All > Sports Autographs > Tennis Autographs

Irving Christian Wright (D. 1953) He was an American male tennis player who was active in the early 20th century. In 1907 Irving won the Long Island Lawn Tennis Championship. In 1917 he won the U.S. National Championship mixed doubles championship with Norwegian Molla Bjurstedt by defeating Bill Tilden and Florence Ballin in three sets. The next year he successfully defended the title, this time partnering Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, winning against Molla Bjurstedt and Fred Alexander in straight sets. In 1917 he also reached the final of the U.S. National Championship men's doubles competition with Harry Johnson but lost in straight sets to Fred Alexander and Harold Throckmorton. Irving was the son of George Wright, an American baseball pioneer and one of the founders of the Wright & Ditson sporting goods firm and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the brother of U.S. Championship winner and Olympic gold medalist Beals Wright. Together they won the men's doubles title at the Canadian Tennis Championship four times (1902, 1903, 1904, 1905). Wright became a VP at A.G. Spalding after Wright & Ditson merged.

We offer an 8.5” x 7” document appointing new board of directors to Wright & Ditson Sporting Goods on January 27, 1932. Wright is one of the missing links on most Tennis collector’s want lists!