Who Was Joe Hunt?

Mark Winters

For many across the country, Labor Day marks "The End..." Summer is over, and it is time to return to academic pursuits.

But at the US Open Military Appreciation Day takes center stage. Having been held on Labor Day Monday since 2012, the annual salute to those who serve/have served in the five branches of the US Military has become a tournament tradition. Seven years after its inauguration, the event was designated Lieutenant Joe Hunt Military Appreciation Day in 2019.

But who was Joe Hunt?

He is hardly a household name in tennis history. But when it comes to tennis CVs, Hunt actually stands alone. He is the only player in history to win all the US National Singles Championships – Boys' 15 and 18, Intercollegiate, and Men's.

The last victory took place September 6, 1943. The US National Men's Singles final was staged on a hot and humid day at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. Lieutenant Joe Hunt, on leave from the Navy, defeated Seaman Jack Kramer, who was granted time off from his Coast Guard duties, 6-3, 6-8, 10-8, 6-0.

When Kramer's last shot sailed long, Hunt collapsed with leg cramps on the baseline's worn grass. His opponent, who had suffered a bout of food poisoning during the tournament, slowly made his way to where the winner was slumped, sat down in front of him and shook his hand. It was a dramatic end to an unforgettable match.

Movie Star?

Joe Hunt could have been a lead character in a movie straight from Hollywood's "Golden Age." Born in San Francisco, California but raised in Los Angeles, he had it all. He was blond haired and blue-eyed and built like he worked out at Muscle Beach in Venice, instead of on the Los Angeles Tennis Club courts.

Trying to describe Hunt, nothing would be better than the phrase... "The One And Only..."

The late Pat Henry Yeomans, in her book, "Southern California Tennis Champions Centennial 1887-1987", wrote, "Joe won his first national title, in 1934, when he was the boys singles champion and teamed with Arthur Nielson, Jr. for the doubles title. He won the National Junior Doubles, with Bobby Riggs in 1935, with Julius Heldman in 1936 and with John Moreno Jr. in 1937, the year that he also captured the singles."

Yeomans, the 1935 National Girls' 18 titlist whose parents were members of the group that founded the LATC, added, "He was a hometown Los Angeles boy from a famous tennis family. His father, Reuben Hunt collected tennis trophies all along the Pacific Coast. There were two older children when the family lived in Berkeley. Charley, who was a fine junior player in the 1930s, and Marianne Hunt, who won the National Girls'18 Hard Court doubles, in 1930, with Alice Marble."

Hunt's full name is Joseph R. Hunt. But, for some time, another "Joe", in this case Joseph T. Hunt, his great nephew, has been the family spokesperson leading the effort to sustain the "Original Joe's" tennis legacy. Hunt's great nephew, explained, "I grew up playing tennis with people like Jacques Manset, Mark Wooldridge, Mark Basham, and Mike Falberg in Santa Barbara."

Now an attorney practicing in Seattle, (henceforth referred to as "Seattle Joe"), he added, "Joe and the family moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles when he was about 14 years old. His father, Reuben was not only a top player himself, but also a successful bankruptcy referee. I am fairly sure they relocated to Los Angeles for his bankruptcy practice."

Hunt used his serve and volley aggressiveness to earn his first US Top 10 ranking as a 17-year-old in 1936. After graduating from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, he continued to impress going undefeated in singles and doubles, as the No. 1 player as a freshman at USC, and teaming with Louis Wetherell to win the 1938 NCAA Doubles title.

He paired with Kramer in a crucial 1939 Davis Cup Challenge Round match against Australia at the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pennsylvania. With the US leading, 2-0, the youngsters came up short 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 against the veteran duo, John Bromwich and Adrian Quist. It was the only time that Australia ever trailed 0-2 in a Cup final and went on to win the tie, 3-2.

