Joseph Walker WEAR

On graduating from Yale in 1899, Joseph Wear initially worked for the family dry goods business, but later became an investment banker and a partner in a brokerage firm in Philadelphia. At the St. Louis Olympics, Allen West was Wear’s partner in the doubles and they lost in the semi-finals to Alphonzo Bell and Robert LeRoy. Wear was the U.S. court tennis doubles champion five times (with Jay Gould ) and won the racquet doubles championship three times. Joseph Wear continued to serve the sport of lawn tennis after his playing days were over. He was first vice president of the USLTA (1936-41), chairman of the Davis Cup committee (1928-1931), and non-playing captain of the Davis Cup team in 1935. Apart from their close connection with the Davis Cup, the Wear family also had an association with the Walker Cup – Joseph and Arthur’s sister, Lucretia, married George Herbert Walker, the donor of the trophy which is played for by British and U.S. amateur golfers.