Spencer Gore (sportsman)

Spencer William Gore (March 10, 1850 – April 19, 1906) was a tennis player and cricketer for Surrey.

Gore was born and raised within a mile of the All England Croquet Club in Wimbledon Common, Surrey, and christened at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon [http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:3ZMRCRM-ftwJ:www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/features/championships/gore.html+spencer+gore+tennis&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk&client=firefox-a Spencer Gore: The First Champion, Wimbledon.org] .

He was educated at Harrow school, where he excelled at all games, especially football and cricket, and was the captain of the school cricket eleven [http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:3ZMRCRM-ftwJ:www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/features/championships/gore.html+spencer+gore+tennis&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk&client=firefox-a Spencer Gore: The First Champion, Wimbledon.org] . He played twice for Surrey County Cricket Club hitting 17 runs off the first four balls he received in his first match. Gore did not establish himself as a county cricketer, despite several centuries in club matches [http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:3ZMRCRM-ftwJ:www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/features/championships/gore.html+spencer+gore+tennis&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=uk&client=firefox-a Spencer Gore: The First Champion, Wimbledon.org] .

In 1877 the All England Croquet Club was renamed the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the first lawn tennis match having been played there two years previously [2006 Wimbledon Compedium, Alan Little, pg 9] . That year saw the first Wimbledon lawn tennis championship, in the Gentleman's Singles.

Gore was amongst the twenty two players who paid a guinea to enter the inaugural championship. Women were not permitted to enter until 1884, and the 21 matches were spread over five days. The championship was suspended for the weekend as not to clash with the annual Eton v Harrow cricket match at Lord's Cricket Ground.

The scheduled final on Monday was postponed for four days due to rain.

Dropping only two sets in four matches, the 27 year-old Gore reached the final against William Marshall, and won in straight sets, 6–1, 6–2, 6–4, in forty eight minutes [2006 Wimbledon Compedium, Alan Little, pg 336] .

Gore collected the first prize of 12 guineas and a silver cup presented by "The Field", a sporting magazine. He lost the following year's Gentleman's Singles final to Frank Hadow 7–5, 6–1, 9–7.

Gore died at the age of 56 in Ramsgate, Kent.

Career statistics

Grand Slam finals

ingles

Wins (1)

Runner-ups (1)

Notes