Bernard Bartzen
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Tut" Bartzen was an outstanding American tennis
player in the mid-20th century, who later became a winning college tennis coach.
Born in 1927 in Austin
, Texas
, Bartzen won three Texas state high school titles — two in singles and one in doubles — and the National Interscholastic singles championship.
Bartzen attended the College of William & Mary, where the left-hander posted a 50–0 singles record. He also won the NCAA doubles title with Fred Kovaleski in 1948.
Bartzen went on the American tennis circuit and was ranked in the top 10 nine straight years (1953–1961), two of them at No. 2 (1959 and 1960). During his career, he had wins over such future Hall of Famers as Vic Seixas
and Tony Trabert
. One of those wins over Trabert came in 1955 in the final at the event in Cincinnati
, where Bartzen won three titles: 1955, 1957 and 1958.
Bartzen also won four U.S. Clay Court Championships
and won the Canadian National
title in 1954. He served as co-captain of the U.S. Davis Cup
team and won 15 singles matches.
After his playing career, Bartzen served 12 years as head tennis pro at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas before taking over the Texas Christian University
program in 1974. His tennis teams were ranked nationally every year but one in a 20-year stretch.
Bartzen was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.
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...
player in the mid-20th century, who later became a winning college tennis coach.
Born in 1927 in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Bartzen won three Texas state high school titles — two in singles and one in doubles — and the National Interscholastic singles championship.
Bartzen attended the College of William & Mary, where the left-hander posted a 50–0 singles record. He also won the NCAA doubles title with Fred Kovaleski in 1948.
Bartzen went on the American tennis circuit and was ranked in the top 10 nine straight years (1953–1961), two of them at No. 2 (1959 and 1960). During his career, he had wins over such future Hall of Famers as Vic Seixas
Vic Seixas
Elias Victor Seixas, Jr. is an American former tennis player.Seixas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Portuguese Sephardi Jewish ancestry. After serving in World War II, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , where he was a member of Alpha Sigma of the Chi Psi...
and Tony Trabert
Tony Trabert
Marion Anthony Trabert is a retired American tennis champion and long-time tennis author, TV commentator, instructor, and motivational speaker...
. One of those wins over Trabert came in 1955 in the final at the event in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
, where Bartzen won three titles: 1955, 1957 and 1958.
Bartzen also won four U.S. Clay Court Championships
U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships
The U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship is an annual ATP Tour tennis tournament that started in 1910. It is the last remaining ATP Tour-level tournament in the United States to be played on clay courts....
and won the Canadian National
Canada Masters
The Canada Masters , currently sponsored as the Rogers Cup, is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association tour...
title in 1954. He served as co-captain of the U.S. Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
team and won 15 singles matches.
After his playing career, Bartzen served 12 years as head tennis pro at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas before taking over the Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
program in 1974. His tennis teams were ranked nationally every year but one in a 20-year stretch.
Bartzen was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.