A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever PlayedBefore Federer versus Nadal, before Borg versus McEnroe, the greatest tennis match ever played pitted the dominant Don Budge against the seductively handsome Baron Gottfried von Cramm. This deciding 1937 Davis Cup match, played on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon, was a battle of titans: the world's number one tennis player against the number two; America against Germany; democracy against fascism. For five superhuman sets, the duo's brilliant shotmaking kept the Centre Court crowd–and the world–spellbound. But the match's significance extended well beyond the immaculate grass courts of Wimbledon. Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the brink of World War II, one man played for the pride of his country while the other played for his life. Budge, the humble hard-working American who would soon become the first man to win all four Grand Slam titles in the same year, vied to keep the Davis Cup out of the hands of the Nazi regime. On the other side of the net, the immensely popular and elegant von Cramm fought Budge point for point knowing that a loss might precipitate his descent into the living hell being constructed behind barbed wire back home. Born into an aristocratic family, von Cramm was admired for his devastating good looks as well as his unparalleled sportsmanship. But he harbored a dark secret, one that put him under increasing Gestapo surveillance. And his situation was made even more perilous by his refusal to join the Nazi Party or defend Hitler. Desperately relying on his athletic achievements and the global spotlight to keep him out of the Gestapo's clutches, his strategy was to keep traveling and keep winning. A Davis Cup victory would make him the toast of Germany. A loss might be catastrophic. Watching the mesmerizingly intense match from the stands was von Cramm's mentor and all-time tennis superstar Bill Tilden–a consummate showman whose double life would run in ironic counterpoint to that of his German pupil. Set at a time when sports and politics were inextricably linked, A Terrible Splendor gives readers a courtside seat on that fateful day, moving gracefully between the tennis match for the ages and the dramatic events leading Germany, Britain, and America into global war. A book like no other in its weaving of social significance and athletic spectacle, this soul-stirring account is ultimately a tribute to the strength of the human spirit. From the Hardcover edition. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - gayla.bassham - LibraryThingReally 3 1/2 stars, and probably even 4 if you find tennis matches compelling. As it turns out, I don't. But I did grow to like and care about Bill Tilden, Don Budge, and Gottfried Cramm, which made the epilogue genuinely moving. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - asktheages - LibraryThingExtremely compelling account of the famous 1937 Davis Cup match between Don Budge and Baron Gottfried von Cramm. The match itself is still widely hailed as one of the best ever played, and Fisher does ... Read full review
Contents
| 37 | |
FOURTH SET IM PLAYING for MY LIFE | 153 |
AFTERMATCH MIRACLES of REDEMPTION | 225 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 269 |
Other editions - View all
A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and ... Marshall Jon Fisher No preview available - 2010 |
A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and ... Marshall Jon Fisher No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
already American August backhand ball beat became become began Berlin Big Bill Tilden boys Budge Budge's called Centre Court champion Championships chance Club court crowd Davis Cup Don Budge doubles early England English face fact feel felt fifth finally five forced four French German give going Gottfried von Cramm greatest hand head Henkel Hitler homosexuals Italy Jews July knew Laney later Lawn Tennis living London looked lose lost Mako match Memoir months Nazi never night once Perry play player practice Prenn quoted racket reached reporter round seemed serve shot side stands star story straight summer tennis player thing third thousand told took tour tournaments turned United von Cramm walked weeks Wimbledon wrote York Yorker young
Bibliographic information
| Title | A Terrible Splendor: Three Extraordinary Men, a World Poised for War, and the Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played |
| Author | Marshall Jon Fisher |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Three Rivers Press, 2010 |
| ISBN | 030739395X, 9780307393951 |
| Length | 321 pages |
| Subjects | › › Sports & Recreation / Racket Sports / Tennis |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |