Too Good to Be True

SENIOR SoSCTAuthern California Tennis Association news JUNE 2003 To o G o o d To Be True Mark Winters ddie Tyler weighs 145 ◗ the rest of the season.” pounds and stands Waterfield, the UCLA All-American, who a ramrod straight “I would run a race, then was later a pro star, a teammate at Van 5’7 1/2”. H e w a s 8 2 change my uniform and get Nuys High School, convinced Tyler to take Eon February 24th. Based part in spring football practice. “I guess I did on the statistics, he doesn’t on the long horse; then go pretty well,” he said in his trademark this- appear extraordinary. His isn’t-too-important fashion. “I was walking story, however, ( which is back and run another race. by the gym and saw my name on a list. I one about a love of tennis That year, I won the long asked Waterfield what it meant to ‘get and playing better with measured’. He said I had made the football age), is extraordinary. horse, rings and all around team. Talk about naive, I had no idea what Ty l e r g r e w up in the San Valley Championship.” was going on. My sophomore year, the team Fernando Valley. He attend- wasn’t very good. The next year, we won the ed Van Nuys High School ◗ Pacific Coast Championship for the first and went to college at time and went to the Rose Bowl, where we UCLA. “My main sports Championship. I just did it with effort. It lost to Georgia 9-0.” were football,gymnastics wasn't anything special. When I was a senior, Not being big on revelation, Tyler had to Eddie Tyler played and track in high school,” I played a little bit of tennis. That year, (1938), tennis at Van Nuys be pushed to add, “I was on the gymnastic he said with a mischievous High School. Van Nuys won the Valley Championship. The team that won the Pacific Coast Champion- Valley wasn't anything in those days, so win- ships four out of the five years I was at ning was unusual.” UCLA.” It goes without saying, (given today’s Like so many of behemoth athletes), that times were differ- that era, Tyler’s ent when Tyler entered college. “I went to schooling was inter- UCLA to run the 50 yard dash and partici- rupted by World pate in gymnastics,” he recalled. “I attended War II. “I started high school with Bob Waterfield. Most peo- UCLA in 1939 and ple think of him as a football player, but he graduated in June WW II Crash Boat was also a good gymnast. He taught me a 19 47, ” he s aid. “I w a s one arm handstand that I used during my in the Marshall Islands for three years as gymnastic career.I was going to play football skipper of a Crash Boat, (which was like a at UCLA, but when I was standing in line PT boat), that was involved with air/sea res- Jason Sher and Tyler waiting for a physical, I saw how big the play- cue. While I was there I played baseball.” ers were and decided not to. In high school, His WWII athletic activities were not grin. “I did gymnastics and track at the same our line averaged 155 pounds. The guys I saw limited to baseball. “The Notre Dame track time. I would run a race, then change my there were a lot bigger than that. Halfway coach was stationed there and he organized uniform and get on the long horse; then go through the season, the team was down to a badminton tournament in the parachute back and run another race. That year, I won 18 player s because of injuries. I went to the loft,” Tyler explains. “I had played in high the long horse, rings and all around Valley coach and asked if I could come out for the school, so I entered and beat the guy from team. He needed players and agreed. I prac- Notre Dame in the final.” Photo in background: Tyler in his UCLA footbal days ticed for two weeks, but then they canceled (continued on next page) To o G o o d To Be True ◗ athlete who is very competitive. (continued from previous page) “He came to me because he is playing “When he first started to tournaments and wants to improve. He Earlier, I used the word mischievous to takes a lesson about once a week. When describe Tyler’s smile. Savvy is actually a bet- play tournaments he was an there is a tournament, he comes twice a ter word to use in describing him. unknown. Now, his week. Everything is geared toward his tour- “Everything was played for money,” he said. naments. He calls me before a match to talk “They were big gamblers. They kept asking opponents are gunning for about his opponent. He also calls me after me to play, but I ignored them. Finally, I said him. Seniors all know each he has played to discuss what he did and yes and we played for $5 a game. I won, so what needs improvement. He prepares for we kept upping the money until it was $20, others’ games. Eddie’s tournaments identically to the way the col- which was a lot in those days. I spotted trademark is his cross court lege guys do. He goes to bed early the night them 12 or 13 points in a 15 point game and before he is scheduled to play and he eats a still won. I also beat a Lockheed light forehand. He is working on couple of hours before a match. bomber in a 50 yard dash. The pilot took all “When he first started to play tourna- the guns and bombs off to make the plane a top spin backhand and to ments he was an unknown. Now, his oppo- as light as possible. He had it going full blast, improve his serve. His desire nents are gunning for him. Seniors all know but I beat it by a nose.That’s part of the each others’ games. Eddie’s trademark is his story about how we fought the war. My wife to win is remarkable.” cross court forehand. He is working on a says that’s why it took so long to win.” top spin backhand and to improve his serve. After graduating from UCLA, Tyler want- ◗ His desire to win is remarkable.” ed to become a Physical Education teacher. Besides the lessons, Tyler plays regularly Not surprisingly, his athletic skill changed his added. “I also deep sea fish. I like going after at North Hollywood Park, a location that career path. “I was in graduate school (at big game tuna. A bunch of us charter a boat has been the home of a host of standout UCLA) when my uncle and aunt asked me if three times a year for two four day and one players including Steve Foster and Brian I wanted to take a trip to Mississippi,” Tyler eleven day trips. I learned how to can tuna. I Leck. “I play five or six times a week,” Tyler said. “I took a leave of absence and traveled preserve them in Mason jars.” said. “My wife and my friends can’t believe I with them. When I got there, my cousin got Six years ago, Ty l e r p a i d t h e price for his have done so well.” me on a semi-pro baseball team. I played extensive sports activity. He was forced to Bassett, who after retiring from his centerfield all summer and hit .550. (It was have bone spurs removed from his elbow.The coaching position at UCLA has been playing fourth highest in the league.) I got back to injury caused a lengthy tennis layoff. “I was senior tennis locally, is pushing Tyler to con- UCLA two weeks after the fall semester retired and finally healthy,” he said of his tinue his progress. “I was so proud to be began so I went to work for my uncles in return to the courts. “I started playing a lot No. 2,that I called Glenn,” Tyler recalled. their printing and engraving business. That was last May. I began beating everyone. It’s the first “He said he would not be satisfied until I in 1948. I never went back to school. In time, year I got heavily into tournaments. I finished was No. 1. I inherited the company.Two years ago, I sold No. 2 in Southern California in the 80s and “To get there, I have to work twice as it and have been heavily into No. 12 nationally. I was named hard. I love sports and have participated in tennis ever since.” the Most Improved Player. I a lot of them. The guys I play have been in Having taken his first couldn’t believe it. Two months tennis for a long time.” tennis lessons from Glenn ago, I started taking lessons The delightful Tyler added, “I have always Bassett, (the UCLA men’s from Jason Sher. He has been little and I tried to do it all. I have the coach at the time), in the helped me a lot. I have to desire to succeed; I have a lot of drive. My ‘60s, Tyler was captured by catch up with the other play- size doesn’t hold me back. I have always the ‘70s Tennis Boom.

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