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OJ Simpson vs Al Cowlings on the Tennis Court
18 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Scoop
One of my friends here in Florida, Chuck Bourneval, recently told me he worked as a stagehand in Hollywood for TV shows like That Girl and Batman. He said Batman, or Adam West, struggled to remember his lines while his sidekick Robin, or Burt Ward, was a scholar with a high IQ, who had no problems at all reciting his scripts. Despite their differences, West and Ward were best of friends.
Chuck also said he watched two other best friends battle it out on the tennis court – OJ Simpson and Al Cowlings. The two would play for money – a thousand bucks.
According to Bourneval, Cowlings, a muscular and chiseled linebacker, was the more naturally talented tennis player, a lefthander with smooth, elegant, natural strokes while Simpson was the hacker, chopping, chipping and bunting his shots. The gridiron duo had an interesting clash of styles but Cowlings won on this day, taking the $1,000 wager. But the bet would not be paid until after a second game of bumper pool, giving Simpson the chance to erase the debt if he won the double or nothing game.
Simpson could afford the losses as he was the highest paid NFL player in 1969, having signed a $650,000 contract over five years with the Buffalo Bills. At the time it was the biggest contract in pro sports history. Cowlings, a top five first round NFL draft choice had a contract for around $80,000.
Childhood friends in San Francisco, Simpson and Cowlings, a linebacker, played together in high school, in college at USC and in the NFL with Buffalo and San Francisco. Cowlings also played for four other NFL teams, Seattle, Houston and the Los Angeles Rams.
Simpson was a tennis nut, who used tennis along with weightlifting as his programs to stay in shape. Al Michaels said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that he regularly played tennis with Simpson.
But according to Chuck Bourneval, Simpson was not a naturally gifted tennis player like he was as a professional football running back who was the first back to ever gain over 2,000 yards rushing. On the tennis court OJ was no marvel but more of a dinking, unorthodox grinder.
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Duke Carnoustie · March 5, 2018 at 11:26 pm
Found another conspiracy in tennis. IW qualifying men’s draw has just two All-American matchups. This despite 18 Americans in the draw. Seems a mathematical oddity.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 2:20 am
In NY exho Williams S bts Bartoli and Svitilona wipes out CoCo 10-0.
It’s only an exhibition but I’d say Elina is on a roll to IW.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 2:34 am
Sereana’s serve is still there but she is moving very carefully, particularly to left side seemed to me.
Bartoli looks out of condition and plump. I know personal comments aren’t fair perhaps but Marion has decided to come back to tennis herself so people will be looking at her and assessing her chances.
Federer has no problem with Sock. t/b first set probably for the crowd’s benefit 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · March 6, 2018 at 8:01 am
Another conspiracy theory is that Nadal manipulated his pal Ellison to slow down the courts in IW.
Scoop Malinowski · March 6, 2018 at 8:01 am
Catherine how was the crowd for the MSG tennis?
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 8:13 am
Scoop – I wasn’t actually present ! But from what I could see in the highlights the stands seemed quite full – don’t know how big the arena is though.
Svitolina definitely was not treating the event as a charity exho. I think she is going for No 1 this year – which could lead to some interesting matches.
Hartt · March 6, 2018 at 8:14 am
Catherine, I am beginning to think Svitolina has to be the favourite for IW. One post said she “obliterated” the competition in the Tie Break Tens, and the scores bear that out. She was 10-0 over Coco (yay), 10-3 over Venus, and 10-3 over Shuai. She won $250,000 – nice for an evening’s work.
But it what she has done in the tourneys so far that is so impressive – winning 14/16 matches and taking 2 titles – Brisbane and Dubai.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 8:16 am
Scoop, sorry – just worked out that MSG doesn’t stand for monosodium glutomate 🙂
From what I remember of MSG I’d say the lower tier of seating was full – but couldn’t see higher up.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 8:28 am
Hartt- yes, I posted about MSG results further up early this am – was really impressed just with the numbers and then looked on the highlights and then decided the same as you – I get the feeling Svitolina believes she is playing better than anyone else at the moment and that may be true. She wants a big title –
I’m not a great fan of her style but I think she’s a clever player and she knows how to take the psychological highground. This is what she has done with Kerber – just forces Angie into playing straight back to her. Result: 5-0
And as for CoCo –
Hartt · March 6, 2018 at 8:35 am
Catherine, it took me awhile as well to figure out what MSG stood for. I could not turn it into Tie Break Tens or Match for Africa. It shows we non-Americans are at a bit of a disadvantage!
Like you, am not a huge fan of Svitolina’s style of play, but we can’t argue with her success. Interesting point about the way she was able to dominate Kerber.
CoCo – there are only a couple players that I actively root against, so I was thrilled with that result. 🙂
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 8:58 am
Actually I felt a bit sorry for CoCo – probably first time ever 🙂
Chazz · March 6, 2018 at 9:02 am
Confused by the following players all missing from Indian Wells qualies: Escobedo, Opelka, Paul. Where are they? Main draw hasn’t been announced yet but I doubt they got WCs into it.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 9:35 am
Main draw is out. You can find on various sites.
JG · March 6, 2018 at 10:18 am
Paul hasn’t played in a while, is he hurt? There are some good matches today with Korda playing Smyczk, Felix A playing Frantagelo
Hartt · March 6, 2018 at 1:29 pm
Chazz, the WCs for the Main Draw were announced a couple of days ago: Sandgren, Escobedo, Klahn, Opelka and De Minaur. At least 1 non-American slipped in!
Chazz · March 6, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Got it, thanks Hartt. Tommy Paul still a mystery but the others accounted for. Not sure why Sandgren needed a WC but Fritz doesn’t considering he’s ranked about 20 spots higher. de Minaur is going to be a difficult out for whoever gets him.
catherine · March 6, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Serena W is in the draw at IW which is a surprise, since it was suggested Miami would be her first tournament this year.
She feels she has to start sometime, which is true enough, the longer she puts it off the harder it will be.
Scoop Malinowski · March 6, 2018 at 3:24 pm
Serena feels she is ready, she would not return to such a big tourney and risk getting her doors blown off. Korda vs Smyczek is a good match up, the kid vs the vet. Nice to see IW rewarding Sandgren with a well deserved WC for his tennis and not being skewed by the other stuff.