TicketsCINCINNATI – Legendary University of Cincinnati tennis player Tony Trabert passed away Wednesday at the age of 90 at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Trabert, a Cincinnati native, achieved worldwide acclaim with 10 major championships, a 1970 International Tennis Hall of Fame induction and a 30-year career as one of the sport's top broadcasters.
"Athletics has lost one of its all-time greats," Director of Athletics John Cunningham said. "Tony Trabert's path from UC to top of the tennis world and beyond demonstrates the ability of college athletics to propel a student-athlete to go out and change the world. Through it all, he represented the Bearcats with class, honor and dignity. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."
"Today we mourn and remember one of the very best athletes to represent the University of Cincinnati in any sport, Mr. Tony Trabert," UC tennis coach Eric Toth said. "Mr. Trabert's accomplishments and contributions to the sport of tennis are immeasurable. He made his mark on our sport in a big way and put the city of Cincinnati on the international tennis map. Tony was a most humble and genuine man who I know will be missed by his family and friends."
Born and raised in the Bond Hill area of Cincinnati, Trabert attended Walnut Hills High School, where he played both basketball and tennis. He was undefeated his high school tennis career, winning the Ohio Singles Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948.
He attended UC from 1948-51, majoring in political science. Trabert won the NCAA singles title and the U.S. Clay Court Championship while representing the Bearcats in 1951. He was also a starting guard on the 1951-52 UC men's basketball team which played in the NIT.
Trabert was the No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world in 1953 and 1955 and went on to claim three of the four Grand Slam singles titles in 1955: the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. As a member of the U.S. Davis Cup Team from 1951-55, Trabert holds the record for the most victories by a captain.
Following his playing career, Trabert was a tennis analyst for CBS Sports from 1971-2003, working alongside both Brent Musburger and Pat Summerall.
He was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970 and went on to serve as the organization's president from 2001-11.
Joel Drucker, the ITHF's Historian At Large, wrote of Trabert's intangibles.
"But Trabert's accomplishments came second to the strength of his character," Drucker said. "Trabert was renowned for the class and sincerity he brought to any endeavor. In a sport where factionalism is rampant, Trabert constantly saw the big picture, always possessed of sound logic, kindness and a no-nonsense manner that made him both easy to like and respect."
Trabert was inducted in the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977, was honored with the UC Alumni Association's highest honor, the William Howard Taft Medal, in 1994 and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by UC in June 2007.
The Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center in Varsity Village is named in honor of Trabert and his childhood mentor and championship doubles partner, Bill Talbert, who was a UC tennis star in the late 1930s.
Trabert is survived by his wife Vicki, son Mike, daughter Brooke, 3 stepchildren, 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
His extensive honors are listed in his UC Athletics Hall of Fame bio.
RELATED MEDIA
• Tennis Hall of Fame Obituary
• Tennis Hall of Fame Bio
• USTA Remembrance
• Trabert with Charlie Rose in 1993
• Trabert SI Vault Article from 1955
Trabert, a Cincinnati native, achieved worldwide acclaim with 10 major championships, a 1970 International Tennis Hall of Fame induction and a 30-year career as one of the sport's top broadcasters.
"Athletics has lost one of its all-time greats," Director of Athletics John Cunningham said. "Tony Trabert's path from UC to top of the tennis world and beyond demonstrates the ability of college athletics to propel a student-athlete to go out and change the world. Through it all, he represented the Bearcats with class, honor and dignity. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."
"Today we mourn and remember one of the very best athletes to represent the University of Cincinnati in any sport, Mr. Tony Trabert," UC tennis coach Eric Toth said. "Mr. Trabert's accomplishments and contributions to the sport of tennis are immeasurable. He made his mark on our sport in a big way and put the city of Cincinnati on the international tennis map. Tony was a most humble and genuine man who I know will be missed by his family and friends."
Born and raised in the Bond Hill area of Cincinnati, Trabert attended Walnut Hills High School, where he played both basketball and tennis. He was undefeated his high school tennis career, winning the Ohio Singles Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948.
He attended UC from 1948-51, majoring in political science. Trabert won the NCAA singles title and the U.S. Clay Court Championship while representing the Bearcats in 1951. He was also a starting guard on the 1951-52 UC men's basketball team which played in the NIT.
Trabert was the No. 1 ranked tennis player in the world in 1953 and 1955 and went on to claim three of the four Grand Slam singles titles in 1955: the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. As a member of the U.S. Davis Cup Team from 1951-55, Trabert holds the record for the most victories by a captain.
Following his playing career, Trabert was a tennis analyst for CBS Sports from 1971-2003, working alongside both Brent Musburger and Pat Summerall.
He was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970 and went on to serve as the organization's president from 2001-11.
Joel Drucker, the ITHF's Historian At Large, wrote of Trabert's intangibles.
"But Trabert's accomplishments came second to the strength of his character," Drucker said. "Trabert was renowned for the class and sincerity he brought to any endeavor. In a sport where factionalism is rampant, Trabert constantly saw the big picture, always possessed of sound logic, kindness and a no-nonsense manner that made him both easy to like and respect."
Trabert was inducted in the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977, was honored with the UC Alumni Association's highest honor, the William Howard Taft Medal, in 1994 and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by UC in June 2007.
The Trabert-Talbert Tennis Center in Varsity Village is named in honor of Trabert and his childhood mentor and championship doubles partner, Bill Talbert, who was a UC tennis star in the late 1930s.
Trabert is survived by his wife Vicki, son Mike, daughter Brooke, 3 stepchildren, 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
His extensive honors are listed in his UC Athletics Hall of Fame bio.
RELATED MEDIA
• Tennis Hall of Fame Obituary
• Tennis Hall of Fame Bio
• USTA Remembrance
• Trabert with Charlie Rose in 1993
• Trabert SI Vault Article from 1955