Tom Campion
Introduction
Thomas Spread Campion (9 September 1860 – 19 November 1907) was an Irish born tennis player and physician. He was a quarter finalist at the Wimbledon Championships in the men's doubles event in 1888. He was active from 1883 to 1889 and won 6 career singles titles.
Career
Thomas Campion was born on 9 September 1860 in Lucan, County Dublin, Ireland. He played his first tournament at the Dublin University Championships in 1883 where he reached the final and won the tournament against Charles Chaytor. He competed at the Wimbledon Championships two times between 1888 and 1889.In the men's singles events his best result was reaching the second round in 1889 where he lost to the English player Ernest Wool Lewis. He was more successful in the men's doubles reaching the quarter finals in 1888 partnering with Harry Grove where they lost Ernest Renshaw and William Renshaw.
His best results in the other major tournaments of the 19th century came at Irish Championships in 1886 where he reached the qurter finals in the men's singles losing to Willoughby Hamilton, and at the Northern Championships in 1888 where he reached the quarter finals before losing to Ernest George Meers. His main career singles highlights include winning the Derbyshire Championships played on grass three times consecutivley (1886–1888), and the Dublin University Championships three times played on hard asphalt courts (1883, 1885, 1888).He played his last singles tournament at the Wimbledon Championships in 1889.Campion died on 19 November 1907 at Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland, aged 77.
Career finals
Notes: All Comers Finalist where indicated by (*).
Singles: 13 (6 titles, 7 runners-up)
| Category + (Titles) |
|---|
| Major (0) |
| National (0) |
| International (0) |
| Regional (0) |
| County (3) |
| Regular (3) |
| Titles by Surface |
|---|
| Clay – Outdoor (0) |
| Grass – Outdoor (3) |
| Hard – Outdoor (3) |
| Wood – Indoor (0) |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Location | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | 1883 | Dublin University Championships | Dublin | Asphalt | Charles Henry Chaytor | 5–7, 6–1, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1884 | South of Ireland Championships * | Limerick | Grass | Eyre Chatterton | 1–6, 2–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 2. | 1885 | Dublin University Championships | Dublin | Asphalt | Charles Henry Chaytor | 5–7, 6–1, 7–5, 6–1 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1885 | South of Ireland Championships * | Limerick | Grass | Willoughby Hamilton | 5–7, 1–6, 5–7 |
| Winner | 3. | 1886 | Derbyshire Championships | Buxton | Grass | Percy Bateman Brown | 5–7, 6–2, 6–1, 9–7 |
| Runner-up | 3. | 1887 | County Dublin Championships | Dublin | Grass | Willoughby Hamilton | 6–8, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 1887 | Dublin University Championships | Dublin | Asphalt | Manliffe Francis Goodbody | 6–2, 3–6, 1–6, 0–6 |
| Winner | 4. | 1887 | Derbyshire Championships | Buxton | Grass | William Drumond Hamilton | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 1887 | Leicester Open Lawn Tennis Tournament | Leicester | Grass | Ernest Wool Lewis | 3–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 6. | 1888 | Fitzwilliam Club Championships | Dublin | Grass | Willoughby Hamilton | 4–6, 3–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 5. | 1888 | Derbyshire Championships | Buxton | Grass | Percy Bateman Brown | 7–5, 6–4, 7–5 |
| Winner | 6. | 1888 | Dublin University Championships | Dublin | Asphalt | Harold Segerson Mahony | 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 7. | 1889 | Fitzwilliam Club Championships * | Dublin | Grass | Hume Riversdale Jones | 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 3–6 |
Education and career
Campion was educated at Trinity College Dublin, where he was a medical student. On graduating, Campion became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (L.R.C.P.I.), and Licentiate in Medicine (L.M.) in 1887.He was a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Medicine; and a Member of the British Medical Association.He later worked as surgeon for the Orient Line, Pacific Steam Navigation Company, and Allan Line Royal Mail Steamers Company.
Family
Campion was the son of Serjeant Campion (1813-1907) of County Cork and later a Queen's Counsel (Q.C.), Serjeant-at-Law and Professor of English Law at Queen's College, Galway; and Martha Campion (née Wilson; 1828–72), from County Cork. Tom married Jane Irene Lambert Tymons (1862-1909), from Dublin, on 2 December 1889 in Saint Matthias's Church.