View source for Bill Talbert

{{Short description|American tennis player and administrator}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name                              = Bill Talbert
|fullname                          = William Franklin Talbert
|image                             = Bill Talbert 1949 (cropped).jpg
|caption                           = Talbert, circa 1949
|country                           = {{USA}}
|birth_date                        = {{birth date|1918|9|4}}
|birth_place                       = [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], U.S.
|death_date                        = {{death date and age|mf=yes|1999|2|28|1918|9|4}}
|death_place                       = [[New York City]], U.S.
|height                            = 
|weight                            = 
|turnedpro                         = 
|retired                           = 
|plays                             = Right-handed
|tennishofyear                     = 1967
|tennishofid                       = bill-talbert
|singlesrecord                     = 651-201 (76.4%) <ref>{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Bill Talbert: Career match record|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=TALBERT%2C+BILL&player_input=TALBERT%2C+BILL&sub=2#aSubmenu|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=20 November 2017|location=Madrid, Spain}}</ref>
|singlestitles                     = 49 <ref>{{cite web|last1=Garcia|first1=Gabriel|title=Bill Talbert: Career tournament results|url=https://app.thetennisbase.com/?enlace=playern&player_input_enc=TALBERT%2C+BILL&player_input=TALBERT%2C+BILL&sub=4&idjugador=40918&year=&surface=&tipo_de_torneo=&tipo_de_cuadro=W&tm_category=&tm_torneo=&rondaplus=#aSubmenu|website=thetennisbase.com|publisher=Tennismem SL|access-date=20 November 2017|location=Madrid, Spain}}</ref>
|highestsinglesranking             = No. 3 (1949<small>, [[The Daily Telegraph|John Olliff]]</small>)<ref name="USLTAEncyclopedia">United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). ''Official Encyclopedia of Tennis'' (First Edition), p. 426.</ref>
|AustralianOpenresult              = 2R ([[1947 Australian Championships – Men's singles|1947]])
|FrenchOpenresult                  = SF ([[1950 French Championships – Men's singles|1950]])
|Wimbledonresult                   = QF ([[1950 Wimbledon Championships – Men's singles|1950]])
|USOpenresult                      = F ([[1944 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1944]], [[1945 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1945]])
|Othertournaments                  = 
|Olympicsresult                    = 
|doublesrecord                     = 
|doublestitles                     = 
|highestdoublesranking             = 
|currentdoublesranking             = 
|grandslamsdoublesresults          =
|AustralianOpenDoublesresult       = QF (1947, 1954)
|FrenchOpenDoublesresult           = '''W''' (1950)
|WimbledonDoublesresult            = 
|USOpenDoublesresult               = '''W''' (1942, 1945, 1946, 1948)
|OthertournamentsDoubles           = 
|OlympicsDoublesresult             = 
|Mixed                             = <!-- adds mixed information-->
|mixedrecord                       = 
|mixedtitles                       = 
|AustralianOpenMixedresult         = 
|FrenchOpenMixedresult             = F (1950)
|WimbledonMixedresult              = 
|USOpenMixedresult                 = '''W''' (1943, 1944, 1945, 1946)
|OthertournamentsMixedDoubles      = 
|OlympicMixedDoublesresult         = 
|updated                           = 
}}
'''William Franklin Talbert''' (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 1999) was an American [[tennis]] player and administrator.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Talbert, Tennis Champion, Is Dead at 80|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/02/sports/bill-talbert-tennis-champion-is-dead-at-80.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 2, 1999}}</ref>

==Tennis career==
He was ranked in the U.S. top 10 from 1941 to 1954, and he was ranked World No. 3 in 1949 by John Olliff of ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref name="USLTAEncyclopedia"/> He won nine Grand Slam doubles titles, and also reached the men's doubles finals of the U.S. National Championship nine times, mainly with [[Gardnar Mulloy]], his favorite partner. He also was a Davis Cup player and one of the more successful Davis Cup captains in U.S. history.

Talbert was a Type 1 [[diabetic]], one of the few known to be in sports at a highly competitive level, and for many years he was held up as an example of how this disease could be surmounted.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=What Price Independence?|url=https://www.si.com/vault/issue/42721/82/2tm|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|author=William F. Talbert|author2=John Sharnik|pages=76–88|volume=10|issue=18|date=May 4, 1959}}</ref>

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Talbert still holds records at the [[Cincinnati Open]] in his hometown. His records are for most doubles titles (six), most total finals appearances (14), and most singles finals appearances (seven). He won three singles titles (in 1943, 1945 and 1947), and his six doubles titles came in 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1951 and 1954.

Talbert reached the final of the U.S. Championships in 1944 and 1945 (losing both finals to [[Frank Parker (tennis)|Frank Parker]]). He also reached the semifinals of the [[French Open|French championships]] in 1950, losing to [[Budge Patty]] 13–11 in the fifth set).<ref name="gsta">{{cite web|title=French Open 1950|url=http://www.tennis.co.nf/FRENCH%20OPEN%201950.htm|website=www.tennis.co.nf|access-date=October 5, 2017|archive-date=June 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624183450/http://www.tennis.co.nf/FRENCH%20OPEN%201950.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Talbert also won the singles title at the [[U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships|U.S. Clay Court Championships]] in 1945 defeating [[Pancho Segura]] in a five set final, and was a finalist in 1946 and 1943. He won the [[Eastern Clay Court Championships]] in 1949. In 1950 he won the [[Paris International Championships]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 May 1950 |title=TALBERT WINS TITLE BEATING PATTY |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Indian_Express.html?id=nLw-AAAAIBAJ#v=onepage&q=Paris%20International%20Championships%20tennis&f=false |access-date=30 January 2025 |work=[[The Indian Express]] via Google News Archive |pages=8}}</ref>

Before starting on the international tour, he played for the University of Cincinnati and won an Ohio State singles title in 1936 while at Cincinnati's Hughes High School.

