Country (sports) | Australia |
---|---|
Residence | Sydney - Melbourne |
Born | 17 November 1925 |
Died | 10 August 2012 | (aged 86)
Mixed doubles | |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Australian Open | F (1951) |
John "Jack" Bernard May (17 November 1925 – 10 August 2012) was an amateur tennis player who won over 200 tennis titles in Australia.
May played many sports, but his favorite and best was tennis. One of his more important achievements was to reach the mixed doubles final of the 1951 Australian Championship. [1]
He was trained and practiced as a dental technician, and May became an employee of Spalding Australia (A.G Spalding). He grew Spalding from a small supplier to its becoming a big manufacturer, especially in golf ball production. [2]
In 1965, he and his family moved from Sydney to Melbourne (Spalding Head Office) where he remained for the rest of his life. He purchased the Sherrin Football Company in 1972, which manufactured AFL footballs in agreement with Tom Sherrin (Sherrin’s owner). [3]
May improved Spalding’s overall performance and market share in the large golfing market. Hot Dot and Top Flite golf balls became big sellers and took Spalding’s market share from under 20% to almost 70%. Spalding asked Jack to move to Canada with the intention of moving him to the U.S., but Jack’s family decided to remain in Australia, so he turned down the offer.
In his 1979 autobiography, Jack Kramer recalled that he saw May play in Australia. Unaware of who he was but impressed with his skills, he asked who was on the court. Kramer was told he is "just a weekend player", and Kramer said "he must be the best weekend player in the world". [4]
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1951 | Australian Championship | Grass | Clare Proctor |
Thelma Coyne Long George Worthington |
4–6, 6–3, 2–6 |
Jack was married to Patricia May (Everitt) on 3 August 1957. They had four children: Michelle, Jon, Martin and Rod.
Jack was Managing Director of Spalding Australia for many years and won the Sydney Singles Championship on 13 occasions and the Sydney Doubles Championship on 11 occasions.
The Sherrin business was sold in 1972 to Spalding Australia (...)
Special mention should be made of J.B.May who, in the period following World War II, won the singles ("Club Captaincy") 13 times and the Doubles 11 times.
"Jack May, our second President served for 21 years, was most influential in leading the Foundation in the early years and ensured the Foundation was on a strong footing throughout his tenure".(p. 7)
TENNIS AUSTRALIA NATIONAL AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE GAME: 2003 Jack May (p. 34)
(p.32)
Country (sports) | Australia |
---|---|
Residence | Sydney - Melbourne |
Born | 17 November 1925 |
Died | 10 August 2012 | (aged 86)
Mixed doubles | |
Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
Australian Open | F (1951) |
John "Jack" Bernard May (17 November 1925 – 10 August 2012) was an amateur tennis player who won over 200 tennis titles in Australia.
May played many sports, but his favorite and best was tennis. One of his more important achievements was to reach the mixed doubles final of the 1951 Australian Championship. [1]
He was trained and practiced as a dental technician, and May became an employee of Spalding Australia (A.G Spalding). He grew Spalding from a small supplier to its becoming a big manufacturer, especially in golf ball production. [2]
In 1965, he and his family moved from Sydney to Melbourne (Spalding Head Office) where he remained for the rest of his life. He purchased the Sherrin Football Company in 1972, which manufactured AFL footballs in agreement with Tom Sherrin (Sherrin’s owner). [3]
May improved Spalding’s overall performance and market share in the large golfing market. Hot Dot and Top Flite golf balls became big sellers and took Spalding’s market share from under 20% to almost 70%. Spalding asked Jack to move to Canada with the intention of moving him to the U.S., but Jack’s family decided to remain in Australia, so he turned down the offer.
In his 1979 autobiography, Jack Kramer recalled that he saw May play in Australia. Unaware of who he was but impressed with his skills, he asked who was on the court. Kramer was told he is "just a weekend player", and Kramer said "he must be the best weekend player in the world". [4]
Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 1951 | Australian Championship | Grass | Clare Proctor |
Thelma Coyne Long George Worthington |
4–6, 6–3, 2–6 |
Jack was married to Patricia May (Everitt) on 3 August 1957. They had four children: Michelle, Jon, Martin and Rod.
Jack was Managing Director of Spalding Australia for many years and won the Sydney Singles Championship on 13 occasions and the Sydney Doubles Championship on 11 occasions.
The Sherrin business was sold in 1972 to Spalding Australia (...)
Special mention should be made of J.B.May who, in the period following World War II, won the singles ("Club Captaincy") 13 times and the Doubles 11 times.
"Jack May, our second President served for 21 years, was most influential in leading the Foundation in the early years and ensured the Foundation was on a strong footing throughout his tenure".(p. 7)
TENNIS AUSTRALIA NATIONAL AWARD FOR SERVICE TO THE GAME: 2003 Jack May (p. 34)
(p.32)