Clothier, William

William Jackson Clothier
Born: September 27, 1881
Died: September 04, 1962
Hometown: Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, United States
Citizenship: United States
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1956

Grand Slam Record
U.S. Singles 1906
   Singles finalist 1904, 09
   Mixed finalist 1912

Tournament Record
Intercollegiate Singles 1902
   Doubles 1902

 Davis Cup Team Member 1905-06

 U.S. Father-Son   1935-36

Another Harvard man to win the Intercollegiate championship (1902) in the early days, William Jackson Clothier was the U.S. champ four years later, ranking No. 1 in the U.S. A right-handed net rusher, Clothier said that “he never played better” than in the 1906 Championships, gaining confidence from his quarterfinal victory over Fred Alexander, 8-6, 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5, in which he came from triple match point (2-5, 0-40) to race through the last five games. He took the title from Beals Wright in the challenge round, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.

He lost the U.S. final to Holcombe Ward in 1904 and, in a five-set battle, to Bill Larned in 1909. He held a Top Ten ranking for 11 years between 1901 and 1914. In 1905 he beat two French champions, Max Decugis, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, and Maurice Germot, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, in the first U.S. Davis Cup engagement abroad, a 5-0 victory over France at Queen’s Club in London. Although he wasn’t chosen for the next tie against Australasia or the final against Britain, Clothier, a powerful, aggressive 6-foot-2, 170-pounder, caught the attention of scribe Wallace Myers in a good Wimbledon showing. It was a fourth-rounder lost to future champ Tony Wilding, 5-7, 1-6, 8-6, 7-5, 10-8, in 3-1/2 hours on Centre Court. Bill led 5-2, 40-15 with two match points in the third. “Both men were such splendid specimens of youth and vigor, such hard hitters, such gallant fighters,” Myers wrote. He and his son, William Clothier II, won two U.S. Father and Son doubles titles in 1935 and 1936. He was born in Philadelphia September 27, 1881, and died there September 4, 1962. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1956.

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