Talbert was enshrined into the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] in 1967 and was in the first class, along with his former protégé [[Tony Trabert]], enshrined into the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002. After his playing career, he wrote tennis books, including the best seller ''The Game of Doubles in Tennis'' with Bruce Old in 1977; served as a tennis commentator for [[NBC Sports]]; and was the tournament director of the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|US Open]].

==Grand Slam finals==

===Singles (2 runners-up)===
{| class='sortable wikitable' 
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:35px"|Year
!style="width:180px"|Championship
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:180px"|Opponent
!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss ||[[1944 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1944]] || [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass||{{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Frank Parker (tennis)|Frank Parker]] || 4–6, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss ||[[1945 U.S. National Championships – Men's singles|1945]] || U.S. Championships || Grass||{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Parker || 12–14, 1–6, 2–6
|}

=== Doubles (5 titles, 5 runners-up)===
{|class="sortable wikitable" 
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:35px"|Year
!style="width:180px"|Championship 
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:180px"|Partner
!style="width:180px"|Opponents
!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1942 || [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Gardnar Mulloy]] || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Ted Schroeder]] <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Sidney Wood (tennis)|Sidney Wood]] || 9–7, 7–5, 6–1
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1943 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[David G. Freeman|David Freeman]] || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Jack Kramer]] <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Frank Parker (tennis)|Frank Parker]] || 2–6, 4–6, 4–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1944 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Pancho Segura]] || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Don McNeill (tennis)|Don McNeill]] <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Robert Falkenburg|Bob Falkenburg]] || 5–7, 4–6, 6–3, 1–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1945 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Gardnar Mulloy || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bob Falkenburg <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Jack Tuero]] || 12–10, 8–10, 12–10, 6–2
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1946 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Gardnar Mulloy || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Don McNeill <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Frank Guernsey (tennis)|Frank Guernsey]] || 3–6, 6–4, 2–6, 6–3, 20–18
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1947 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Bill Sidwell]] || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack Kramer <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ted Schroeder || 4–6, 5–7, 3–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1948 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Gardnar Mulloy || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Parker <br/> {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ted Schroeder || 1–6, 9–7, 6–3, 3–6, 9–7
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1950 || [[French Open|French Championships]] || Clay ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Tony Trabert]] || {{flagicon|EGY|1922}} [[Jaroslav Drobný]] <br/> {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Eric Sturgess]] || 6–2, 1–6, 10–8, 6–2
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1950 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Gardnar Mulloy || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[John Bromwich]] <br/> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Frank Sedgman]] || 5–7, 6–8, 6–3, 1–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1953 || U.S. Championships || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Gardnar Mulloy || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Rex Hartwig]] <br/> {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Mervyn Rose]] || 4–6, 6–4, 2–6, 4–6
|}

===Mixed Doubles (4 titles, 3 runners-up)===
{|class="sortable wikitable" 
!style="width:40px"|Result
!style="width:35px"|Year
!style="width:180px"|Championship 
!style="width:50px"|Surface
!style="width:180px"|Partner
!style="width:180px"|Opponents
!style="width:180px" class="unsortable"|Score
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1943 || [[1943 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} [[Margaret Osborne duPont|Margaret Osborne]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Pauline Betz]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Pancho Segura]] || 10–6, 6–4
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1944 || [[1944 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} Margaret Osborne || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dorothy Bundy]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Don McNeill (tennis)|Don McNeill]] || 6–2, 6–3
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1945 || [[1945 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} Margaret Osborne || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Doris Hart]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Falkenberg]] || 6–4, 6–4
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win || 1946 || [[1946 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} Margaret Osborne || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Louise Brough]]<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Robert Kimbrell]] || 6–3, 6–4
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1948 || [[1948 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} Margaret Osborne duPont || {{flagicon|USA}} Louise Brough<br />{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Brown (tennis)|Tom Brown]] || 4–6, 4–6
|-style="background:#ccf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1949 || [[1949 U.S. National Championships (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || Grass ||  {{flagicon|USA}} Margaret Osborne duPont || {{flagicon|USA}} Louise Brough<br />{{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Eric Sturgess]] || 6–4, 3–6, 5–7
|-style="background:#ebc2af;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1950 || [[1950 French Championships (tennis)|French Championships]] || Clay ||  {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Patricia Canning Todd]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Barbara Scofield]] <br/> {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Enrique Morea]] || w.o.
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ATP}}
* {{Tennis Hall of Fame}}
* {{DavisCup player}}
* {{ITF}}

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|title=Articles and topics related to Bill Talbert
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{{French Open men's doubles champions}}
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{{International Tennis Hall of Fame members}}
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[[Category:American male tennis players]]
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[[Category:1918 births]]
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