Vere St. Leger Goold

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Vere St. Leger Leger Goold (October 2, 1853 in Waterford, Ireland - September 8, 1909 Devil's Island, French Guiana penal colony) was an Irish tennis player.

Wimbledon finalist of 1879, Vere (St.Leger) Goold was convicted (along with his French wife) of the murder of Danish woman, Emma Liven. He died in 1909 at the age of 55 on Devil's Island, the notorious prison in French Guiana, having survived imprisonment only one year. However in 1879 he became the Irish tennis champion after drubbing his opponent, C.D. Barry, 8–6, 8–6 in the final. Vere then tried his luck at Wimbledon and fell in the finals to Reverend John Hartley, 6–2, 6–4, 6–2. After an illness and two losses to the great William Renshaw his tennis career went downhill until he disappeared from the scene by 1883.

[edit] External links

• Murder Off the Grass Court (From Wimbledon official site)

[edit] References

• Bud Collins: "Total Tennis: The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia" (2003 edition, ISBN 0-9731443-4-3, Sport Media Publishing Inc.) See page 771.