George Alan Thomas
Encyclopedia
Sir George Alan Thomas, Bart. (born Therapia, Turkey; 14 June 1881 – 23 July 1972) was a British badminton
, tennis
and chess
player. He was twice British Chess Champion and a 21-time All-England Badminton champion
. He also played in the semi-finals of the men's tennis doubles at Wimbledon
in 1911. Badminton's world men's team championships cup, equivalent to tennis's Davis Cup
, is named Thomas Cup
after him.
Thomas lived most of his life in London and Godalming
. He never married, so the hereditary Thomas baronetcy ended on his death. He was admired for his fine sportsmanship.
, considered the unofficial World Badminton Championships, with 21 titles between 1906 and 1928. Four of those titles were in men's singles (consecutive titles between 1920-23), nine in men's doubles and eight in mixed doubles. His haul probably would have been larger if World War I had not caused the competition to be cancelled from 1915 to 1919.
In 1934 he was co-founder of the International Badminton Federation
(now Badminton World Federation), of which he was president from 1934 to 1955.
Inspired by tennis's Davis Cup, first held in 1900, and football's World Cup
, first held in 1930, Thomas had the idea of organizing an international competition for country teams in badminton. In 1939 his idea was well received at the general meeting of the International Badminton Federation.. In the same year, Sir George presented the Thomas Cup, officially known as The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup, produced by Atkin Bros of London
at a cost of US$40,000. The Cup stands 28 inches high and 16 inches across at its widest, and consists of three parts: a plinth (pedestal), a bowl, and a lid with a player figure. The first tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942, but due to World War II wasn't realized until 1948-1949, when ten national teams participated in the first Thomas Cup competition. Despite its British origins, England's best finish in the Thomas Cup has been a third place in 1984.
Thomas was inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame as an Inaugural Member in 1996.
in 1923 and 1934. He shared first prize at the 1934/5 Hastings International Chess Congress
in very good company, tying with the next world chess champion Max Euwe
and leading Soviet player Salo Flohr
, ahead of past and future world champions José Raúl Capablanca
and Mikhail Botvinnik
, whom he defeated in their individual games.
Thomas also defeated Euwe in tournament play and held Alekhine
to six draws. His 'lifetime' scores against the world's elite were however less flattering: he had minuses against Emanuel Lasker
(−1, not counting a win in a Lasker simultaneous exhibition
in 1896), Capablanca (+1−5=3), Alekhine (−7=6), Efim Bogoljubov (−5=3), Euwe (+1−9=2), Flohr (+2−9=4) and Savielly Tartakower
(+3−9=10). He also fared badly against Edgard Colle
(+1–9=8). More impressively, he did manage even scores with Botvinnik (+1−1), Richard Réti
(+3−3=1) and Siegbert Tarrasch
(+1−1=3). Against Géza Maróczy
, the balance was in Thomas' favour (+3−1=5).
Domestically, he held a plus score against his great English rival Frederick Yates
(+13 –11 =13), but was less successful against Women's World Chess Champion Vera Menchik
(+7−8=7),
In 1950 he was awarded the International Master title by FIDE and in 1952, became an International Arbiter
. At age 69, he gave up competitive chess.
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, tennis
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...
and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
player. He was twice British Chess Champion and a 21-time All-England Badminton champion
All England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
. He also played in the semi-finals of the men's tennis doubles at 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...
in 1911. Badminton's world men's team championships cup, equivalent to tennis'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...
, is named Thomas Cup
Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation , the sport's global governing body...
after him.
Thomas lived most of his life in London and Godalming
Godalming
Godalming is a town and civil parish in the Waverley district of the county of Surrey, England, south of Guildford. It is built on the banks of the River Wey and is a prosperous part of the London commuter belt. Godalming shares a three-way twinning arrangement with the towns of Joigny in France...
. He never married, so the hereditary Thomas baronetcy ended on his death. He was admired for his fine sportsmanship.
Badminton
Counting both single and double titles, Thomas is the most successful player ever in the All England Open Badminton ChampionshipsAll England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
, considered the unofficial World Badminton Championships, with 21 titles between 1906 and 1928. Four of those titles were in men's singles (consecutive titles between 1920-23), nine in men's doubles and eight in mixed doubles. His haul probably would have been larger if World War I had not caused the competition to be cancelled from 1915 to 1919.
In 1934 he was co-founder of the International Badminton Federation
International Badminton Federation
The Badminton World Federation is the international governing body for the sport of badminton. Founded in 1934 as the International Badminton Federation with nine member nations , the BWF has since expanded to 165 member nations around the world...
