William 'Bill' Jackson Clothier (September 27, 1881 – September 4, 1962) was an American tennis player. He won the 1906 U.S. National Championships - Men's Singles and was the runner-up in 1907 and 1909. He reached the final round of the 1912 U.S. National Championships in mixed doubles with Eleonora Sears. He was a member of the United States 1905 and 1909 International Lawn Tennis Challenge teams. He was the first president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and was inducted as a member in 1956.
Early life and education Clothier was born on September 27, 1881, in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. His father Isaac founded the Strawbridge & Clothier department store.
In 1899, he graduated from Haverford School and attended Swarthmore College for two years before transferring to Harvard University. He graduated from Harvard in 1904.
Clothier won the college championship in tennis twice and also played hockey and football.
Tennis career He was a top American tennis player in the early 1900s and reached the singles final of the United States Championships three times. In his first final appearance in 1904 he lost in three straight sets to compatriot Holcombe Ward. Two years later, in 1906, Clothier achieved his greatest success by emphatically beating Beals Wright in the final in three straight sets at the Newport Casino. This despite breaking his pelvic bone in a riding accident earlier that year. His last appearance in the final came in 1909 when he lost in five sets to William Larned who claimed his fifth singles title.
He was a member of the United States 1905 and 1909 International Lawn Tennis Challenge teams. He won both his singles matches in the 1909 final against the British Isles.
Together with his son, William J. Clothier II, they two won the national father-son title held at Longwood Cricket Club twice in 1935 and 1936.
Clothier was the first president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1954 and later served as chairman of the board. He was elected as a member of the Hall of Fame in 1956. He was inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 1970.
Business career He was a partner in the investment bank of Montgomery, Clothier & Tyler until 1921. He worked as president of the Boone County Coal Corporation in West Virginia, until 1957.
He died on September 4, 1962, at his home in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and was interred at West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Playing style In their book R.F. and H.L. Doherty - On Lawn Tennis (1903) multiple Wimbledon champions Reginald and Lawrence Doherty described Clothier's playing style:
On Lawn Tennis - 1903
Grand Slam finals
Singles (1 title, 2 runners-up)
ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1906U.S. National Championships Grass Beals Wright 6–3, 6–0, 6–4Loss 1907U.S. National Championships Grass William Larned w/oLoss 1909U.S. National Championships Grass William Larned 1–6, 2–6, 7–5, 6–1, 1–6
Mixed doubles: (1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionship SurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1912 U.S. National Championships Grass Eleonora Sears Mary Kendall Browne Richard Williams 4–6, 6–2, 9–11
Grand Slam performance timeline
Events with a challenge round: (WC) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (FA) all comers' finalist 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 SR W–L Win %Grand Slam tournaments FrenchOnly for French club membersNot heldOFOFOF0 / 00–0–Wimbledon A A A A A A A A A4R A A A A A A A A ANot held A A A A0 / 12–166.7U.S.1R1R2R1R2RQF4RFAFQFWC ASFCR A ASFQFSF A3R A A A A4R3R1 / 2058–1876.3AustralianNot held A A AA A A AA A A ANot held A A A A0 / 00–0–Win–loss 0–1 0–1 1–1 0–1 0–1 3–1 1–1 5–1 6–1 6–2 7–0 0–06–1 5–1 0–0 0–05–1 4–1 4–1 0–0 3–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 2–1 1 / 21 60–19 75.9
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