On Wimbledon Champion Vic Seixas Reaching the Century Mark

“As he reaches the century mark, Elias Victor Seixas Jr. deserves our respect and gratitude for leading a long and extraordinary life.”

Seated in the stands at the Barcelona Open clay court tournament in April of this year, I watched with interest as more than a dozen former Spanish champions were introduced at a special ceremony to thousands of adoring tennis fans. As each player was brought forward, the stadium scoreboard illuminated a short documentary of the tournament’s proud history, which began in 1953. To my surprise, the first few frames showcased images of an American, Vic Seixas, Barcelona’s first champion.

The few seconds of ancient tennis history got me thinking about my friend’s incredible life and what he is about to celebrate. Many in the United States—as well as around the world—will be marking significant events and important anniversaries this summer. It is unlikely that any will match the extraordinary milestones that Elias Victor Seixas, Jr. (pronounced Say-shus) is soon to observe. Known by both friends and admirers as a patriot, wartime pilot, and athletic icon—not to mention paragon of class and decorum—the summer of 2023 will prove particularly noteworthy, for it was 70 years ago this July that Seixas won the prestigious Wimbledon tennis championship. A month later on August 30th—during the US Open tournament—Seixas will celebrate another remarkable milestone: turning 100 years old. The combined achievements may be unprecedented.

Although less well known in his hometown than other Philadelphia athletic heroes such as Julius Erving, Chuck Bednarik, Mike Schmidt, and Bobby Clarke (not one of them born in Philadelphia, by the way), the mention of Seixas’ name draws nods of recognition from sports fans stretching from New York City, London, and Barcelona to more far-flung outposts such as Johannesburg, Buenos Aires, and Melbourne. Born in the Overbrook Park section of Philadelphia near St. Joseph’s University, Seixas was the only child of a plumbing supply store owner and an Irish homemaker. At an early age, Seixas was already displaying the physical gifts of a top flight athlete. He excelled at sports, particularly racket sports. An avid tennis player, his father regularly took the young Seixas to his own neighborhood matches where his son often acted as ballboy. Precocious and increasingly drawn to the sport, by the age of six he was learning the basic strokes, the game’s tactical nuances, and the reason for his father’s love of hitting a felt covered ball with a wooden racket.

It was not long before the onetime ballboy was outplaying his elders. “At ten I was as good as anybody in the area,” Seixas proudly told me, “and winning matches against much older players.” As a 13-year-old, Beeber Junior High player, Seixas won the interscholastic tennis title despite a bad case of “ivy poison.” His mother standing by with a medicinal potion of “lead water,” he was able to overcome both his physical discomfort and much older competitors. Newspaper reporters took note. Articles described the boy’s “good strokes,” his savvy “court generalship,” and unusual athleticism. Several went on to forecast a bright future for the “tall, handsome lad with the all-around game.” Some local scribes even compared him to the great Bill Tilden, the home-grown Babe Ruth of tennis who dominated the game during the first half of the 20th century.