(now Badminton World Federation), of which he was president from 1934 to 1955.
Inspired by tennis's Davis Cup, first held in 1900, and football's World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, first held in 1930, Thomas had the idea of organizing an international competition for country teams in badminton. In 1939 his idea was well received at the general meeting of the International Badminton Federation.. In the same year, Sir George presented the Thomas Cup, officially known as The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup, produced by Atkin Bros of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at a cost of US$40,000. The Cup stands 28 inches high and 16 inches across at its widest, and consists of three parts: a plinth (pedestal), a bowl, and a lid with a player figure. The first tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942, but due to World War II wasn't realized until 1948-1949, when ten national teams participated in the first Thomas Cup competition. Despite its British origins, England's best finish in the Thomas Cup has been a third place in 1984.
Thomas was inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame as an Inaugural Member in 1996.
Chess
Thomas was British Chess ChampionBritish Chess Championship
The British Chess Championship is organised by the English Chess Federation. There are separate championships for men and women. Since 1923 there have been sections for juniors, and since 1982 there has been an over-sixty championship. The championship venue usually changes every year and has been...
in 1923 and 1934. He shared first prize at the 1934/5 Hastings International Chess Congress
Hastings International Chess Congress
The Hastings International Chess Congress is an annual chess congress which takes place in Hastings, England, around the turn of the year. The main event is the Hastings Premier tournament, which was traditionally a 10 to 16 player round-robin tournament. In 2004/05 the tournament was played in the...
in very good company, tying with the next world chess champion Max Euwe
Max Euwe
Machgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
and leading Soviet player Salo Flohr
Salo Flohr
Salomon Mikhailovich Flohr was a leading Czech and later Soviet chess grandmaster of the mid-20th century, who became a national hero in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. His name was used to sell many of the luxury products of the time, including Salo Flohr cigarettes, slippers and eau-de-cologne...
, ahead of past and future world champions José Raúl Capablanca
José Raúl Capablanca
José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. One of the greatest players of all time, he was renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play...
and Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...
, whom he defeated in their individual games.
Thomas also defeated Euwe in tournament play and held Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
to six draws. His 'lifetime' scores against the world's elite were however less flattering: he had minuses against Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years...
(−1, not counting a win in a Lasker simultaneous exhibition
Simultaneous exhibition
A simultaneous exhibition or simultaneous display is a board game exhibition in which one player plays multiple games at a time with a number of other players. Such an exhibition is often referred to simply as a "simul".In a regular simul, no chess clocks are used...
in 1896), Capablanca (+1−5=3), Alekhine (−7=6), Efim Bogoljubov (−5=3), Euwe (+1−9=2), Flohr (+2−9=4) and Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...
(+3−9=10). He also fared badly against Edgard Colle
Edgard Colle
Edgard Colle was a Belgian chess master. He scored excellent results in major international tournaments, including first at Amsterdam 1926, ahead of Savielly Tartakower and future world champion Max Euwe; first at Meran 1926, ahead of Esteban Canal; and first at Scarborough 1930, ahead of Maróczy...
(+1–9=8). More impressively, he did manage even scores with Botvinnik (+1−1), Richard Réti
Richard Réti
Réti composed one of the most famous chess studies, shown in this diagram. It was published in Ostrauer Morgenzeitung 4 December 1921. It seems impossible for the white king to catch the advanced black pawn, while the white pawn can be easily stopped by the black king...
(+3−3=1) and Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch was one of the strongest chess players and most influential chess teachers of the late 19th century and early 20th century....
(+1−1=3). Against Géza Maróczy
Géza Maróczy
Géza Maróczy was a leading Hungarian chess Grandmaster, one of the best players in the world in his time. He was also a practicing engineer.-Early career:...
, the balance was in Thomas' favour (+3−1=5).
Domestically, he held a plus score against his great English rival Frederick Yates
Frederick Yates
Frederick Dewhurst Yates was an English chess master who won the British Chess Championship on six occasions...
(+13 –11 =13), but was less successful against Women's World Chess Champion Vera Menchik
Vera Menchik
Vera Menchik was a British-Czech chess player who gained renown as the world's first women's chess champion. She also competed in chess tournaments with some of the world's leading male chess masters, defeating many of them, including future World Champion Max Euwe.The daughter of a Czech father...
(+7−8=7),
In 1950 he was awarded the International Master title by FIDE and in 1952, became an International Arbiter
International Arbiter
In chess, International Arbiter is a title awarded by FIDE to individuals deemed capable of acting as arbiter in important chess matches . The title was established in 1951....
. At age 69, he gave up competitive chess.