By Scoop Malinowski | @TennisNow | Sunday, January 5, 2025
Photograph credit score: Scoop Malinowski
Eighty-six years earlier than Jannik Sinner’s rise to World No. 1, one other highly effective red-headed champion accomplished tennis’ unattainable dream.
American Don Budge made historical past as the primary champion—man or lady—to finish the calendar Grand Slam in his wonderful 1938 season. It was an exceptional feat from a public parks participant from Oakland, California that modified tennis without end. The time period “Grand Slam” was created due to Don Budge’s main season sweep.
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Should you’ve ever visited the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame, chances are you’ll know one of many Newport-based Corridor’s most treasured treasures is the life-sized oil portray of Don Budge hitting his iconic backhand that hangs on the wall.
That is the story of how artist, artwork teacher and tennis coach James Gwynne created the famed oil portray—and the deep friendship he fashioned with Budge.
A few years in the past I found an astounding truth which then led to a collection of insights into tennis historical past.
Lunch with a childhood good friend Drew Murray at his legislation workplace revealed that considered one of our neighbors again within the Nineteen Seventies, the daddy of Jennifer and Jeannette—an artwork teacher and tennis coach James Gwynne—truly painted the Don Budge portray that hangs within the media room on the Worldwide Corridor of Fame.
The portray is a masterpiece.
Corridor of Famer Don Budge cracks his iconic backhand. Photograph credit score: Wikimedia Commons
The Budge portrait is so arresting I photographed it one yr at Newport whereas reporting on the Corridor of Fame Championships and included it on my Don Budge Biofile publish.
However there’s extra, via the method of portray Don Budge, James Gwynne turned pricey mates with the previous Grand Slam champion in his twilight years dwelling in Japanese Pennsylvania.
I expressed an curiosity to attach with Mr. Gwynne for some insights into his distinctive friendship with J. Donald Budge, which was rapidly organized by an e-mail correspondence.
Although I’ve no recollections of Mr. Gwynne as a child regardless of dwelling two homes down Vreeland Highway in West Milford, he was one of many first individuals in my life who was related to tennis. I keep in mind his daughters, Jennifer and Jeannette each performed, however by no means truly noticed them play.
James Gwynne was form to share his recollections of Don Budge with me earlier than he handed away on New Yr’s Eve on the age of 89.
That is the story, within the artist’s personal phrases, of how he got here to color Don Budge’s portrait, and the friendship they shared.
Artist James Gwynne’s Reminiscences of Corridor of Famer Don Budge
James Gwynne: For positive, Don Budge was a gutsy man. One among my favorites is when somebody would come as much as him and say, “I’m so and so.” Budge would say, “That’s your downside.” He rubbed some individuals the mistaken means, however I accepted him as he was, a colossal world determine who earned each proper to be himself. However first a little bit background. I began tennis after I completed my PhD at age 30, and have become immediately hooked. I had by no means had a lot success with sports activities all my life, however I discovered it in tennis. I’ve a bunch of trophies to show it and was employed unlicensed to be a educating professional at Panther Valley for a pair years till we moved to West Milford. I parted with my daughters after they had been of their twenties and constructed a home in East Stroudsburg the place I’ve been for 35 years. I met a participant from Dingman’s Ferry who had his personal tennis court docket and sooner or later after I arrived, Don Budge was standing on the court docket. I acknowledged him instantly and inside minutes we had been enjoying doubles. When it was my flip to serve, I intentionally served to his backhand which I knew was well-known, and positive sufficient he hit a winner previous me. I believe he was round 74 or 75. We turned good mates instantly and my longtime good friend, Marielaine and I, socialized regularly with him and his spouse Loriel at their house In Dingman’s Ferry and traveled with them to Newport and Wimbledon.
James Gwynne: Throughout considered one of our get-togethers I believe I should have requested Don if he had any portraits executed and he mentioned he did have one but it surely burned up in a hearth. With out hesitation I mentioned that I might do one. He jumped on it however mentioned it couldn’t be small just like the little statue of Fred Perry at Wimbledon. So I mentioned I might do a life-sized portrait. So I started the venture in my studio and received some black and white pictures from the web. Like a statue, I needed simply him and no individuals like spectators, and many others. And, I needed to indicate him hitting his well-known backhand. It took me a couple of month to do the portray and after I thought I used to be completed I invited Don and Loriel to come back to the home and see it. I hung the portray on my front room wall and coated it with a sheet for the dramatic unveiling and so they sat on the sofa for the presentation. Once I pulled the sheet away they gasped in delight, however Loriel mentioned,“His hair was a lot redder.” So, again to the studio went the portray and in a couple of week I confirmed them the fastened portray. They beloved it, however Don mentioned, “It’s too massive, let’s give it to the Corridor of Fame.” I used to be delighted by that, and someday later we drove to Newport with me following them with the portray in a giant crate on my truck. They should have known as the Corridor of Fame as a result of we had been greeted by workmen who took the portray instantly to the Museum. The following day we offered the portray to the Board of Trustees, together with Stan Smith, Bud Collins, Tony Trabert. Don launched me as his Dingman’s Ferry doubles accomplice (Ha ha) and I nervously gave a little bit speech, saying, “possibly I ought to have painted extra colourful pants like Bud Collins would put on (small laughter).” Anyway, the portray was graciously accepted and hung within the museum instantly. I ought to add it helped outline my relationship with Don higher. From then on he launched me because the artist who did the portrait, which made me extra snug as a result of I’m positive individuals puzzled who I used to be, all the time with Budge.
