June 22, 1981 – There are legendary moments in sports history captured on video and then there are iconic ones that are played so much that they are forever embedded into the human brain. It happened this day at the Wimbledon where American tennis star John McEnroe set the prim and proper English tourney on its ear when he had his infamous tirade of ‘You cannot be serious’ rant in 1st round win over Tom Gullikson.
McEnroe was perturbed with a Wimbledon umpire’s line call during the match, with which he obviously disagreed with. McEnroe went on with a few more lines directed at the Ump, but with the politeness of the British umpire Edward James, eventually responded by politely announcing: “I’m going to award a point against you, Mr. McEnroe.”
The line, “You Cannot be serious,” was made famous that day and ended up being the title of a book the tennis great would write years later.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
My 5 Biggest Upsets In Boxing History
In this segment Ladies and Gentlemen, I am going to discuss upsets throughout Boxing
Miracle on 33rd Street: Remembering the 1975 Baltimore Colts
The 1974 Baltimore Colts were a typical losing team. They suffered from poor coaching,
Why Pat Harder Belongs In The Pro Football Hall of Fame
When an incredible football player is consistently overlooked for inclusion in the Pro Football
The History of Legal Sports Betting Age in New Zealand
New Zealand has a unique standpoint when it comes to gambling. It views the
A Short History of the Dayton Triangles
The Dayton Triangles were an original NFL team when the league was founded as
Jerry Quarry: He Had All The Tools to Become a Champion
Many boxing fans, including myself, believe Quarry had the tools to become a champion.
The 10 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All-Time
Throughout the history of the sport, and athletics, the Heavyweight Champion of The World
NFL Travel in the 1940s: My Back Hurts Thinking About It!
Imagine spending three or four days sandwiched between your burly teammates on a cross-country