Playing the GreatsChuck McKinley: The Sky Rocket Career

Chuck McKinley burst upon the tennis scene suddenly, and, like a brilliant fireworks display, lit the sky for a short time and was gone.

Chuck proved it doesn’t take long to get very good at tennis if you have talent. An exceptional table tennis player, Chuck
started to play tennis at the age of 13 and two years later reached the finals of the National 15-and-under division at Kalamazoo .

The next year, as one of the best 18-and-under players in the country, he was named to the U.S. Junior Davis Cup team, and by
the age of 17 he was a threat to anyone in the world. 

Like a skyrocket Chuck McKinley rose to win Wimbledon in 1963, only 10 years after first
touching a racket.

In 1961, at 20, Chuck was already a seasoned member of the U.S. Davis Cup team and a finalist at Wimbledon , where he lost to
Rod Laver. In 1963, 10 years after first picking up a racket, Chuck was Wimbledon champion.

The only thing faster than Chuck’s rise was his disappearance. By 1966 (at the age of 25) he had ended his tennis career and had embarked full time in the world…