Allison Danzig
Encyclopedia
Allison "Al" Danzig was an American sportswriter who specialized in writing about tennis
, but also covered college football
, squash
, many Olympic Games
, and rowing
. Danzig was the only American sportwriter to extensively cover real tennis
, the precursor to modern lawn tennis.
Danzig covered every tournament in the Grand Slam - the U.S. Open
, the Australian Open
, Wimbledon
, and the French Open - as well as many others. In 1968, Danzig was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
in Newport, Rhode Island
- becoming the first journalist
in the Hall. In an interview shortly before his death, he named Bill Tilden
as the greatest player he had covered.
Danzig was born in 1898 in Waco, Texas
, but grew up in Albany, New York
. Talent ran in the family. His sister, Evelyn Danzig
, wrote the music for the hit song "Scarlet Ribbons"
in 1949.
He graduated in 1921 from Cornell University
, where he was co-editor of The Daily Sun with E.B. White. Danzig also briefly played football at Cornell as 125-pound tailback
. He joined The New York Times
in 1923, after a stint at the Brooklyn Eagle
, and remained there until his retirement in 1968. Before becoming a sportswriter, Danzig wrote obituaries, and was originally planning for a career as a foreign correspondent
.
Danzig wrote several books, including: The Racquet Game (Macmillan
1930), a history of racquet sports; The Fireside Book of Tennis (Simon and Schuster 1972); and Oh, How They Played The Game (Macmillan 1971), about the early days of American football
. His last book, The Winning Gallery, was a collection of articles and essays about real tennis, which was published by the United States Court Tennis Association
(USCTA).
He lived most of his adult life in Roslyn, New York
, with his wife, two daughters, and one son.
He retired to New Jersey
, where he died on 27 January 1987.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, but also covered college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, many Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, and rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
. Danzig was the only American sportwriter to extensively cover real tennis
Real tennis
Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original indoor racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis , is descended...
, the precursor to modern lawn tennis.
Danzig covered every tournament in the Grand Slam - the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
, the Australian Open
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, and the French Open - as well as many others. In 1968, Danzig was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
- becoming the first journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
in the Hall. In an interview shortly before his death, he named Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
as the greatest player he had covered.
Danzig was born in 1898 in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, but grew up in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. Talent ran in the family. His sister, Evelyn Danzig
Evelyn Danzig
Evelyn Danzig Levine was an American songwriter best known for writing the music for the popular song "Scarlet Ribbons" with lyrics by her collaborator Jack Segal.-Life:...
, wrote the music for the hit song "Scarlet Ribbons"
Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
"Scarlet Ribbons " is a popular song. The music was written by Evelyn Danzig and the lyrics by Jack Segal."Scarlet Ribbons" was written in only 15 minutes in 1949 at Danzig's home in Port Washington New York after she invited lyricist Segal to hear her music...
in 1949.
He graduated in 1921 from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, where he was co-editor of The Daily Sun with E.B. White. Danzig also briefly played football at Cornell as 125-pound tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
. He joined The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in 1923, after a stint at the Brooklyn Eagle
Brooklyn Eagle
The Brooklyn Daily Bulletin began publishing when the original Eagle folded in 1955. In 1996 it merged with a newly revived Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and now publishes a morning paper five days a week under the Brooklyn Daily Eagle name...
, and remained there until his retirement in 1968. Before becoming a sportswriter, Danzig wrote obituaries, and was originally planning for a career as a foreign correspondent
Foreign correspondent
Foreign Correspondent may refer to:*Foreign correspondent *Foreign Correspondent , an Alfred Hitchcock film*Foreign Correspondent , an Australian current affairs programme...
.
Danzig wrote several books, including: The Racquet Game (Macmillan
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
1930), a history of racquet sports; The Fireside Book of Tennis (Simon and Schuster 1972); and Oh, How They Played The Game (Macmillan 1971), about the early days of American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. His last book, The Winning Gallery, was a collection of articles and essays about real tennis, which was published by the United States Court Tennis Association
United States Court Tennis Association
The United States Court Tennis Association is the governing body for the sport of real tennis in the United States. The first association president, William L. Van Alen, convened its initial meeting on January 30, 1955 at New York City's Racquet and Tennis Club. William F. McLaughlin Jr...
(USCTA).
He lived most of his adult life in Roslyn, New York
Roslyn, New York
Roslyn is a village in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 2,770...
, with his wife, two daughters, and one son.
He retired to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, where he died on 27 January 1987.