Nathaniel William (Nat)
Niles
Male
United States of America
1886-07-15
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
1932-07-11
Brookline, Massachusetts, United States of America
Adapted from olympedia.org, at: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/95852
Nathaniel Niles was an avid single and pairs figure skater and also a tennis player. In the singles and pairs events, he competed in three Olympic Winter Games each. In his only World Championship, in 1928, he finished in tenth and last place. Domestically, he was U.S. singles champion in 1918, 1925 and 1927.
Niles was more successful in the pairs together with his partner Theresa Weld-Blanchard. They were American champions in 1918 and consecutively from 1920 to 1927. Together, they also won five national titles in ice dancing. Internationally, they competed in three World Championships, placing seventh in 1928, sixth in 1930 and eighth in 1932.
As a tennis player, Niles won the men’s singles title at the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) tournament in 1908 while a student at Harvard University. From 1904 to 1926, he entered the U.S. Championships tournament 23 times in a row, winning the mixed title in 1908 with Edith Rotch, herself a good skater and for some time the partner of Sherwin Badger.
At the U.S. Championships in 1917, Niles lost to Robert Lindley Murray in four-sets in the men’s singles final. Niles died in July 1932 at the age of only 46, just a few months after competing in the World Figure Skating Championships. He was later inducted into the New England Tennis Hall of Fame.
1902 - 1926
5
129
87
1923 - Massachusetts State Championships (Amateur)
1921 - Rhode Island Clay Courts (Amateur)
1910 - Niagara International Tournament (Amateur)
1909 - Niagara International Tournament (Amateur)
1908 - Niagara International Tournament (Amateur)
Round 1
Malcolm T. Hill 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
8-6
6-4
1-6
8-6
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Dean Mathey
w.o.
Round 2
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Kirk Mendenhall Reid 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
6-4
6-0
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
6-1
6-2
Final
Lawrence Bridges Rice 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
8-6
2-6
6-2
5-7
6-1
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-0
6-4
6-1
Round 1
Frank T. Anderson 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
7-5
3-6
4-6
12-10
6-4
Final
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Lawrence Bridges Rice
7-5
6-2
4-6
6-3
Round 1
Willis Davis 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
2-6
6-3
2-6
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Milo G. Miller Jr.
6-1
6-0
6-2
Round 2
Stanley W. Pearson 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
3-6
6-3
6-4
6-3
Final
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Lawrence Bridges Rice
6-3
8-6
6-2
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Jean Baptiste (Tiste) Adoue Jr.
w.o.
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Alfred Stackpole Dabney jr
6-1
6-4
ret.
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
8-10
7-5
6-2
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
6-0
6-0
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Mr. Gerald
6-1
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Charles Winslow 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
0-6
12-14
6-0
6-1
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
James D. Ewing
6-0
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Seiichiro Kashio
6-1
6-2
6-4
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Jean Baptiste (Tiste) Adoue Jr.
6-0
8-6
6-0
Round 4
Wallace Johnson 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
4-6
6-4
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles K. Shaw
6-3
6-4
6-0
Semifinals
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
12-10
4-6
4-6
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Henry W. Hane
6-2
6-0
6-1
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
William J. Gallon
6-1
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Ralph Howard Burdick
7-5
6-4
2-6
7-5
Round 4
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Elliott H. Binzen
7-5
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
Robert Lindley Murray 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
7-5
6-4
2-6
7-5
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Howard Marshall (Marshall) Allen
6-4
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles D.E. Chambers
6-4
6-1
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Holcombe Ward
3-6
6-3
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-1
6-3
6-0
Semifinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-2
4-6
6-4
6-3
Final
Robert Lindley Murray 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
8-6
6-3
6-3
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Henry C. Harrison
6-2
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
R. Mason Kirkland
6-1
6-2
6-1
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-3
6-2
Round 1
Fred Alexander 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
5-7
7-5
8-10
6-2
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Douglas S. Watters
6-3
7-5
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
G. Humphreys
6-0
6-0
6-1
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Dean Mathey
6-3
6-3
6-3
Round 4
Elia Francis Fottrell 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
2-6
9-7
8-6
6-2
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Joseph Roberts Carpenter Jr.
6-2
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Witham L. McKim
6-3
6-1
6-2
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Gardner Beals
6-2
6-3
6-4
Round 4
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
George Peabody (Gearse) Gardner Jr.
