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Died Age: 49
source:wikipedia.org
Arthur Ashe
Birthday:
10 Jul, 1943
Date of Death:
06 Feb, 1993
Cause of death:
HIV/AIDS
Nationality:
American
Famous As:
Tennis player.
Age at the time of death:
49
Early Life and Family Background
Arthur Ashe was an American professional tennis player who is well known for being the first African-American to win the singles title at Wimbledon, US Open, and the Australian Open.
Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia, to Arthur Ashe Sr. (d. 1989) and Mattie Cordell Cunningham Ashe on July 10, 1943.
Ashe’s family was claimed to be a direct descendant of Amar, a West African woman who was enslaved and brought to America in 1735 aboard a ship called The Doddington.
Childhood and Early Loss
At a young age of 6, Ashe lost his mother to complications related to a toxemic pregnancy. Due to this, Ashe and his brother were trained by their father. Ashe’s father was described to be caring and a strict disciplinarian.
Ashe’s father often encouraged him to excel in school and sports, but forbade him to play American football, a popular game for many boys, due to his son’s slight build, something that meant Arthur’s childhood nicknames were “Skinny” and “Bones”.
Education and Tennis Development
Ashe attended Maggie L. Walker High School in Richmond, Virginia, where he continued to practice tennis. Before high school, Ashe’s talent for playing tennis was discovered by a Virginia Union University student and part-time Brookfield tennis instructor Ron Charity.
Coaching and Early Achievements
Ron Charity took it upon himself to introduce Ashe to Robert Walter Johnson, a physician, and the coach of Althea Gibson, who founded and funded the Junior Development Program of the American Tennis Association (ATA).
After the introduction, Ashe began to be coached by Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Jr. who mentored many young African-American tennis players during the time.
Ashe won the national junior indoor singles title in 1960 and was ranked number one among junior players in the US.
College and Military Service
Ashe enrolled at UCLA on a tennis scholarship and graduated with a degree in business administration in 1966. He then joined the ROTC program and served in the US Army until 1969.
During this time, he continued to play tennis and became the first African-American man to be selected for the US Davis Cup team in 1963. He also went on to win the US Open in 1968 becoming the first African-American man and amateur to do so.
Career Milestones
Ashe reached the pinnacle of his career in the 1970s when he won the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He then led the US Davis Cup team to multiple titles. He retired from professional tennis in 1980.
Arthur Ashe's Quote's
Personal Life
Ashe was married to photographer and graphic artist Jeanne Moutoussamy. The couple adopted a daughter together, whom they named Camera.
Death and Legacy
Ashe passed away in 1993 at the age of 49 due to AIDS-related pneumonia.
Profile Snapshot
Name:
Arthur Ashe
Popular Name:
Arthur Ashe
Gender:
Male
Cause of Death:
HIV/AIDS
Spouse:
Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe
Place of Birth:
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Place of Death:
New York, New York, U.S.
Occupation / Profession:
Tennis player.
Personality Type
Advocate: Quiet and mystical, yet very inspiring and tireless idealists. Ashe was a known introvert who preferred to read books. He was great at reading people which helped him in his tennis career.
Arthur Ashe's Interesting Facts
Arthur Ashe was the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam title.
In addition to his tennis achievements, he was also a talented writer and commentator.
Ashe contracted HIV through a blood transfusion and later died from AIDS-related complications.
Ashe served as captain of the United States Davis Cup team.
Achievements & Awards
In Doubles, he won the Australian Open and French Open
He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985
Arthur Ashe won the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open in singles competition
He won the Davis Cup four times
External Links