Finn Kobberø (13 March 1936 – 21 January 2009) was a badminton player from Denmark, who won numerous international titles in all of badminton's three events (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s.
Career He was one of the most successful players in the history of the All England Open Badminton Championships with 15 titles between 1955 and 1966, 7 in men's doubles, mainly with hard-hitting Jorgen Hammergaard Hansen, and 8 in mixed doubles. He was also a three-time singles finalist at the All-EnglandsHerbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1967 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1967) 166-170. despite a storied disdain for physical conditioning. A leading player on all of Denmark's Thomas Cup (men's international) teams from 1954 through 1964, he won 55 of 64 individual matches.Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1967 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A, Jennings Ltd., 1967) 71-87. Powerful, quick, and deceptive, he has been rated among the most talented players in the sport's history.Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England, 1983) 112. He won 22 Danish national championships in all. He also won each of the three events at the Danish Open Championships though the tournament was not held during most of the years that he was active as a player.
Kobberø was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997. He later worked as a sports journalist for national television in Denmark. He died January 21, 2009.
Achievements International tournaments (51 titles, 19 runners-up) Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result1953Denmark Open Eddy Choong3–15, 7–15 Runner-up1955Norwegian International Leif Ekedahl15–8, 15–6 Winner1956Denmark Open Palle Granlund15–2, 15–7 Winner1956All England Eddy Choong15–11, 3–15, 11–15 Runner-up1956US Open Joe Alston15–11, 15–8 Winner1956Norwegian International Bertil Glans5–15, 18–15, 15–11 Winner1957Swedish Open Eddy Choong15–11, 15–9 Winner1957US Open Eddy Choong15–10, 2–15, 15–4 Winner1958Swedish Open Erland Kops15–11, 15–10 Winner1958All England Erland Kops10–15, 15–8, 8–15 Runner-up1958US Open Jim Poole8–15, 15–6, 7–15 Runner-up1960Mexico International Teh Kew San7–15, 7–15 Runner-up1960Canada Open Tan Joe Hok15–10, 8–15, 13–15 Runner-up1961All England Erland Kops10–15, 6–15 Runner-up1962French Open Charoen Wattanasin4–15, 13–18 Runner-up1962Belgian International Oon Chong Teik11–15, 6–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1955All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Eddy Choong David Choong15–9, 14–17, 15–11 Winner1955Norwegian International Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Leif Ekedahl Berndt Dahlberg15–11, 15–7 Winner1955Malaysia Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Ong Poh Lim Ooi Teik Hock7–15, 17–18 Runner-up1956All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen John Nygaard Poul-Erik Nielsen18–14, 15–5 Winner1956Norwegian International Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Bertil Glans Ingemar Eliasson15–10, 15–11 Winner1956Denmark Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen John Nygaard Poul-Erik Nielsen7–15, 15–8, 17–14 Winner1956US Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Ong Poh Lim Ooi Teik Hock 15–8, 9–15, 15–7 Winner1957US Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Eddy Choong Bert Fergus15–12, 15–2 Winner1957Swedish Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Eddy Choong Oon Chong Teik15–5, 15–12 Winner1958All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 7–15, 15–11, 8–15 Runner-up1958Swedish Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Ole Mertz Poul-Erik Nielsen15–12, 6–15, 13–15 Runner-up1958US Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Wynn Rogers Bob Williams15–1, 15–8 Winner1960All England Poul-Erik Nielsen Lim Say Hup Teh Kew San 14–17, 15–3, 15–11 Winner1960Swedish Open Poul-Erik Nielsen Berndt Dahlberg Bertil Glans15–4, 15–4 Winner1960US Open Charoen Wattanasin Manuel Armendariz Jim Poole15–6, 15–6 Winner1961All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 15–6, 15–5 Winner1961French Open Erland