James Gwynne: 1998 marked the sixtieth Anniversary of Budge’s Grand Slam and he was honored on the Wimbledon Championships the place he sat within the Royal field in the course of the match. He invited me, Marielaine, and Lee Miller to come back. We joined them the second week of the match, and poor Don had been within the hospital in London the primary week resulting from some form of sickness, so he was fairly weak and required my help together with a wheelchair to get round. After all he didn’t pay our bills, however the perks had been implausible. He received us nice seats for the the matches all week via the finals of each women and men. We had been chauffeured every morning from our resort to Wimbledon via the gates and the crowds of individuals.
We additionally received to fulfill celebrities within the venues on the grounds the place they served strawberries and cream. I keep in mind assembly Jack Nicholson and Chevy Chase who had been massive tennis followers. At one level photographers needed an image of Don with the statue of Fred Perry, so I helped Don get to the sculpture and the photographers requested me to maneuver away. I mentioned, “However, he would possibly fall,” and so they mentioned to have him dangle on to the sculpture, which he did, and so they received their pictures.
We attended the standard Championship banquet which was very particular (Novotna and Sampras received that yr and had been current). Tracy Austin got here to our desk and requested me to take her image with Budge, which I did, and he or she gave me her tackle to ship it to her.
James Gwynne: I had a thrill of a lifetime on Saturday, April 24, 1999. Adidas and the New York Yankees honored Don Budge by inviting him to the sport to pay tribute for his many tennis achievements. As a result of Don wanted assist in strolling I pushed him in a wheel chair down an elevator and alongside the corridors of Yankee Stadium. We waited within the dugout earlier than the ceremony sitting subsequent to Joe Torre and catcher Joe Girardi within the dugout.
When the second earlier than the sport arrived I assisted Don onto the sector and stood with him because the tribute was revamped the loudspeakers by Bob Sheppard, Yankee announcer. Yankee pitcher “El Duque”, Orlando Hernandez, got here out of the dugout, representing the Yankees, and offered Don with an autographed baseball and shook Don’s hand and mine. After that we loved the sport from a particular field.
Throughout my “fifteen minutes of fame” I attempted to soak up each element of this hallowed territory from the grass to the dugout, to the stands with applauding gamers and followers, considering all of the whereas of Lou Gehrig’s well-known remarks from this very spot that he was the “luckiest man” on the planet!
So as to add to the story, Budge mentioned he was invited one other time to Yankee Stadium for a house run contest with stars for different sports activities, and he mentioned he was the one one to hit a house run!
James Gwynne: Budge needed to fulfill up with previous good friend [Baseball Hall of Famer] Bob Feller who was signing balls at Skylands baseball sport (in Newton, NJ in 1996). So we went and loved the sport in Feller’s field. Feller ate a number of scorching canine which he mentioned he all the time beloved (me too) and signed two balls for me and my brother Jack (Tremendous Indian fan). I gave Feller a cartoon (connected) which Feller mentioned he would put in his Iowa Museum. Budge knew all people and vice versa. Feller additionally beloved automobiles and Budge particularly beloved this one. It slid off the snowy highway on that fateful day in 2000.
James Gwynne: Don had the each morning ritual of driving to Milford, about 20 miles spherical journey to his favourite breakfast on the menu: The Don Budge particular, bacon and eggs. That snowy morning his Caddie slid off the highway and crashed. He was airlifted to a hospital and later, unsure what number of days, he died in a facility in Scranton. I visited him within the hospital and he was comatose. Loriel and his sons had been there. It was within the information and when he was within the hospital, Bud Collins known as me for a report on his situation.
It was unhappy and preventable, however that was Budge, fearless and cussed in so many good methods. He was 85.
Loriel requested me to do his eulogy at a memorial service in Milford later. Some USTA employees had been current. There was a luncheon afterwards and off the household went together with his ashes, which they nearly forgot. His burial place on Wikipedia is “Unknown.”
SM: Which gamers did Don Budge actually like, of any eras, and which not a lot? I do know Jack Kramer all the time talked very favorably about Don Budge.
James Gwynne: He had criticism for almost each participant I introduced up together with Sampras who he actually favored, however mentioned he caught out his elbow on his forehand!? Nonetheless, he beloved Vines and mentioned he was the perfect, and he actually favored his opponent Baron Gottfried Von Cramm, saying he was such a gentleman and nice sportsman. I keep in mind on the 1998 Wimbledon he mentioned his mom might beat Ivanisevic, who misplaced to Sampras in 5 units within the remaining. I had the uncommon alternative of enjoying singles with my good friend on his court docket in Dingman’s Ferry with Budge watching.
