Browne, Mary K.
Tennis
b. June 1891, Ventura County, CA
d. Aug. 19, 1971
Little known today, Browne was the first American woman to play professional tennis. She was also one of only four women to win the U. S. triple crown--singles, doubles, and mixed doubles--three years in a row.
She accomplished that from 1912 through 1914. Her partners in the women's doubles were Dorothy Green in 1912 and Louise Riddell Williams in 1913 and 1914. She teamed with then little-known Bill Tilden for her mixed doubles championships.
Browne began playing golf after World War I. Her most exceptional accomplishment was probably reaching the semi-finals of the national tennis championships and the final round of the national women's amateur golf championships in 1924.
When C. C. Pyle put together the first professional tennis tour in 1926, Browne signed for a reported $30,000 to play against France's Suzanne Lenglen.