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RIP Mickey Rooney, Actor, Avid Tennis Player
4 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Years ago I remember being told by my friend the artist LeRoy Neiman that Mickey Rooney was a fine, fine tennis player. So good that the dimunitive movie star was considered the best tennis player in Hollywood during his heyday.
With today’s passing of the 93-year-old Rooney – who starred in such films as Captains Courageous, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Boys Town, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Requiem for a Heavyweight, The Black Stallion – there is not much public evidence that discuss or show his attraction to tennis but I was able to find this comment in a New York Times article twenty years ago and this brief video clip with Bill Tilden…
…He always liked tennis. Does he still play?
“I lost my hair because of tennis and Ping-Pong,” he says. “I was the Southern California Ping-Pong champion for five years. But I took too many showers and the soap was not Vidal Sassoon.”
Come on. Can he really believe this? “You can’t take 15 showers a day for 11 or 12 years and not have something happen to your hair,” he says, injured. “No one else in my family is bald.” He leans forward, meaningfully. “And no one else played tennis.”
Doogie · April 7, 2014 at 5:44 pm
To be honest I dont know him BUT another Ex tennis player (Jerome Golmard) is dealing with Lou-Gehrig-Syndrome!!!!
He needs your/our help:
Pls to everyone read my link.
http://www.gofundme.com/supportjeromegolmard
Very, very sad story at age 40
Scoop Malinowski · April 7, 2014 at 9:21 pm
It’s so scary to read what has happened to Jerome Golmard. I remember him well, good tricky lefty, tough player, wore the headband, had a style like Bozoljac of Serbia. Interviewed him once for my Rios book. He gave some nice comments. Let’s pray and donate anything we can to help his cause. God Bless Jerome Golmard.
Scoop Malinowski · April 8, 2014 at 3:03 pm
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/film-stars-at-tennis-aka-film-star-tennis-match
Scoop Malinowski · April 8, 2014 at 3:04 pm
This British Pathe link above shows Mickey Rooney hitting balls with Tilden on court in Hollywood…