BUNDY, “DODO” ( Dorothy May Sutton Bundy)
United States
Born 01 September 1916
Died 23 November 2014 Escondido California
Married Arthur Charles Cheney, 17 October 1946
Height: 5' 3"
[Active 1927-early 1960s]
1938 Australian champion.
Daughter of Wimbledon winner May Sutton Bundy. She was the first foreign female to win the the Australian Championships, taking the title in 1938. She was still in the World Top ten through much of the 1940s. Bundy also earned 6 semifinals at other majors---U.S. Nationals 1937, 1938, 1943, 1944; and both the French and Wimbledon in 1946. In addition Bundy was finalist in three major doubles events (1938 Australian, 1940 and 1941 U.S. Nationals) and four times a finalist in mixed doubles (1946 French and Wimbledon, 1940 and 1944 U.S. Nationals).
She learned tennis from her aunt Florence, not from her driven mother. One suspects there was less pressure under Florence. "Move your ass Dodo!", was May's method of encouraging her daughter when they partnered on court in doubles. May also commented on Dodo's lack of a killer instinct and "baby fat" preventing her from winning majors.
By all accounts she was a joy to tour with. Here is how she describes her 1938 Australian victory
We didn't train the way they do today. I didn't have an entourage with me and trainer and a coach or somebody to carry my bags. I did go with three other tennis players. We had a wonderful time. I just had fun, fun, fun all the time. Oh gosh, of course I was surprised to win. I was on Cloud Nine. We had a marvelous time. We went there on a boat. We went through Fiji, the Hawaiian Islands. We had a marvelous time. We danced on board and played shuffleboard. We did everything, When we went across the equator, we had a fun party on board. I think it took a couple of weeks to get there. (Source: "Winning Never Gets Old for Cheney," Los Angeles Times, 10 May 1999)
During World War II Dodo helped raise money for the US War effort by playing exhibitions with Pauline Betz. According to Betz conditions were often primitive, but the girls were eager to please. Once the two ladies hit on an aircraft carrier. On another jaunt Betz and Bundy flew into a Central American jungle as night was falling. There was no tennis court and no lighting. No matter, these dames were game. The GI's tied rope between two trees and used the headlights from two jeeps. The girls were there to entertain, despite no real light, no court, and flying insects. Betz described Bundy as the perfect traveling companion, happy win or lose.
Bundy (on the grond) and Betz (standing on ladder)on their USO Tour
With war over in 1946 Bundy was able to play the French and Wimbledon once again. Semifinals at those majors resulted in a #6 world ranking. Marriage to Arthur Charles Cheney, 17 October 1946 meant the effective end of her time at the top of the sport. For the rest of the 1940s and 50s motherhood limited her tennis to California cement between children.
Even when she was past her prime Dodo proved to be a tough competitor on California cement-participating in world class events and local tournaments on the West Coast until the early 1960s. One of her last prominent victims was Billie Jean Moffitt, later King. In fact Mrs Cheney was 4-1 lifetime over King. In 1961 Cheney won the Canadian National doubles with Eleanor Dodge.
As Cheney moved into senior tennis her competitive juices were just starting to flow.
“At first I just loved to play,” Cheney explained in a 2004 Los Angeles Times article. “But the more I played, the more I loved to win.”
As a senior Dodo kept on rolling, becoming the winningest known tennis player, male or female, in tennis history. She was still playing competitive tournaments at the age of 95.
In toto Dodo won a record 394 gold balls-each ne symbolic of a US National title.
World Top Ten Rankings
1937: #10
1938: #8 (by Pierre Gillou)
1946: #6
Obituary in the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/sp...t&emc=rss&_r=1
Sources:
https://www.tennisforum.com/59-blast-past/422630-dorothy-bundy-cheney.html (a Blast Thread by Austinrunner-it includes career results and head to heads)
https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/dodo-cheney/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Cheney
http://itahalloffame.org/inductees/dorothy-dodo-bundy-cheney/
Winning Never Gets Old for Cheney,"
Los Angeles Times, 10 May 1999
Personal interview with Pauline Betz. August 2004.
[Thanks to Rollo for this information]