6-3
6-4
4-6
6-1
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Leonard A. Beekman
6-0
9-7
6-2
Semifinals
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
7-5
3-6
6-1
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Harold A. (Harry) MacKinney
6-2
6-0
6-0
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
E.S.H. Pendergast
w.o.
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Rowland Evans Jr.
6-1
6-4
6-4
Round 3
George Peabody (Gearse) Gardner Jr. 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
4-6
4-6
6-1
6-3
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles Melville Bull Sr.
6-0
6-1
6-0
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
H.L. Ghormley
6-0
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
George William Wightman
6-3
6-0
6-3
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Melville Long
6-4
2-6
3-6
6-3
Round 4
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
George Colket Caner
6-1
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Beals Wright 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-8
1-6
6-3
10-8
7-5
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
F.S. Bain
w.o.
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Morris S. Clark
6-2
6-3
6-3
Round 2
Beals Wright 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
3-6
6-3
6-3
Challenge Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Henry Clarence Wick jr
6-1
6-4
6-0
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Sydney Lane Beals
w.o.
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Nicholas Reggio
6-3
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
George C. Hinckley
w.o.
Round 3
Roosevelt Pell jr 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
3-6
6-4
3-6
6-4
8-6
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Frederick Inman
6-2
6-3
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Alexander Amend
6-3
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Ruben Andrus Holden III
6-2
10-8
Quarterfinals
Wallace Johnson 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
1-6
6-2
6-3
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles Amherst Chase
6-2
6-3
Round 2
G.T. Putman 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
8-6
7-5
Challenge Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
George E. Janes
6-1
6-1
6-1
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
S.R. Fahnstock
6-0
6-2
6-0
Round 1
Irving Christian Wright 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-8
6-3
6-2
7-5
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Edgar Welch Leonard
6-2
7-5
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Robert L. James
6-1
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles Frederick Watson Jr.
6-2
5-7
6-2
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Roosevelt Pell jr
6-3
6-4
Semifinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Charles Melville Bull Jr.
6-0
6-4
Final
Edward Penniman Larned 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-1
6-2
6-3
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Fritz W. Guerin
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Melville Long 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-4
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Sydney L. Smith
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Ralph A. Burns
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Kreigh Collins
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Harold Donly (Harry) Kirkover
6-4
6-2
Final
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Wallace Johnson
6-4
6-4
2-6
8-6
Challenge Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Irving Christian Wright
1-6
2-6
6-4
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Robert W. Wilson
6-1
6-0
6-4
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Hugh A. Tallant
0-6
6-3
6-3
2-6
6-4
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
John Ormsbee Ames
7-5
6-2
8-6
Round 4
Richard Holkins (lefty) Palmer 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
8-6
8-6
4-6
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Godfrey Lowell Cabot
w.o.
Round 3
Raymond Little 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-3
6-1
Preliminary Round
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Edward Penniman Larned
6-1
6-2
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Fritz Eugene Dixon
6-3
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Frederick Inman
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Robert L. James
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Raymond Little 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
1-6
6-1
6-3
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
C.M. Marsh
w.o.
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Morton Lazell Fearey
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Nathaniel C. (Nat) Emerson 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Dr Francis Henry Glazebrook
6-4
6-1
Round 3
Edward Penniman Larned 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
L.M. Burt
w.o.
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Harold W. Herrick
6-2
6-2
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
J.S. Billings Jr.
6-3
6-2
Quarterfinals
Irving Christian Wright 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-8
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Mr. Albro
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Thomas Hammond Hall
9-7
8-6
Quarterfinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Howard Bissell
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Ralph A. Burns
6-8
6-3
6-2
Final
John Fortescue Foulkes 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
2-6
2-6
8-6
6-4
Round 1
Irving Christian Wright 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
7-5
6-1
6-2
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
P.D. Jones
w.o.
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Bill Reggio
6-0
6-0
6-0
Round 4
Edward Bury (Teddy) Dewhurst 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-4
4-6
6-3
Round 1
Henry Warner Slocum Jr. 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
5-7
6-4
6-2
7-5
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Mr. Pembroke
6-2
6-3
Round 3
A.G. Brown 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Robert Chauncey Seaver
w.o.
Round 3
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Harry E. Oelrichs
6-1
6-0
6-3
Round 4
Nathaniel Niles 1 *
Meredith Howland
6-0
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Edgar Welch Leonard 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-0
6-1
6-1
Round 1
B.N. Hayes 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-3
6-3