J. Gilbert Hall (1898 – September 7, 1977), known as "Gil" Hall, was an American tennis player. In a long tennis career, he won 39 singles titles between 1926 and 1940. Hall was known for his strong forehand stroke, described by Allison Danzig of the N.Y. Times as a "trenchant forehand". Hall was ranked by the USLTA as the U.S. No. 8 for 1935 and the U.S. No. 10 for 1944 at the age of 46 years.

Career

J. Gilbert Hall won the Northern New Jersey Championships in 1926 at Westfield, N.J. defeating Gregory Mangin in the final. Hall won the Canadian Covered Courts Championships in January 1929 at the Montreal Indoor Tennis Club defeating the defending champion George Lott in the semi-final in four long sets and then defeating Canadian

Willard Crocker Willard Frederick Crocker (21 July 1898 – 7 February 1964) was a Canadian National singles and doubles tennis champion and Canadian Davis Cup player. Born in Newton, Massachusetts, Crocker studied at Tufts University and then moved to Montre ...

in the final in four sets. Hall formed a doubles partnership with

Fritz Mercur Fritz Mercur (June 23, 1903 – September 1961) was an American tennis player. He was an insurance salesman. In a twenty-year career, Mercur was an inconsistent performer, but at his best had a victory over Bill Tilden (at a tournament at Rye in ...

with whom he won the

U.S. Clay Court Championships The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

in doubles in 1929. Hall was the runner-up in singles in the 1929 U.S. Clay Court Championships losing a five set final to Emmett Paré. At the

Southampton Invitation Southampton () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire, S ...

Championships in 1930 he lost a close third round match to Bill Tilden. Hall was runner-up to Fred Perry at the 1931 Eastern Grass Court Championships at Rye, New York, losing a long five set final. He won the Canadian Covered Courts Championships indoor tournament in Montreal for a second time in January 1932, defeating George Lott, the ranking U.S. No. 2 player at that time, in the semi-final in five long sets and Berkeley Bell in the final in three straight sets. Hall teamed with

to win the doubles title as well. Hall won the Eastern Clay Court Championships at the Jackson Heights Tennis Club in Queens, New York City in 1933 defeating

Frank Shields Francis Xavier Alexander Shields Sr. (November 18, 1909 – August 19, 1975) was an American amateur tennis player of the 1920s and 1930s, and an actor known for '' Hoosier Schoolboy'' (1937). Tennis career Between 1928 and 1945 he was ranked ...

, the U.S. No. 1 player for that year, in the final in three straight sets. He defended his Eastern Clay Court title in 1934 defeating Clifford Sutter in the final in three straight sets. Hall won the Pelham Invitation tournament in New York City in February 1935 defeating Bell in the final. He won The Greenbrier resort autumn tournament in White Sulphur Springs, W.V. in 1931, 1935, and 1936. Hall won the United North and South tournament at the Pinehurst Resort in 1937 defeating

Wayne Sabin Wayne Sabin (April 1, 1915 – September 14, 1989) was an American male tennis player. He reached the final of the men's doubles competition at the U.S. National Championships (now US Open). He partnered with Gardnar Mulloy and lost the final ...

in the final in three straight sets. In July, 1938 Hall won the Nassau Bowl Championships in Glen Cove, Long Island on grass defeating

Frank Kovacs Frank Kovacs (December 4, 1919 – February 1990) was an American amateur and professional tennis player in the mid-20th century. He won the U.S. National Indoor Tennis Championships singles title in 1941. He won the World Professional Champion ...

in the semifinal and defending champion

Gilbert Hunt Gilbert Agnew Hunt, Jr. (March 4, 1916 – May 30, 2008) was an American mathematician and amateur tennis player active in the 1930s and 1940s. Early life and education Hunt was born in Washington, D.C. and attended Eastern High School (Washing ...

in the final. The match between the 40-year-old Hall and the 18-year-old Kovacs, the new rising star on the tennis circuit, was described by Allison Danzig in the N.Y. Times, "... the Jersey veteran fought like a lion and kept on fighting when fatigue was settling in . . . No one suspected Hall capable of playing such tennis at this stage in his career. It was a masterpiece of stroke production and tactics.” Hall experienced some difficult opposition at the

U.S. National Tennis Championships The US Open Tennis Championships is a hardcourt tennis tournament held annually in Queens, New York City, New York. Since 1987, the US Open has been chronologically the fourth and final Grand Slam (tennis), Grand Slam tournament of the year. Th ...

at Forest Hills, N.Y. In 1931 he lost against the eventual champion that year

Ellsworth Vines Henry Ellsworth Vines Jr. (September 28, 1911 – March 17, 1994) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s, the World No. 1 player or the co-No. 1 in 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936 and 1937, able to win Pro Slam titles on three different surfaces. ...

in the fourth round. He lost to Sidney Wood at the 1932 U.S. National in three straight sets. However he had substantial leads over Wood in early round matches in the 1935, 1936, and 1938 championships, only to lose all three matches in a close five sets. He defeated Guillermo Lemus of Mexico in the second round of the 1954 River Oaks Championships on clay in Houston, Texas at the age of 56 years. Hall won seven straight veteran age 35+ titles from 1944 to 1950 inclusive without the loss of a single set.

Rankings

Hall was ranked by the USLTA as the U.S. No. 8 for 1935 and the U.S. No. 10 for 1944 at the age of 46 years. Hall concentrated his playing time in the eastern U.S. and played little tennis elsewhere in the U.S. and none at all in Europe. He did not appear in Davis Cup play. His restricted playing schedule affected his rankings.

Personal life

J. Gilbert Hall was born in Springfield, N.J., and was a resident of South Orange, New Jersey. He was employed mostly in Manhattan. From 1937 until his death in 1977, he worked as a sales representative for Pandick Press Inc., a major Manhattan financial printer. One of his sisters married into British nobility.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, J.Gilbert 1898 births 1977 deaths Tennis players from New Jersey