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Origins Of Clay Court Tennis, A Golfer's Secret, Lou Gehrig's Writing

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Rafael Nadal, winner of 12 French Opens, famously thrives on clay. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal, winner of 12 French Opens, famously thrives on clay. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Tickets went on sale this week for the French Open, the only Grand Slam played on clay. This week on Only A Game, the dark tale behind the origin of clay court tennis. Also, why 1969 Masters Tournament champion George Archer and his family kept his undiagnosed dyslexia a secret until after his death. And the recent discovery of long-forgotten newspaper columns written by baseball legend Lou Gehrig. Join us!

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Mystery And Death On The French Riviera: The Origin Of Clay Court Tennis
On a winter morning in 1903, Georges Henri Gougoltz — the hotelier who may be behind the clay court — was fatally wounded.

George Archer's Golf Career Lasted Nearly 50 Years; His Secret Lasted Even Longer
George Archer was a pro golfer for nearly five decades. All those years, he kept secret his inability to read.

Charlie Pierce: This Week In Sports
Karen and Charlie discuss QB Patrick Mahomes' massive contract extension, Japan's cheerleading robots, and more.

Tales From Lou Gehrig's Long-Forgotten Newspaper Columns
A historian stumbled upon newspaper columns penned by Lou Gehrig in 1927. They reveal a side of Gehrig few saw.

This program aired on July 11, 2020.

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