McLoughlin, Dawson, Johnston, Griffin on August 30, 1916

Clarence James "Peck" Griffin (January 19, 1888 – March 28, 1973) was an American

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...

player. His best major performance in singles was reaching the semi-finals of the 1916 U.S. National Championships (where he beat Wallace F. Johnson before losing to R. Norris Williams). He also reached the quarter-finals in 1914, 1915, 1917 and 1920.

Biography

He was born on January 19, 1888, in San Francisco, California. Griffin ranked in singles in the U.S. Top Ten three times: he was No. 7 in 1915 and No. 6 in both 1916 and 1920. In addition to his singles success, Griffin also made a mark in doubles with fellow Californian Bill Johnston. In 1913 he won the singles title at the

Niagara International Tennis Tournament The Niagara International Tennis Tournament was a tennis tournament held in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada between 1885 and 1923. The tournament was played on outdoor grass courts at the Queen's Royal Hotel and was held in the second half of August. ...

defeating Edward H. Whitney in four sets. He successfully defended his title in the challenge round in the following year, 1914, against George Church, also in four sets. He won the singles and doubles titles at the

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

tournament in 1915 and was a doubles champion and singles finalist in Cincinnati in 1916. In 1915 he was victorious in the Tri-State Championship, disposing W.S. McElroy in the challenge round in three straight sets. Griffin, and doubles partner Johnston, won the U.S. doubles title three times (1915, 1916, and 1920), and Griffin also reached the 1913 doubles final with John Strachan. He and Strachan won the U.S. Clay Court title that year, and in 1914 Griffin reached his singles final in a comeback beating of Elia Fottrell, 3–6, 6–8, 8–6, 6–0, 6–2, for the Clay Court singles crown (held that year in Cincinnati). In 1929, he married Mildred Talbot De Camp, daughter of T. James Talbot of Los Angeles. He died on March 28, 1973.

Legacy

He was a 5-foot-7 right-handed player and entered the

International Tennis Hall of Fame The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It honors both players and other contributors to the sport of tennis. The complex, the former Newport Casino, includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indo ...

in 1970. His nephew was entertainer Merv Griffin.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (3 titles, 1 runner-up)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffin, Clarence 1888 births 1973 deaths American male tennis players Tennis players from San Francisco International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees United States National champions (tennis) Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles