Beals Coleman Wright (December 19, 1879 – August 23, 1961) was an American tennis player who was active at the end of the 1890s and early 1900s. He won the singles title at the 1905 U.S. National Championships. Wright was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the older brother of American tennis player Irving Wright.

Biography Beals was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 19, 1879, to George Wright, the shortstop for the Cincinnati Red Stockings and founder of the sporting goods store Wright & Ditson. Beals was the brother of Irving Wright, the 1917 and 1918 U.S. Championship mixed doubles champion. Together they won the men's doubles title at the Canadian Tennis Championship four times (1902, 1903, 1904, 1905). Beals was the nephew of baseball pioneer Harry Wright.

In 1899 Beals Wright traveled with his father to California where he played at the Delmonte Tennis Championship in Monterey. George Wright managed the team the same year he coached at Harvard. Two Harvard University players participated in the DelMonte Tournament-the first time east coast players took on California tennis champions.

Wright played at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics and won gold medals in both the singles and doubles competition. He also won three consecutive singles titles (1904–1906) at the Tri-State Tennis Tournament (now Cincinnati Open), and reached the doubles final (with Edgar Leonard) in 1904.

Wright won the Canadian International Championships, played in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in 1902, 1903 and 1904. In 1902 he won the Niagara International Tennis Tournament, also played in Niagara-on-the-Lake, by defeating Harold Hackett in the final in five sets and the default of Raymond Little in the challenge round.

Wright's most important victory came in 1905 when he won the men's singles title at the U.S. National Championships by defeating reigning champion Holcombe Ward in the Challenge Round in straight sets 6–2, 6–1, 11–9.

In 1915 he was hit by an errant baseball during a baseball game. In 1921 he was arrested following a car accident.

Beals Wright was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1956. He died in Alton, Illinois, on August 23, 1961.

Playing style In their book R.F. and H.L. Doherty - On Lawn Tennis (1903) multiple Wimbledon champions Reginald and Lawrence Doherty described Wright's playing style:

On Lawn Tennis - 1903

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 4 (1 title, 3 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1901 U.S. National Championships Grass William Larned 2–6, 8–6, 4–6, 4–6Win 1905 U.S. National Championships Grass Holcombe Ward 6–2, 6–1, 11–9Loss 1906 U.S. National Championships Grass William Clothier 3–6, 0–6, 4–6Loss 1908 U.S. National Championships Grass William Larned 1–6, 2–6, 6–8

Doubles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1901 U.S. National Championships Grass Leo Ware Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward 3–6, 7–9, 1–6Win 1904 U.S. National Championships Grass Holcombe Ward Kreigh Collins Raymond Little 1–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1Win 1905 U.S. National Championships Grass Holcombe Ward Fred Alexander Harold Hackett 6–4, 6–4, 6–1Win 1906 U.S. National Championships Grass Holcombe Ward Fred Alexander Harold Hackett 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3Loss 1907 Wimbledon Grass Karl Behr Norman Brookes Anthony Wilding 4–6, 4–6, 2–6Loss 1908 U.S. National Championships Grass Raymond Little Fred Alexander Harold Hackett 1–6, 5–7, 2–6Loss 1918 U.S. National Championships Grass Fred Alexander Vincent Richards Bill Tilden 3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 2–6

Singles performance timeline

Events with a challenge round: (WC) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (FA) all comers' finalist 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 SR W–L Win %Grand Slam tournaments FrenchOnly for French club membersNot held0 / 00–0–Wimbledon A A A A A A A A4R A1R A AFA A A A ANot held0 / 37–370.0U.S.3R2R3RSFF4R2RQFWCCR ACR AFAFAA A A A A A4R1 / 1450–1379.4AustralianNot held A A AA A A AA A A ANot held0 / 00–0–Win–loss 2–1 1–1 2–1 4–1 5–1 3–1 0–1 3–1 9–1 0–1 0–17–1 12–2 7–1 2–1 1 / 17 57–16 78.1National representationOlympicsNot heldANot heldGNot heldAANot heldAANot held1 / 15–0100.0

References

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