell]].  Then Vines won in the Parc de expositions tournament in Paris beating Nusslein in the final. In December, Vines beat Tilden in the final of the Roubaix tournament. Vines was ranked World No. 1 pro by Ray Bowers<ref name=":6">{{cite web|last=Bowers|first=Ray|title=History of the Pro Tennis Wars Chapter V: The Early Ascendancy of Vines, 1934|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_03_03_01.html|url-status=live|via=tennisserver.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030610003617/http://www.tennisserver.com:80/lines/lines_03_03_01.html |archive-date=June 10, 2003 }}</ref> and was ranked No. 1 in combined pro/amateur lists by Pierre Gillou<ref>{{Cite news|date=1935-04-12|title=Quels sont les vingt meilleurs joueurs du monde ? Voici deux classements.|language=French|trans-title=Who are the top 20 players in the world? Here are two rankings.|pages=1|work=[[L'Auto]]|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4634810f|access-date=}}</ref> and ''Tennis'' (Italian newspaper).<ref>{{Cite news|date=1935-04-18|title=World's Open Ranking List|volume=55|page=2|work=[[Ashburton Guardian]]|issue=160|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG19350418.2.5.6}}</ref>

;1935
Vines beat [[Lester Stoefen]] in the World series (after a disastrous start to the tour, Stoefen withdrew from the tour).  At the French Pro at Roland Garros, Vines beat Nusslein in the final.<ref>Excelsior, July 8, 1935</ref> Vines then won the tournament at Southport beating Tilden.  Vines then won tournaments at Deauville and La Baule (also over Tilden).  However, he surprisingly lost to [[Robert Ramillon]] at a tournament at Le Touquet.  At Wembley, Vines trailed Stoefen 4–1 in the fifth set in the semi-finals but won in five sets and beat Tilden in five sets in the final. Vines was ranked World No. 1 pro by Bowers<ref name="BowersI2">{{cite web|last=Bowers|first=Ray|title=History of the Pro Tennis Wars, Chapter VI: Vines's Second Year: 1935|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_03_12_01.html|url-status=live|via=tennisserver.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040502185912/http://www.tennisserver.com:80/lines/lines_03_12_01.html |archive-date=May 2, 2004 }}</ref> and no. 1 in a combined amateur/pro list by Henri Cochet.<ref>{{cite news|date=9 December 1935|title=Vines first|page=12|newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)]]|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11862845|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

;1936
Over the next three years, Vines concentrated on playing tours and did not enter tournaments.  He beat Stoefen to win the 1936 World series.  In November, he toured Asia with Tilden and won the tour easily. Vines was ranked World No. 1 pro by Bowers<ref name="bowersVII">{{cite web|author=Bowers|first=Ray|title=History of the Pro Tennis Wars, Chapter VII: Awaiting Perry, 1936|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_04_07_25.html|url-status=live|via=tennisserver.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821085227/http://www.tennisserver.com:80/lines/lines_04_07_25.html |archive-date=August 21, 2004 }}</ref> and Fred Perry.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Stockton Independent, 31 December 1936|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608891416/|website=newspapers.com}}</ref> Vines was also ranked combined pro/amateur World No. 1 by Bill Tilden<ref>{{Cite news|last=Tilden|first=Bill|date=1937-01-19|title=Bill Tilden Says: Two Tennis Aces Out-rank Perry|work=[[The Seattle Star]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/773683610/}}</ref> and Robert Murray<ref>{{Cite news|date=1937-01-19|title=Open Tennis Ranking|volume=73|page=19|work=[[The Press]]|issue=22021|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19370219.2.156}}</ref>(''[[Sports Illustrated]]'').

;1937
1937 featured the first of the Vines-[[Fred Perry|Perry]] World Series tours.  1937 was a very successful tour, grossing $412,000.<ref>The Dictionary of World Biography The 20th Century O-Z (1999)</ref> The result was still in doubt until the penultimate match, when Vines beat Perry at Hershey.  Vines then won the final match of the series at Scranton to win the series 32–29.  Touring UK and Ireland, Perry won a short series against Vines, including winning two of the three matches at Wembley, where they played for the King George VI Coronation Cup. Perry and Vines were ranked joint no. 1 pros by Bowers.<ref name=":7">{{cite web|last=Bowers|first=Ray|title=History of the Pro Tennis Wars, Chapter VIII: Perry and Vines, 1937|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_04_12_03.html|url-status=live|via=tennisserver.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217082019/http://www.tennisserver.com:80/lines/lines_04_12_03.html |archive-date=December 17, 2004 }}</ref>

