Beals Wright

Wright circa 1915
Full name	Beals Coleman Wright
Country (sports)	United States
Born	December 19, 1879 Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died	August 23, 1961(1961-08-23) (aged 81) Alton, Illinois, United States
Plays	Left-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	1956 (member page)
Singles
Career record	254–70 (78.4%)[1]
Career titles	27[1]
Highest ranking	No. 2 (1905, ITHF)[2]
Grand Slam singles results
Wimbledon	F (1910AC)
US Open	W (1905)
Doubles
Career record	incomplete
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	F (1907)
US Open	W (1904, 1905, 1906)
Medal record Olympic Games – Tennis 1904 St. Louis Singles 1904 St. Louis Doubles

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.^[3][4]

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.^[5] 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).^[6] 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.^{[citation needed]}

Wright played at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics and won gold medals in both the singles and doubles competition.^[7] He also won three consecutive singles titles (1904–1906) at the tournament now known as the Cincinnati Masters, 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.^[6] 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.^[8]

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.^[9]

In 1915 he was hit by an errant baseball during a baseball game.^[10] In 1921 he was arrested following a car accident.^[11]

Beals Wright was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1956. He died in Alton, Illinois, on August 23, 1961.^[2][3]

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:

Beals Wright is certainly the best in America at low volleys, and is very good overhead. His volleying is distinctly superior to his ground strokes, and his forehand somewhat stronger than his backhand. He has a good service, which he follows up to the net.

On Lawn Tennis - 1903^[12]

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 4 (1 title, 3 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1901	U.S. National Championships	Grass	William Larned	2–6, 8–6, 4–6, 4–6
Win	1905	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Holcombe Ward	6–2, 6–1, 11–9
Loss	1906	U.S. National Championships	Grass	William Clothier	3–6, 0–6, 4–6
Loss	1908	U.S. National Championships	Grass	William Larned	1–6, 2–6, 6–8

Doubles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1901	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Leo Ware	Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward	3–6, 7–9, 1–6
Win	1904	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Holcombe Ward	Kreigh Collins Raymond Little	1–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Win	1905	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Holcombe Ward	Fred Alexander Harold Hackett	6–4, 6–4, 6–1
Win	1906	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Holcombe Ward	Fred Alexander Harold Hackett	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss	1907	Wimbledon	Grass	Karl Behr	Norman Brookes Anthony Wilding	4–6, 4–6, 2–6
Loss	1908	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Raymond Little	Fred Alexander Harold Hackett	1–6, 5–7, 2–6
Loss	1918	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Fred Alexander	Vincent Richards Bill Tilden	3–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 2–6