Evening star., 1955-02-23
.haureen Quits
Net Career for
June Wedding
Leg Injury Hampers
Plans for Comeback;
Hopes TO Teoch Come
By the Asseeiosed Pres.

SAN DIEGO, Calf, Feb. 23.-.
Maureen Connolly, tired Of ten
mis-. worried over a leg injury and
about to become a bride, is CIV
ing up her throne as the queen
of the courts.
The blond, brown-eyed miss,
who at 20 has captured most Of
the worlds tennis crowns and
still holds some of them. picked
"the month of brides" for cul-
mination of her engagement to
Norman Brinker, %. They had
been engaged since November,
1858, but marriage plans had
been indefinitely postponed.
Last nights announcement of
her wedding plans and virtual
retirement from tournament
play surprised even close friends
who had watched the determined
girls preparation for a return to
her meteoric tennis career, which
was interrupted by a horse
riding injury to her right leg last
July.
Spark for Game Gone.
II just don't enjoy tennis any
more" Miss Connolly said. I've
lost that old spark. the drive
one must sustain to go through
a long seasons campaign like I
have for several years.
"If don't have that keen in
terest for tennis, a tour would
be no good"
Maureen said that after she
was settled in domestic life she
might try comeback aimed at
regaining her national cham
pionship, and possibly a short
tour of Europe.
"But as for tennis in my fu-
ture. I look forward to the
teaching end," she said, adding
that she would enjoy passing on
her experience to other hope
fu1s.
Not Satisfied With Leg.
Until last nights surprise an
nouncement. Miss Connolly's
dominating ambition had ap-
peared to be the regaining of
the United States women's
crown. She won that coveted
title when she was only Is and
held it for three straight years.
The riding accident prevented
defense of it last September
when it was won by Doris Hart
Of Coral Gables, Fla.
Miss Connolly said she isn't
satisfied with the way the in
juries to her right leg have re-
sponded to exercise.
Maureen' began her tennis
career when she was 10. At Ia
she captured her first National
Junior crown. Her victory came
when she was a year younger
than Helen Wills at the time the
Berkeley, Calf, girl first won
the same title.
When Miss Connolly won her
first National Women's singles
title in 1851 she was the second
youngest player ever to hold the
crown. The next year she cap
tured the all-England cham
pionship at Wimbledon in her
first attempt. She retained the
Wimbledon title the next two
years. The youngest to win the
United States title was May
Sutton, who won in 1904 at the
age of is years, 9 months.
Many Other National Titles.
Maureen has also won major
championships in other coun-
tries, including national titles Of
France (twice), Ireland (twice),
italy, Australia, Germany and
Sweden.
The inability to defend her
national crown in 1854 was a
bitter disappointment to Little
Mo"-a nickname bestowed by
hometowners of this Navy-con-
scious city who liked to compare
the sturdy girls dynamic power
on the court to the battleship
Missouri (Big MOI.
AS she lay in hospital bed
with her leg injuries she talked
and dreamed of getting back to
the game Her comeback effort
was centered on the national
(See LITTLE MO, Page CO