Hunter, Francis

Francis Townsend Hunter “Frank”
Born: June 28, 1894
Died: December 02, 1981
Hometown: New York, New York, United States
Citizenship: United States
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1961

Grand Slam Record
U.S. Singles finalist 1928, 29
Doubles 1927

Wimbledon Singles finalist 1923
Doubles 1924, 1927
Mixed 1927, 29

French Mixed finalist 1928, 29

Tournament Record
Davis Cup Team Member 1927-29

Olympic Gold Medal Doubles 1924

As one of the earlier touring pros, Francis Townsend Hunter joined the nomad ranks in 1931 after a distinguished amateur career. A right-handed New Yorker, he was born there June 28, 1894. He played extremely well for his country, taking a 1924 Olympic gold medal in doubles alongside Vinnie Richards, and helping build a 2-1 lead in the losing Davis Cup 1927 finale, yoked to Bill Tilden in a five-set win over France’s Jacques Brugnon and Jean Borotra.

He came close, as finalist, to the U.S. title twice in succession: 1928 final, 6-3 in the fifth to Henri Cochet, and 1929, 6-4 in the fifth to Tilden. He also lost the 1923 Wimbledon final to Bill Johnston. And he was one of those unlucky three victims in a row who built two-set leads over 1927 champ Cochet, Hunter in the quarterfinals, preceding Tilden and Borotra. But he won the Wimbledon doubles twice, 1924 with Olympic sidekick Richards and 1927 with Tilden.

His greatest singles success was under cover at New York’s Seventh Regiment Armory, winning the U.S. Indoor titles of 1922 over Frank Anderson, 6-4,1-6, 7-5, 6-2, and 1930 over Julius Seligson, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. He lost the finals of 1923 and 1924 to Richards, and 1929 to Jean Borotra, and won the doubles in 1923 and 1924 with Richards and 1929 with Tilden. Hunter, a fine volleyer, stressed power in forehand and serve puttin his 5-11, 180-pound frame into those strokes. He ranked in the U.S. Top Ten five times between 1922 and 1929, No. 2 in 1927, 1928, 1929 and in the World Top Ten, 1923, 1927, 1928, No. 4 in 1928. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1961 and died December 2, 1981, in Beach, FL.

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