Arguably the most dynamic shotmaker in tennis, James Scott Connors (1952- ) was born on this day in Belleville, Illinois. Guided by his determined mother, a professional instructor, he picked up a racket at age two—and never put it down.

“My mother rolled balls to me,” he remembered. “I swung at them. I held the racket with both hands because that was the only way I could lift it.”

By age nine, "Jimbo" was nationally ranked. Turning pro in 1971, he exploded onto the scene by 1974, bold and brash, thrilling crowds with his fire and flair.

Connors won a record 109 professional singles titles and ranked No. 1 for five straight years. He dominated across hardcourt, grass, and clay with his famous double-handed style and relentless drive.

He explained, “I play to win and I play to entertain.” With his rebellious edge and passionate swings, he brought rock & roll energy to tennis—and fans loved him for it.

Writer Rich Koster said, “He doesn’t hit a tennis ball. He explodes it.” And tennis legend Arthur Ashe called him “the greatest male tennis player, bar none, in the two and a half decades since the Open Era began.”

When he retired, Connors said, “It’s time for me to get back to living life. So I’m doing a lot of the things I couldn’t do when I was playing all the time.”