Chuck McKinley
| Full name | Charles Robert McKinley, Jr. |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |
 United States
|
| Born | January 5, 1941 St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Died | August 11, 1986 (aged 45) Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Turned pro | 1956 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1969 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1986 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 2–2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (1963, World's Top 10) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1963) |
| US Open | SF (1962, 1963, 1964) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 4–12 |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (1961, 1962, 1964) |
| US Open | W (1961, 1963, 1964) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1963) |
Charles Robert "Chuck" McKinley, Jr. (January 5, 1941 – August 10, 1986) was an American former World No. 1 men's amateur tennis champion of the 1960s. He is remembered as an undersized, hard working dynamo, whose relentless effort and competitive spirit led American tennis to the top of the sport during a period heavily dominated by Australians.
McKinley won the 1963 Men's Singles Championship at Wimbledon, and as a result was ranked World No. 1 by some journalists. He paired with his college rival, Dennis Ralston, to win the 1963 Davis Cup, the only interruption in eight unbroken years of Australian dominance. He also paired with Ralston to win the U.S. Men's Doubles championships three times, in 1961, 1963, and 1964.
McKinley was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a local pipe fitter, and grew up in a "rough neighborhood" on the north side of town. As a boy, McKinley used to drop by the local YMCA where he was taught table tennis by volunteer instructor Bill Price. Eventually Price, who was also a tennis professional, took McKinley and some of the other boys to the public tennis courts. McKinley soon became so good that Price advised him to quit all other sports and concentrate on tennis.
In 1960 McKinley enrolled at Trinity University where he joined another leading American player, Frank Froehling, under the tutelage of coach Clarence Mabry, who also coached John Newcombe and other professionals. This gave Trinity arguably the best collegiate men's tennis team in America. However, during this period Trinity never won the NCAA championship because the NCAA scheduled the championship tournament opposite Wimbledon, and both McKinley and Froehling chose to participate in Wimbledon rather than the collegiate tournament.
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