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Historical marker for tennis great Tilden rejected again

FILE - In this April 1930, file photo, Bill Tilden trains on Rot Weiss grounds at Grunewald near Berlin, Germany A Pennsylvania state commission has again rejected a historical marker for the Philadelphia home court of tennis great Bill Tilden. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission last week approved a panel’s 4-1 recommendation against the idea. The panel also recommended rejection of the marker a year ago, citing Tilden’s convictions on charges involving teenage boys in the 1940s. (AP Photo, File)
FILE - In this April 1930, file photo, Bill Tilden trains on Rot Weiss grounds at Grunewald near Berlin, Germany A Pennsylvania state commission has again rejected a historical marker for the Philadelphia home court of tennis great Bill Tilden. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission last week approved a panel’s 4-1 recommendation against the idea. The panel also recommended rejection of the marker a year ago, citing Tilden’s convictions on charges involving teenage boys in the 1940s. (AP Photo, File) FILE - In this April 1930, file photo, Bill Tilden trains on Rot Weiss grounds at Grunewald near Berlin, Germany A Pennsylvania state commission has again rejected a historical marker for the Philadelphia home court of tennis great Bill Tilden. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission last week approved a panel’s 4-1 recommendation against the idea. The panel also recommended rejection of the marker a year ago, citing Tilden’s convictions on charges involving teenage boys in the 1940s. (AP Photo, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A state history group has again rejected a proposed marker honoring tennis ace Bill Tilden, whose complicated legacy includes three Wimbledon titles but also two arrests for sexual misconduct with teenage boys.

Tilden became the first American to win Wimbledon in 1920 and won seven U.S. championships. In 1950, The Associated Press voted him the greatest player of the first half of the century.

A year ago, a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission panel that approves the markers rejected a plan to put a marker at Philadelphia’s Germantown Cricket Club, citing Tilden’s convictions in the 1940s. Tilden had spent seven months in jail after police caught him with a 14-year-old boy in his car and another 10 months at a prison farm for violating probation.

Karen Galle, who coordinates the historical marker program, confirmed on Wednesday that the commission had again voted against a Tilden marker on March 22 after it had earlier voted 4-1 to reject the idea.

“While the significance of this athlete’s tennis career and talent are indisputable, his convictions for sexual misconduct with underage boys preclude recognition,” commission spokesman Howard Pollman said.