The Banning of Bill Tilden: Amateur Tennis and Professional Journalism in Jazz-Age America

Abstract

In 1924, the USLTA announced that any amateur tennis player would be banned from competition if he or she accepted money for writing about the sport. Bill Tilden, a journalist before he became the world's No. 1 player, responded that he would retire from tennis rather than give up journalism. The ensuing debate reflected not only the evolving conflict between professional and amateur sports, but also the high interest in “Jazz Age” sports coverage, with its corresponding ethical challenges.