After all I used to be nervous however amazed that this was occurring. He didn’t supply any recommendation or criticism for me, however confirmed my opponent his well-known grip for the backhand, which drastically improved his sport from then on (dammit). I used that have typically, pretending that Budge was watching, and it helped me concentrate on good kind after I was enjoying.
SM: Did he coach any gamers? What occurred to all of his trophies which amounted to nicely over a thousand he informed me in his Biofile.
James Gwynne: No, I don’t keep in mind him speaking about teaching any particular participant, however wherever we went gamers sought him out to speak and say good day. He was really a God of the game. As for trophies, that’s one other story. They requested me to come back to the home and take down trophies from cabinets in every single place. He offered quite a bit to the Tennis Corridor of Fame for $50,000, I keep in mind, a lot to the chagrin of his sons.
SM: Did he speak about his matches? Why did he consider Ellsworth Vines was the perfect?
James Gwynne: He simply thought Vines had all of the strokes to beat anybody, and he did. He was the “King: earlier than Budge. Budge talked quite a bit about his matches, particularly one the place his opponent fainted after a grueling five-setter. He claimed to have overwhelmed Rod Laver in an exhibition match after Laver had received his first Grand Slam. He lamented that in retirement everybody needed to play and possibly beat him, however he by no means backed off. He claimed too that when he performed they did prepare arduous, particularly aboard ships touring to tennis tournaments world wide – they jogged and lifted weights, and many others. and ate steak. He couldn’t eat steak anymore after I knew him.
Plus, he mentioned he by no means drank till he retired, however he positive made up for that after I knew him. He beloved champagne, adopted by Vodka tonics, and winding up with Brandy. Evidently I had bother maintaining and Loriel would inform me to not let him have extra, however I used to be within the center and couldn’t cease him. I helped put him to mattress just a few instances!
Corridor of Famer Don Budge (left) poses with famed oil portray of himself. Artist James Gwynne (proper) stands subsequent to the portray. Photograph credit score: Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame & James Gwynne Property
SM: Unimaginable how one portray and a connection developed into such a particular friendship with so many great experiences.
James Gwynne: A few of my finest advantages from realizing Don Budge got here from touring with him and Loriel to occasions on the Corridor of Fame, particularly on the annual induction weekends. I received to fulfill so many well-known gamers corresponding to Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Navratilova, and others. They all the time approached him to pay their respects and he launched me because the artist who painted his portrait.
I’ll always remember McEnroe on his knees with considered one of his little children at Budge’s toes within the resort and later that night time after the banquet, sitting with John’s father and brother in a bar having beer and John, after all, was speaking quite a bit.
I requested his father if he all the time talked that a lot and he mentioned, “Sure, he’s by no means shut up since he was born.”
One other time we had been having dinner on the resort and the good Aussie gamers, Rafter, Newcombe, and Roche got here to our desk to say good day. On the induction ceremonies I received to take a seat with Budge, Bud Collins – who all the time known as me “The Painter”, particularly after I purchased his massive ebook – and different dignitaries.
I as soon as sat subsequent to Pancho Sequra and requested him why he stopped teaching Jimmy Connors, and he mentioned, “As a result of the SOB wouldn’t pay me sufficient!” One other particular time was in Boston the place the Davis Cup was performed one yr. Budge had bother strolling so with plenty of assist they received him and his wheelchair up a variety of stairs to a field to view the tennis. It didn’t take lengthy for him to get aggravated with the fixed drum beating near us, a practice in Davis Cup play. So, after all, the assistance arrived to get him again down and into an air conditioned tent the place quite a bit had been watching on TV. At night time there was a banquet for most of the former Wimbledon Champions, all sporting their purple and inexperienced ties. Boy, did I really feel misplaced, however beloved witnessing this particular gathering, and even had just a few phrases with some, together with Jack Kramer, whose signature Wilson racquet I and everybody else used at the moment!
Anyway, possibly you possibly can recognize the elite and glamorous setting a “no one like me” was thrust into due to my well-known tennis good friend; in all probability the best present an atypical tennis participant might have.
SM: Did Don have any fierce rivals like McEnroe with Lendl and Connors and Pete and Andre, possibly a little bit grudge with any gamers?
James Gwynne: I don’t keep in mind Don Budge saying he didn’t like anybody. He as soon as mentioned he by no means met an Aussie he didn’t like.
One other enjoyable factor he mentioned was as soon as when he was working towards, Fred Astaire confirmed as much as watch and later informed Budge he was so sleek…and so they ended up dancing collectively on the tennis court docket!
SM: Did you see any trace of Don’s aggressive fireplace and spirit even in his 70s and 80s?
James Gwynne: Probably not aside from his pure spitfire persona. He typically mentioned he performed a variety of guys in retirement who simply needed to say they took a set off or beat Don Budge.
He was content material in realizing he had nothing to show however loved enjoying.