Background
Larned was born and raised in Summit, New Jersey on the estate of his father, William Zebedee Larned.
Larned was born and raised in Summit, New Jersey on the estate of his father, William Zebedee Larned.
Cornell University.
Larned was a World Number. 1 ranked player who was active at the beginning of the 20th century. He came from a family that could trace its American roots to shortly after the arrival of the Mayflower.
In 1890 he came to Cornell University to study mechanical engineering.
An all-around athlete, Larned captained the Saint Nicholas Hockey Club in 1896-1897 and was also a fine horseman, golfer, and rifle shot. He invented the steel-framed racquet in 1922 and founded a company to manufacture lieutenant
1 and was ranked World Number. 1 or co-World Number. 1 for 1901, 1902, 1908, 1909 and 1910 by Karoly Mazak.
He twice participated in the Wimbledon Championships, in 1896 and 1905, but could not match his success at home, losing on both occasions in the quarterfinals.
He was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1956. Larned in 1898 had served in the Spanish–American War as one of Theodore Roosevelt"s Rough Riders. Partially paralyzed by spinal meningitis, he was unable to do any of the activities he loved most, and became depressed.
On the evening of December 15, 1926, inside the private chambers of the exclusive Knickerbocker Club in Manhattan, the 53-year-old Larned committed suicide by shooting himself.
In their book R.F. and Half-Life Doherty - On Lawn Tennis (1903) multiple Wimbledon champions Reginald and Lawrence Doherty described Larned"s playing style:
On Lawn Tennis - 1903
Singles: 9 (7 titles, 2 runners-up).