Margaret Varner Bloss
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University of Southern California
1996
Margaret Varner Bloss (b.1927), a three-sport champion, led a remarkable career as a player, educator and international goodwill ambassador. Varner started winning tournaments at an early age; she was a five-time Texas State champion and earned three national junior titles. An outstanding student, Varner attended the University of Southern California and received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Texas Women’s University in 1950.
Varner could win with any racket, becoming the first person to represent the U.S. in the world competition in three racket sports: tennis, squash and badminton. At the same time, she pursued a 20-year college teaching career, retiring to join her former doubles partner, Margaret duPont, in raising thoroughbred racehorses, including such aptly-named winners as ‘Super Set’ and ‘Tie-Breaker.’
Career Highlights
- U.S. Girls’ 18 Doubles Champion 1944, 1945
U.S. Girls’ 18 Hard Court Doubles Champion 1945
Southwestern Tennis Association Singles Champion 1944-1945; Doubles 1944
Wimbledon Doubles Finalist (with Margaret duPont) 1958
U.S. Wightman Cup Team Member 1961-1962 (2-0 record); Team Captain 1965
Squash Racquets champion: U.S. Singles 1960-1963; Mixed Doubles 1961; U.S. Wolfe-Noel Team Member 1959, 1963; Philadelphia Howe Cup Team Member 1959-1963
Badminton champion: U.S. Singles 1956; Mixed Doubles 1960; All-England (World) Singles 1955-1956, Doubles 1958; World Invitational Doubles 1956-1958, 1960; U.S. Uber Cup Team Member 1957, 1960; Captain 1957, 1969
Author of Badminton, Co-author of Table Tennis, Squash Racquets
Faculty member, Physical Education, at Louisiana State University, Mt. Holyoke College, Boston University, University of Delaware, University of Texas at El Paso
Inducted into the Texas Tennisi Association Hall of Fame 1985; Texas Women’s University Hall of Fame 1994; SWTA Hall of Fame 1995
Ranked as a Top 20 Thoroughbred Racehorse Owner by Thoroughbred Times 1996
