Lott, George

George Martin Lott, Jr.
Born: October 16, 1906
Died: December 02, 1991
Hometown: Springfield, Illinois, United States
Citizenship: United States
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1964

Grand Slam Record
U.S. Singles finalist 1931
Doubles 1928-30, 1933-34
Mixed 1929, 1931, 1934
Mixed finalist 1933

French Doubles 1931

Wimbledon Doubles 1931, 34
Doubles finalist 1930
Mixed 1931

Tournament Record
Davis Cup Team Member 1928-31, 1933-34

George Martin Lott, Jr. was a masterful doubles player who won with numerous partners. He won the French Doubles title in 1931, the Wimbledon Doubles Championships in 1931, 1934 and captured five U.S. Doubles Championships 1928-30, 1933 and 1934. He also won the Wimbledon Mixed in 1931 and the U.S. Mixed in 1929, 1931, and 1934.  Lott was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 nine times between 1924-1934, reaching No. 2 in 1931.  He played Davis Cup (1928-31, 1933-34) and was undefeated in doubles play (11-0).

The following excerpt is from the Bud Collins Encyclopedia:
A good baseball player at the University of Chicago, Martin Lott, Jr., made his name principally in doubles, where, a slick tactician and volleyer, he could make any partner look good. He won the U.S. title five times with three different accomplices: John Hennessey, 1928; Johnny Doeg, 1929 and 1930; Les Stoefen, 1933 and 1934. He joined the touring pros in 1934.

He was a U.S. Davis Cup stalwart between 1928 and 1934, going undefeated in 11 doubles matches. He ranked in the U.S. Top Ten nine times between 1924 and 1934, No. 2 in 1931 when he lost the final at Forest Hills to Ellie Vines keeping it close with his clever use of spin, 7-9, 6-3, 9-7, 7-5. George, a right-hander, came from way back to disappoint Johnny Van Ryn–his Wimbledon-winning comrade that year–in the quarters, 5-7, 0-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-1, then unseat the defender Johnny Doeg, 7-5, 6-3, 6-0. He also won the Wimbledon doubles with Stoefen in 1934. A 160-pound 6-footer, George beat dashing dirt-kicker Bitsy Grant in a five-set struggle for the 1932 U.S. Clay Court title, 3-6, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, and had his ultimate clay opportunities in Paris as a singles starter for the U.S. in the Davis Cup finales of 1929 and 1930. The Frenchmen were just too tough at home. Henri Cochet beat him in the decisive fifth match in 1929, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, and Jean Borotra scored the painful clincher in 1930, 5-7, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 8-6. .

He was born October 16, 1906, in Springfield IL, and died December 2, 1991, in Chicago, where he was still active as varsity coach of DePaul University. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1964.

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