Special Treat for don_budge

[tennis_chiro]

Check it out, GOAT speculators!

http://www.10sballs.com/2011/06/13/don-budge-born-today-in-1915-called-greatest-tennis-player-ever-in-new-book/

don

[stotty]

Our Don_Budge is gonna be over the moon about this one, don. Can't wait to see his reaction...

[gzhpcu]

And now, Doherty as GOAT....

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showt...hlight=doherty

[bottle]

Mechanics

GOAT discussions don't interest me nearly as much as the actual mechanics of Don Budge's backhand, which I see as topspun rather than flat, and those of his minimalist forehand, which any seniors or smart player would, I should think, be really glad to have along with their less efficient blunderbusses.

In fact, I think that Stan Wawrinka's backhand is flatter. Well, what is the source for such assertion? My personal experiments on a tennis court. One can discount them all one wants, but me, I trust in them just as I or anyone should.

Steve Navarro-- Don_Budge-- told me that he picked that internet name before he knew he would ever post at Tennis Player. And he emphasizes the total dignity and elegance of Don Budge-- on both sides and in his clothes. And he had the great good fortune to hit with the real Don Budge.

From that and other information, I decided that Budge's groundstrokes were primarily arm supported by body rather than the other way around, and this belief, correct or not, has led to interesting creations for me.

Steve Navarro's concerns, of course, will be completely different from mine. Also-- believe me-- he can take care of himself.

[don_budge]

Mr. Budge...

http://www.10sballs.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Don-Budge1.jpg

The picture says it all. Maybe someone out there can explain to me the physics that keep a shirt tail in. Under any and all circumstances. There really are no words...only a man's sentimental tears.

[gzhpcu]

Here's an article for you steve...

http://www.falloutsheltersports.com/?p=1555

He remains one of only two men ever to win a calendar Slam and, at 22, is the youngest of the seven who have won a career Slam.

[tennis_chiro]

Another great find

Here's an article for you steve...

http://www.falloutsheltersports.com/?p=1555

Just leave it to you, Phil, to find another great article. Wow, he really was underappreciated. I especially like the part about getting to play drums with Tommy Dorsey after beating Vines in his pro debut. Unfortunately, kids today don't have any idea who Tommy Dorsey was.

I wonder if Steve can fill us in on what that shoulder injury in the war was all about and how bad it was! How about it, Steve?

don

[bottle]

~

I think most serious tennis players try at some point to figure out the DB backhand whether they then choose to use this understanding for themselves or not.

A clue from the gzhpcu-provided article (post # 6), is the sentence, "A few rare fragments of film show him to have a tall, fluid elegance, with great timing and ease of movement."

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/golden_legends/donbudge/donbudge_sa.html?DBBHRear.mov

Tall, fluid elegance, I figure, comes from the ground up. This is why the sit and hit backhands of Vic Braden, patterned on the DB backhand, are not entirely irrelevant and different from it.

I see DB as starting an easy roundabout swing with his straightened arm as his hips slide under his shoulders to create erect posture.

Ground force then takes over and causes him to leave the court or not. His hand and upper body almost seem to hold the racket in place while his legs do most of the work.

The upper body nudges toward the net, adding weight and pace.

[stotty]

It's so difficult looking at old clips to tell just how good these guys were in relation to today's players. The best we have to go on is my method of tracing back careers of players and seeing who they intersect with. The fact Budge at 38 could compete with Gonzales says a lot, of course. And that Gonzales could routinely beat Laver. And that Laver, aged 36, had two tough sets with Borg. And that Borg beat McEnroe...McEnroe beat Becker...Becker beat Agassi...Agassi beat Sampras...etc. To sum up best would be to say when great players of the day play other emerging greats or greats in their twilight... so long as they have the same equipment, there's never much in it.

It all comes down to equipment....in my view.

How they played in long trousers, though

[10splayer]

No comparison. Not even the same game. Yeah, I said it. Can appreciate the nostalgia, but like every other sport, the game has evolved. And no, I disagree that equipment is the only factor. They're all bigger, stronger, faster. Ok, let me have it.

[don_budge]

Thanks Phil, Don

Thanks Phil...again.

bottle...it was just a modicum of overspin, for control. (det var bara en liten topp skruv för kontroll)

[stotty]

No comparison. Not even the same game. Yeah, I said it. Can appreciate the nostalgia, but like every other sport, the game has evolved. And no, I disagree that equipment is the only factor. They're all bigger, stronger, faster. Ok, let me have it.

I find myself agreeing with you when I look at old clips. Yet it still doesn't explain Budge beating Kramer, Kramer beating Gonzales, Gonzales beating Laver, etc, etc. And we have to square up to the fact Nadal and Federer aren't going to look quite so good with wooden rackets, nor be anywhere near as powerful.

As to the argument about bigger and stronger, I can't buy into that. There are plenty of skinny guys out there today. Giles Simon is just 67 kilos! Henman was real physical lightweight too. Fitter maybe....bigger..stronger...not always...that's a definite myth.

[gzhpcu]

It would be interesting to hold a "nostalgia" tournament, where the top 8 players would play and have to play with wooden rackets and gut....

[gzhpcu]

Here's a good clip with Budge...
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=19427

and yet another one...
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=50406

[bottle]

Re # 11: Okay, I'll send more body through.

P.S. When I was in Stockholm, I only learned one line of Swedish, taught to me by Malin's mother.

Obviously, I didn't learn it well, can't spell it either, and where's the umlaut over the o in "for"?

"Tak so mikke for met."

That's supposed to mean, "Thanks so much for the food."