McNeill, William

William Donald McNeill “Don”
Born: April 30, 1918
Hometown: Chicksha, Oklahoma, United States
Citizenship: United States
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1965

Grand Slam Record
French     Singles     1939
Doubles     1939

U.S.     Singles     1940
Doubles     1944
Doubles finalist     1946
Mixed finalist     1944

Tournament Record
Intercollegiate     Singles     1940

It was a long way to Paris from Oklahoma, but a tennis court in one place was the same as one in another to a college boy named William Donald McNeill, who became the second American man to win the French title. Doing so in 1939 by beating Bobby Riggs–the year’s No. 1–7-5, 6-0, 6-3, Don served notice that he would be a thorn in the little hustler’s side and intentions.

Though McNeiil may have lost his best years to World War II, in which he served as an officer in U.S. Naval intelligence, he stands as one of only four Americans to win on the grass at Forest Hills, the U.S. title (1940), and on the clay at Roland Garros, succeeding Don Budge, and preceding Frank Parker and Tony Trabert.

McNeill, a nimble 5-foot-l0, 155, out of Oklahoma City, with a very sharp backhand, had gone to Europe on a lark. He returned to move unseeded to the U.S. quarterfinals, and give sixth-seeded Joe Hunt a scare, 6-4, 15-13, 8-10, 4-6, 6-2, in three-plus hours spread over two days. Don felt he could win it one day, and that day wasn’t far off. Back to college he went, to graduate and win the Intercollegiate title for tiny Kenyon (Ohio) in 1940, then sting Riggs twice. If beating him in the U.S. Clay final, 6-1, 6-4, 7-9, 6-3, wasn’t enough, he then completely wrecked defender Bobby’s pro plans at Forest Hills. After taking Jack Kramer in the semis, Don staged a counterattack to seize the U.S. final, 4-6, 6-8, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5. McNeill was the third of five players in the championship round to rebound from two sets down. The victory completed an unusual coupling of headgear: wearing the college and national crowns in the same year, he would have only one such equal, Ted Schroeder in 1942.

His versatility shows in a record that includes the U.S. Clay Court title of 1940, and as the only man to win the U.S. Indoor before and after the war: as a 19-year-old collegian in 1938 over Frank Bowden, 9-7, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, and in 1950 over Fred Kovaleskie, 11-9, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Not to mention numerous doubles prizes. Especially the French of ’39 when he and Charlie Harris flinched not at two of the grand old Musketeers, and beat Jacques Brugnon and Jean Borotra for the title, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 2-6, 10-8, even though Borotra had four match points on serve at 6-5. McNeill was the first of only two American men to ring up a double in Paris. Tony Trabert emulated by winning both titles in 1964 and 1965.

He ranked in the U.S. Top Ten six times between 1937 and 1946, No. 1 in 1940, World No. 7 in 1939. On leave from the Navy, he won the U.S. doubles in 1944 with Bob Falkenburg.

“I thought I won it again,” he laughed. “Several times that afternoon in Boston.” He means the titanic U.S. doubles final of 1946 at Longwood. Don and Frank Guernsey had seven match points in the fifth set, but couldn’t sway the champs, Bill Talbert and Gardnar Mulloy, 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, 20-18. McNeill, born April 30, 1918, at Chickasha, OK, spent most of his post-college life in New York as an advertising executive, and died November 28, 1996, at Vero Beach, FL. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1965.

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