Dwight Davis: The Man and the Cup »

In 1899, a young American, a senior at Harvard, decided that his sport, tennis, needed a shot in the arm. International yacht racing, observed Dwight Davis, had captured the public's attention through competition for a silver trophy, The America's Cup. Why not a trophy to signify tennis supremacy? A proud New England silver company was commissioned, and later that same year a three man team from Britain competed against three Americans for the Dwight F. Davis International Lawn Tennis Challenge Trophy - and the Davis Cup Series was launched. This first-ever full-length biography takes the reader from the Davis home in America's midlands, through his years as a national tennis champ, to his eventual destination as a player on the stage of regional, national and international public service. Occasionally, through the years, his path would cross that of his famous trophy. And, even as he marvelled at the success of the Davis Cup, he realised a bit ruefully, that the event he had begun as a mere twenty-year-old would, in history's account, overshadow the contributions of his later years.

This book now makes sure that won't happen.

Library Journal

This is the first full-length biography ever written of Dwight Davis, for whom tennis's Davis Cup was named. Freelance writer Kriplen reviews Davis's boyhood years growing up in St. Louis, education at Harvard, years as a national tennis champion, and quietly remarkable life as a public servant. Davis's father was very wealthy, but instead of living a predictably easy life of luxury, Davis fought political corruption and helped to create playgrounds for inner-city and immigrant children. He tried to make tennis more accessible to everyone, not just the elite country-club crowd who dominated it in his day. Inspired by the competition of yachting's "America's Cup" and the international rebirth of the Olympics, while still a college senior Davis decided to create an international tennis competition. He would donate an elegant silver bowl, which would eventually bear his name. A decorated war hero, Davis served as President Coolidge's Secretary of War and as President Hoover's governor-general of the Philippines. Highly recommended.--Tim Delaney, Canisius Coll., Buffalo, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.