Linn Roy
Rockwood
Male
United States of America
1920-07-26
Salt Lake City, United States of America
2012-05-02
Holladay, United States of America
Linn Roy Rockwood, 91, died Wednesday, May 2, 2012 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Holladay.
He was born to Elizabeth and Franklin Rockwood at their home in Salt Lake City on July 26, 1920. Linn and his twin brother (who passed away shortly after birth) were the youngest of ten children. On January 23, 1946, while on a 30 day leave from the Marine Corps, Linn married Elsie Morin at her home in Baker, Oregon. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. They were married 65 years before her passing on June 6, 2011.
Linn received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from BYU in 1947, a Masters Degree in Physical Education from BYU in 1952, and a Doctor of Education Degree from the University of Utah in 1967. Linn accomplished many great things in his life: he was Superintendent of Recreation and Director of Parks and Recreation for Provo City for about 14 years; he was the head tennis pro of the Salt Lake Tennis Club from 1964 to 1965; he was a popular sports broadcaster, and he briefly served as the play-by-play announcer for BYU football; he was also the sports anchor for KSL TV News at 10:00 p.m.; in addition, he was chairman of the Recreation Department at the University of Utah and authored a text book on Public Parks Administration.
Yet beyond all these accomplishments, the thing for which he will likely be most remembered is his extraordinary athletic career. He started playing tennis at 13 years old, spending his days hanging out on the courts at Liberty Park until they turned the lights off on him at about 10:30 p.m. In his autobiography, he describes himself as \"too short, too skinny, too weak\" yet he had one remarkable physical attribute, \"I could really move,\" he said. His strategy was; \"running down every shot of my opponent, every point, every game, every set, until one of us cracked.\" The strategy worked in tennis and in other aspects of his life as well. After playing collegiate tennis at BYU for four years, he went on to win three National Public Park\'s Tennis titles, and was ranked #1 in the Intermountain West for nine years. In 70-and-over senior tennis, he was ranked 3rd nationally by the USTA. In 1964 Linn was named to the National Public Parks Tennis Hall of Fame, in 1974 he was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, in 1976 he was inducted into the BYU Athletic Hall of Fame, in 1994 he was inducted into the newly created Utah Tennis Hall of Fame, and in 2010 he entered the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame. He also won the Utah State table tennis championship three times, and won a battalion boxing championship while in the Marine Corps. Linn is survived by his children, Alan and Ghislaine Rockwood, Scott and Kate Rockwood, Kathy and Doug Glaittli, son-in-law Steve Farley, Franklin and Heidi Rockwood, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife Florence Elsie Morin Rockwood and his daughter Mary Carol Rockwood Farley. Linn will be laid to rest next to his wife at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. God bless.
1942 - 1963
5
39
24
1963 - Intermountain Championships (Open)
1960 - Intermountain Championships (Open)
1957 - National Public Parks Tournament (Open)
1956 - National Public Parks Tournament (Open)
1946 - Salt Lake City (Amateur)
Quarterfinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Mike Martines
?
Semifinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Larry Axtell
6-4
6-2
Final
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Wayne Pearce
6-4
7-5
Final
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
William H. (Bill) Wright
1-6
6-0
6-1
6-0
Semifinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Bill Parks
6-1
7-5
6-3
Final
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
George Myerson
6-2
6-4
6-3
Final
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-2
6-3
6-1
Quarterfinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Robert Burnham
6-3
8-6
6-2
Semifinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Oscar Johnson
7-5
6-4
6-0
Final
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Joe Russell
6-2
5-7
6-1
8-6
Semifinals
William W. (Bill) Quillian 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Don Sink
6-1
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Edward (Ed) L. Kilgus
6-2
6-1
6-1
Semifinals
Benjamin Franklin (Ben) Sobieraj 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-4
7-5
6-3
Round 2
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Bill Johnson
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
Gerald H. (Jerry) Moss 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
8-6
6-1
Final
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
7-5
6-1
6-4
Round 2
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Lee Winslow
6-0
6-3
6-0
Round 3
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Ed Von Sien
6-1
6-2
1-6
4-6
7-5
Quarterfinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Thomas B. (Tommy) Chambers
6-4
1-6
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Alex Olmedo
6-3
6-3
6-1
Final
Clyde David Hippenstiel 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-2
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Ellsworth Hale
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Ed Pinegar
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Tom Brown 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-2
6-3
6-3
Semifinals
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Nolan McQuown
6-8
6-1
6-8
7-5
7-5
Final
Clyde David Hippenstiel 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
7-5
6-2
6-0
Unknown
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Gene Land
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
2-6
1-6
6-3
6-1
6-2
Round 1
Ted Rogers 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
w.o.
Round 2
Frank Sedgman 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-0
6-0
Quarterfinals
Herbert (Herb) Flam 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-1
6-2
1-6
6-1
Quarterfinals
Herbert (Herb) Flam 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-3
3-6
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Glenn E. Hippenstiel
6-4
0-6
8-6
Round 2
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Richard calvin (Dick) Mouledous
6-3
6-0
Round 3
Bernard (Tut) Bartzen 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
6-2
6-4
Round 2
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
William J. (Bill) Beale Jr
4-6
6-3
6-3
Final
Linn Roy Rockwood 1 *
Richard Warner
6-3
14-12
2-6
6-1
Final
Richard Warner 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
?