At the US National Championships that same year, Hunt was a singles semifinalist losing to Bobby Riggs, the tournament winner, 6-1, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. In 1940, he was again a semifinalist. Riggs ended his run, narrowly slipping past him, 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

With the turmoil in the world expanding, the charismatic Hunt made a decision that was life changing. In the fall of 1938, he transferred from USC to the Naval Academy. But imagine being one of the best tennis players in the US or in the world for that matter, and deciding to play football. This is what Hunt did.

As Seattle Joe explained, "Joe went out for football at the Naval Academy because he loved that sport too and perhaps more important, he wanted to be part of a team"

Hunt played halfback on the varsity and was good enough to help the team win six games, lose two, and tie one. In 1941, he was a standout on a squad that finished with seven wins, one loss and one tie, and ended up ranked No. 10 by the Associated Press. He played so well in the game against Army, (the Midshipmen's third win in a row over the Cadets) that he was given a game ball signed by the entire team. The same year, Hunt became the first (and only) player from the Naval Academy to win the NCAA Singles title.

His military commitment kept him from participating in the US Nationals later in 1941 and again in 1942. But he returned to Forest Hills in 1943. With World War II ravaging Europe and the Far East, the US National Championships was the only Grand Slam tournament played that year. He was not given permission to defend.

In one of our chats, Seattle Joe added the following little-known anecdote to the "Original Joe" narrative. "I know that Joe was not the only player not to have a chance to defend his US National title," he pointed out. "Ted Schroeder won it in 1942 and was not able to defend in 1943. They both were Navy pilots stationed in Pensacola, Florida. Neither was granted leave to play Forest Hills in 1944 so they both entered a Pensacola tournament held at the same time as the National Championships. Of course, the local tennis community couldn't believe their lucky stars to have the 1942 and the 1943 champions playing a local event. It was billed as the Clash of Net Champions and would supposedly determine the true No. 1 player in the country, despite that other tournament taking place in New York.

"Joe and Ted both reached the final where they played their match in front of thousands of spectators on September 4, 1944--while Frank Parker was playing Bill Talbert in the final at Forest Hills (with Parker winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3). I have spent hours trying to vet the truth of this story. I just don't know if it is 100% true that the two finals were played simultaneously. In any event, Joe beat Ted 6-4, 6-4. That was the last tournament match of Joe's life.

Joe Hunt's charmed life came to an abrupt and unexpected end fifteen days shy of his 26th birthday on February 2, 1945. He was performing a gunnery run flying a Grumman Hellcat F6F at about 6,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 15 miles off Daytona Beach. He descended on the target that was being towed by another plane, fired the guns then was unable to pull out of the dive. His plane went into a spiral and crashed into the coastal waters. The plane and Hunt's body were never found.

Postscript

On August 26th, the West Side Tennis Club hosted a 100th Anniversary celebration for the Forest Hills Stadium. Joe Hunt, John Newcombe and Althea Gibson were special honorees. The organizers invited Seattle Joe and his reaction to what took place was telling...

He wrote, "The evening was a magical, joyful, and solemn occasion. The Tennis Collectors of America were all present, as were many longtime members of the Westside Tennis Club, so the audience was full of those who deeply know and cherish tennis history. They are proud of their club, proud of their glorious stadium, and proud of the monumental achievement saving it against all odds from being razed for development. Joe's legacy was remembered and honored. I was the first speaker and shared three of Joe's memorable moments occurring on the hallowed ground of the Forest Hills Stadium court.

"Then John Newcombe appeared by video and reminisced over delightful memories of his competition and life at Forest Hills. The crowd had a chuckle when a very loud train rumbled by at the very moment Newcombe was saying how he hated playing on the court near the road because of the noisy trains.

"Dick Stockton then spoke about his experiences playing at Forest Hills and facing Newcombe on several occasions.”

Hunt added, "It was inspiring to meet the family of the great Althea Gibson, many of whom attended. A relative of hers and an African American historian both spoke on her behalf and reminded us of what difficulties she endured breaking the color barrier while meanwhile winning championships.

"The highlight was the raising of the flags to review the three new banners to be hung on the stadium. It was a truly unforgettable celebration.”