Kops Oon Chong Teik Yeoh Kean Hua15–6, 15–10 Winner1961Canada Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Robert McCoig15–8, 15–10 Winner1962German Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 15–7, 15–13 Winner1962French Open Bengt Nielsen Charoen Wattanasin Torkild Nielsen18–16, 1–15, 15–4 Winner1962Swedish Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Henning Borch Knud Aage Nielsen 15–14, 7–15, 15–4 Winner1962Belgian International Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Oon Chong Teik Ole Mertz15–9, 7–15, 6–15 Runner-up1962All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Narong Bhornchima Raphi Kanchanaraphi17–16, 15–3 Winner1963All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Tan Joe Hock Ferry Sonneville10–15, 15–4, 15–7 Winner1964German Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 3–15, 6–15 Runner-up1964Swedish Open Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 15–7, 17–14 Winner1964All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen 15–6, 15–3 Winner1966All England Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan 15–9, 9–15, 15–17 Runner-up
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1954All England Inge Birgit Hansen John Best Iris Cooley12–15, 0–15 Runner-up1955All England Kirsten Thorndahl David Choong June White15–7, 15–13 Winner1956US Open Judy Devlin Bob Williams Ethel Marshall15–6, 15–11 Winner1956Denmark Open Inge Birgit Hansen Jørn Skaarup Anni Hammergaard Hansen15–9, 7–15, 7–15 Runner-up1957All England Kirsten Granlund Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen15–3, 15–6 Winner1957US Open Judy Devlin Bob Williams Ethel Marshall15–0, 15–9 Winner1958All England Aase Winther Tony Jordan June Timperley9–15, 15–7, 5–15 Runner-up1958US Open Judy Devlin Bob Williams Ethel Marshall15–5, 17–14 Winner1960All England Kirsten Granlund Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen15–7, 15–2 Winner1960Canada Open Jean Miller Tan Joe Hok Sushila Kapadia15–7, 15–7 Winner1960US Open Margaret Varner Michael Roche Judy Devlin15–7, 15–2 Winner1961All England Kirsten Granlund Tony Jordan June Timperley15–12, 15–5 Winner1961Canada Open Jean Miller Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Marjory Shedd15–3, 15–10 Winner1962Swedish Open Anni Hammergaard Hansen Jesper Sandvad Aase Winther15–6, 15–7 Winner1962German Open Hanne Andersen Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen15–4, 15–10 Winner1962All England Ulla Rasmussen Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen15–1, 15–11 Winner1962Belgian International Ulla Rasmussen Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Karin Jørgensen6–15, 15–10, 15–6 Winner1962French Open Tan Gaik Bee Charoen Wattanasin Veronica Brock15–3, 15–2 Winner1963All England Ulla Rasmussen Tony Jordan June Timperley15–8, 15–12 Winner1964Swedish Open Anne Flindt Oon Chong Teik Judy Hashman17–14, 15–10 Winner1964German Open Bente Flindt Knud Aage Nielsen Kirsten Thorndahl15–9, 15–10 Winner1964All England Ulla Rasmussen Tony Jordan Jenny Pritchard10–15, 13–18 Runner-up1964Nordic Championships Ulla Rasmussen Ole Mertz Annette Rye15–6, 15–12 Winner1965All England Ulla Strand Tony Jordan Jenny Pritchard9–15, 15–4, 15–12 Winner1966All England Ulla Strand Per Walsøe Pernille Mølgaard Hansen15–13, 15–3 Winner1966Denmark Open Ulla Strand Per Walsøe Pernille Mølgaard Hansen8–15, 15–7, 15–11 Winner
Summary RankEventDateVenue1Men's doubles1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 All England OpenMixed doubles1955, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 19661Men's singles1956, 1957U.S. OpenMen's doubles1956, 1957, 1958, 1960Mixed doubles1956, 1957, 1958, 19601Men's doubles1961Canada OpenMixed doubles1960, 19611Men's singles1957, 1958Swedish OpenMen's doubles1957, 1960, 1962, 1964Mixed doubles1962, 19641Men's singles1956Denmark OpenMen's doubles1956Mixed doubles19661Mixed doubles1964Nordic Championships1Men's doubles1961, 1962French OpenMixed doubles19621Men's doubles1962German OpenMixed doubles1962, 19642Men's singles1956, 1958, 1961All England OpenMen's doubles1958, 1966Mixed doubles1954, 1958, 1964
References
Finn Kobberø's Profile - Badminton.dk