In golf announcers usually know and have respect for the history of Bobby Jones, and in baseball Babe Ruth’s legend is well known.  But in tennis, the history of the game is as murky to the McEnroes as the $8 beers the U.S. Open sells. Here’s a rundown of John and  Patrick McEnroe’s errors when discussing Bill Tilden and tennis of that era during Roger Federer’s match on Wednesday night:

PatMac: “Tilden won six in the thirties.”  No, it was 1920-1925.

Johnny Mac:  “Did the winner play just one match then?” (essentially a challenge draw like Wimbledon once did and Davis Cup did until the early 70s where the defending champion automatically went to the final). No, Tilden played a full draw.

Pat and/or John (the errors were hard to keep up with):  The U.S. Open was played in Boston until the thirties.  No: The men’s singles moved from Newport, R.I. to the West Side Tennis Club from 1915-1920.  For three of the years Tilden won the U.S. Championship, 1921-1923, it was held at the Germantown Cricket Club, a block from where he grew up in Philadelphia. In 1924 it moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills.

Where is Bud Collins (or at least his Encyclopedia of Tennis) when they need him?

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