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Showing posts from August 24, 2020

IMAGINE PLAYING FOR YOUR LIFE: GOTTFRIED VON CRAMM 1936

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Before being escorted onto Wimbledon's famous Centre Court, Baron Gottfried von Cramm was told that he needed to take an urgent phone call. After the call, von Cramm again joined his opponent, Donald Budge of the US, and quietly informed him, "It was Hitler; he wanted to wish me well." Only moments after his phone call with Adolf Hitler,  Gottfried von Cramm (left)  and Donald Budge enter  the Centre Court at Wimbledon for  what was  to be "...the most beautiful match." Cramm started well in the match, leading Budge by 2 sets to love. But Budge managed to work his way back into the game by returning serve well to take the 3rd set and won a tight 4th set that could have gone to either man.  Now it was all tied up at 2 sets all, and they were into a deciding 5th set. The German shrugged off the loss of the previous 2 sets and again started to dominate in the 5th set, breaking Budge's serve and taking a 4-1 lead. Many watching thought the match was virtually ov