I Talked to Pauline Betz

Her famous cover from 1946

With this 2011 Wimbledon commemorating Billie Jean King's 50 year anniversary of her first grandslam title in doubles, I thought they should have honored Pauline Betz who died in late May of that year. Maybe, they will at they will at this year's U.S. Open.

When I got into tennis history research, I learned about Pauline from a Billie Jean King book when she wrote about great female tennis players from the past. Thanks to internet you get a lot of info but I didn't really trust those things. She was a war-time player who made the front page of Time Magazine. Her best year was 1946 when she was won Wimbledon, U.S. Amateur (Australia was too far so didn't play), and lost in the finals at the French to Margaret DuPont. Due to World War II, she could only play tournaments in the United States at the time. Won a lot of U.S. Amateur Titles. She was banned from amateur tournaments when she hinted that she might turn professional on a letter.   As a pro, she was pretty much undefeated but with less competition. However, she did beat Althea Gibson when she was 5 months pregnant at the age of 40 in a exhibition and lost to her in 2 hour match a few months before.

All these things made me do one of the craziest things but now looking back probably my favorite. I "talked called" her at some home she was staying for elders in Maryland. I had googled some article about a private school and it featured an article about her coaching there for many years. The article mentioned about where she was staying. I decided to make a phone call and boy was I nervous. The first time, it didn't get through but it got there the second time. She ended up talking to me.

I can't really remember what I said but I had so many questions. I only remember a few like was Pancho Gonzales the best tennis player, you saw?  She mentioned about Jack Kramer and then I mentioned about Don Budge (she copied his backhand). Likewise, I mentioned about her coaching Darlene Hard and she modestly said that she really didn't do anything. Finally, I asked her about her daughter going with the last name of Addonizio from the shortened Addie (her husband was Washington Sports writer, Bob Addie).

I  felt envious and threatened by her accomplishments. Word is that she was actually the first woman to beat Bobby Riggs when he was in his prime in private.  Likewise, Jack Kramer both in a practice session. She had a great backhand but a weak serve. Won a tennis scholarship to play on a men's team at Rollins. Her coach Eleanor "Teach" Tennant said that she had the heart of a "stevedore."  She won many titles except a grand-slam titles in doubles (she like the baseline, bad overhead). Off the court, a great academic, piano player, tournament bridge master, and took courses to take apart a car engine. Renaissance woman.

All these factors contributed to her being a great champion and help her hang socially with the guys as they called her "Bobbie." Gossip columnists followed her as she dated Jack Dempsey, Spencer Tracy, and friends with Katherine Hepburn and heiress, Barbara Hutton. However, she had bitter rivalry with her opponents of Margaret Osborne (later DuPont) and Louise Brough who received  favors with cash and lavish gifts from William DuPont Jr. He sponsored women's amateur tennis tour duing that time. Pauline never wanted to date him because he was a jock wannabe who was unathletic. As a result, Pauline had to sleep on the floor while Louise and Margaret got nice rooms in their tours.

Eventually, Pauline was banned from amateur tennis which ran the majors of Australian, French, Wimbledon, and U.S. until 1968 when professionals were allowed in those tournaments (Australia in 1969).  She simply wrote a letter to a friend that she was thinking about it. She played on a tour with Jack Kramer a former amateur and a pro player running the events with Bobby Riggs. They played everywhere in unusual arenas like basketball courts and dining places. It was deemed a failure because Pauline was too good and no opponent could match her for many years. Jack Kramer remarked that "a women's sports can never survive, its not competitive enough."

Being honored with her family and Billie Jean King

At the same time, she married Bob Addie and had 5 children (2 adopted). She said that she need a man who either could match her athletically or someone who didn't play sports. She did make comeback in the late 60's in doubles and local pros who played her when she was in her late 50's says that she could have given Chris Evert a run for her money. She stuck to being an instructor and a touring demonstrator. Home life proved to be difficult as described by her daughter, Kim, a poet in the San Francisco area. Her husband died in 1982 but she lived on.  Parkinson's disease eventually claimed for her many years and  her life at the age of 91.

I don't know how she will be remembered. I remember ending the conversation to her by saying that she reminded me of a biblical story of Ruth and asked her if she had gypsy ancestry due to her pointy nose from that Time Magazine cover. Whatever, dude. Regardless, I hope Billie Jean or whoever will get her organizers to bring Pauline's history to the forefront as well.