Ep. 16: ”Little Mo” -- Maureen Connolly Brinker

Few players have dominated a sport like Maureen Connolly conquered tennis. The teenage phenom captured 9 Grand Slam titles in her three short years of competitive play before a horse riding accident prematurely ended her career.

 

She remains one of only five players to win all four Grand Slam tournaments in a single calendar year and won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open three times in a row. The United States Post Office honored her and issued the "Little Mo" postage stamp in 2019. Her life continues to impact young tennis players today through the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation.

 

Listen to her daughter Cindy Brinker Simmons share stories about her mother's amazing tennis career and life, both of which were gone far too soon. Former USTA Texas Section Executive Director Ken McAlister also details the importance of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation.

 

This episode of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Podcast is presented by the Hampton Inn Waco. All episodes are hosted and produced by Jackson Michael, author of The Game Before the Money: Voices of the Men Who Built the NFL.