;1938
The 1938 World Series was another tough battle. After coming back from four match points down to win at Richmond on 8 May, Vines said "I've got a good lead over that guy (Perry) and I'm going to keep it just to prove once and for all who's No 1 man" and "if Budge turns pro next year I want to be the one to play against him because that's where the money will be. After this tour ends there'll be no doubt who's the better man between me and Perry".<ref>The Richmond Times Dispatch, 9 May 1938</ref> Vines won the series 49–35. In November, Vines and Perry toured South and Central America and won four matches each. Vines was ranked World No. 1 pro by Bowers.<ref name="bowersIX">{{cite web|author=Bowers|first=Ray|title=History of the Pro Tennis Wars, Chapter IX: Readying for Budge, 1938|url=http://www.tennisserver.com/lines/lines_05_07_30.html|url-status=live|via=tennisserver.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051109153932/http://www.tennisserver.com:80/lines/lines_05_07_30.html |archive-date=November 9, 2005 }}</ref>

;1939
In 1939 Vines lost his world pro crown to [[Don Budge]] but narrowly: in the [[Tennis pro tours and tournament ranking series|World Professional Championship]] tour against each other, Vines trailed Budge 17–22.  The tour proved that at his best Vines was unbeatable, although Vines laboured with a shoulder problem and a pulled stomach muscle in the series, losing five straight matches while injured.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Bonk |first=Thomas |date=1990-12-11 |title=A Fine Vines : Some Call Him Best Tennis Player Ever, but He Was More |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-11-sp-6213-story.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-10-11 |title=The Tennis 128: No. 34, Ellsworth Vines |url=https://www.tennisabstract.com/blog/2022/10/11/the-tennis-128-no-34-ellsworth-vines/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Heavy Topspin |language=en-US}}</ref> Vines commented, “I thought I could beat Budge, and I think I would have,” Vines said. “I had to serve side-armed and he was just knocking the ball down my throat.”<ref name=":0" />

Budge's consistency prevailed a majority of the time. Touring Europe with Tilden and Stoefen in the summer, Budge won the tour and beat Vines more comfortably than he had done in the World Series.

In June, Vines won the Brussels Professional Spring Championships, defeating Budge and Tilden in close matches. Vines lost in the final at Roland Garros to Budge. In the Edinburgh professional tournament, Vines won the event with wins over Budge and Tilden. At the knock-out event at Southport, Vines lost in the semi-finals to Nusslein, who then defeated Tilden in the final.

His final title came at the [[U.S. Pro Tennis Championships]] in October at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club on cement, where he beat Perry in the final in a close and brilliantly played four sets (Budge declined to participate in the US Pro).<ref>{{cite web|title=Arizona Republic|date=October 23, 1939|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/116654589/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Vines was ranked world No. 2 professional by Alfred Chave<ref>"Californians Head the World Tennis Rankings". Telegraph (Brisbane). Queensland, Australia. 22 September 1939. p. 13 (SECOND EDITION) Retrieved 28 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.</ref> and combined amateur/pro world No. 2 by Didier Poulain.<ref>"Il y avait des leçons à prendre hier, au stade Roland-Garros !" [There were some lessons to learn yesterday, at Roland-Garros stadium!]. L'Auto (in French). 1939-07-03. p. 5.</ref> 
Vines, by now, was losing interest in tennis and was turning his attention more and more to golf.

;1940
In April 1940 Vines, at 28 years old, played his last tennis competition at the West Coast professional tennis tournament in Los Angeles.<ref>The Bakersfield Californian, April 3, 1940</ref> His physical problems, his desire to enjoy family life, his loss of the world crown, and above all his increasing passion for golf drove him to retire from tennis.

Vines' career earnings as of May 1938 were reported to be $185,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roundy Says |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/397619601 |work=[[Wisconsin State Journal]] |date=30 April 1938 |page=9|via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Vines' Earnings in Pro Tennis Hit $175,000 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/25984575 |work=The Fresno Bee The Republican |date=31 January 1938 |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tales In TidBits |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/295553243 |work=[[Lancaster Eagle-Gazette]] |author=Bill Braucher |date=13 May 1936 |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref>