Finn Kobberø
| Finn Kobberø | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Denmark | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | 13 March 1936 | |||||||||||||||||
| Died | 21 January 2009 (aged 72) | |||||||||||||||||
| Event | Doubles, singles | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Finn Kobberø (13 March 1936 – 21 January 2009) was a badminton player from Denmark, who won numerous international titles in all of badminton's three events (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s.
Career
He was one of the most successful players in the history of the All England Open Badminton Championships with 15 titles between 1955 and 1966, 7 in men's doubles, mainly with hard-hitting Jorgen Hammergaard Hansen, and 8 in mixed doubles. He was also a three-time singles finalist at the All-Englands[1] despite a storied disdain for physical conditioning. A leading player on all of Denmark's Thomas Cup (men's international) teams from 1954 through 1964, he won 55 of 64 individual matches.[2] Powerful, quick, and deceptive, he has been rated among the most talented players in the sport's history.[3] He won 22 Danish national championships in all. He also won each of the three events at the Danish Open Championships though the tournament was not held during most of the years that he was active as a player.
Kobberø was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997.[4] He later worked as a sports journalist for national television in Denmark. He died January 21, 2009.
Achievements
International tournaments (50 titles, 19 runners-up)
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Denmark Open | Eddy Choong | 3–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1955 | Norwegian International | Leif Ekedahl | 15–8, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1956 | Denmark Open | Palle Granlund | 15–2, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1956 | All England | Eddy Choong | 15–11, 3–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1956 | US Open | Joe Alston | 15–11, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1956 | Norwegian International | Bertil Glans | 5–15, 18–15, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1957 | Swedish Open | Eddy Choong | 15–11, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1957 | US Open | Eddy Choong | 15–10, 2–15, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1958 | Swedish Open | Erland Kops | 15–11, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1958 | All England | Erland Kops | 10–15, 15–8, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1958 | US Open | Jim Poole | 8–15, 15–6, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1960 | Mexico International | Teh Kew San | 7–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1960 | Canada Open | Tan Joe Hok | 15–10, 8–15, 13–15 | Runner-up |
| 1961 | All England | Erland Kops | 10–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1962 | French Open | Charoen Wattanasin | 4–15, 13–18 | Runner-up |
| 1962 | Belgian International | Oon Chong Teik | 11–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Eddy Choong David Choong |
15–9, 14–17, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1955 | Norwegian International | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Leif Ekedahl Berndt Dahlberg |
15–11, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1955 | Malaysia Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Ong Poh Lim Ooi Teik Hock |
7–15, 17–18 | Runner-up |
| 1956 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | John Nygaard Poul-Erik Nielsen |
18–14, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1956 | Norwegian International | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Bertil Glans Ingemar Eliasson |
15–10, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1956 | Denmark Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | John Nygaard Poul-Erik Nielsen |
7–15, 15–8, 17–14 | Winner |
| 1956 | US Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Ong Poh Lim Ooi Teik Hock |
15–8, 9–15, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1957 | US Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Eddy Choong Bert Fergus |
15–12, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1957 | Swedish Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Eddy Choong Oon Chong Teik |
15–5, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1958 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
7–15, 15–11, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1958 | Swedish Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Ole Mertz Poul-Erik Nielsen |
15–12, 6–15, 13–15 | Runner-up |
| 1958 | US Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Wynn Rogers Bob Williams |
15–1, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1960 | All England | Poul-Erik Nielsen | Lim Say Hup Teh Kew San |
14–17, 15–3, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1960 | Swedish Open | Poul-Erik Nielsen | Berndt Dahlberg Bertil Glans |
15–4, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1960 | US Open | Charoen Wattanasin | Manuel Armendariz Jim Poole |
15–6, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1961 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
15–6, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1961 | French Open | Erland Kops | Oon Chong Teik Yeoh Kean Hua |
15–6, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1961 | Canada Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Robert McCoig |
15–8, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1962 | German Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
15–7, 15–13 | Winner |
| 1962 | French Open | Bengt Nielsen | Charoen Wattanasin Torkild Nielsen |
18–16, 1–15, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1962 | Swedish Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Henning Borch Knud Aage Nielsen |
15–14, 7–15, 15–4 | Winner |
| 1962 | Belgian International | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Oon Chong Teik Ole Mertz |
15–9, 7–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1962 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Narong Bhornchima Raphi Kanchanaraphi |
17–16, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1963 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Tan Joe Hock Ferry Sonneville |
10–15, 15–4, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1964 | German Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
3–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1964 | Swedish Open | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
15–7, 17–14 | Winner |
| 1964 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Erland Kops Poul-Erik Nielsen |
15–6, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1966 | All England | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen | Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan |
15–9, 9–15, 15–17 | Runner-up |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | All England | Inge Birgit Hansen | John Best Iris Cooley |
12–15, 0–15 | Runner-up |
| 1955 | All England | Kirsten Thorndahl | David Choong June White |
15–7, 15–13 | Winner |
| 1956 | US Open | Judy Devlin | Bob Williams Ethel Marshall |
15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1956 | Denmark Open | Inge Birgit Hansen | Jørn Skaarup Anni Hammergaard Hansen |
15–9, 7–15, 7–15 | Runner-up |
| 1957 | All England | Kirsten Granlund | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen |
15–3, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1957 | US Open | Judy Devlin | Bob Williams Ethel Marshall |
15–0, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1958 | All England | Aase Winther | Tony Jordan June Timperley |
9–15, 15–7, 5–15 | Runner-up |
| 1958 | US Open | Judy Devlin | Bob Williams Ethel Marshall |
15–5, 17–14 | Winner |
| 1960 | All England | Kirsten Granlund | Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen |
15–7, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1960 | Canada Open | Jean Miller | Tan Joe Hok Sushila Kapadia |
15–7, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1960 | US Open | Margaret Varner | Michael Roche Judy Devlin |
15–7, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1961 | All England | Kirsten Granlund | Tony Jordan June Timperley |
15–12, 15–5 | Winner |
| 1961 | Canada Open | Jean Miller | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Marjory Shedd |
15–3, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1962 | Swedish Open | Anni Hammergaard Hansen | Jesper Sandvad Aase Winther |
15–6, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1962 | German Open | Hanne Andersen | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Anni Hammergaard Hansen |
15–4, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1962 | All England | Ulla Rasmussen | Poul-Erik Nielsen Inge Birgit Hansen |
15–1, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1962 | Belgian International | Ulla Rasmussen | Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen Karin Jørgensen |
6–15, 15–10, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1962 | French Open | Tan Gaik Bee | Charoen Wattanasin Veronica Brock |
15–3, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1963 | All England | Ulla Rasmussen | Tony Jordan June Timperley |
15–8, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1964 | Swedish Open | Anne Flindt | Oon Chong Teik Judy Hashman |
17–14, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1964 | German Open | Bente Flindt | Knud Aage Nielsen Kirsten Thorndahl |
15–9, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1964 | All England | Ulla Rasmussen | Tony Jordan Jenny Pritchard |
10–15, 13–18 | Runner-up |
| 1964 | Nordic Championships | Ulla Rasmussen | Ole Mertz Annette Rye |
15–6, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1965 | All England | Ulla Strand | Tony Jordan Jenny Pritchard |
9–15, 15–4, 15–12 | Winner |
| 1966 | Denmark Open | Ulla Strand | Per Walsøe Pernille Mølgaard Hansen |
15–13, 15–3 | Winner |
Summary
| Rank | Event | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Men's doubles | 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 | All England Open |
| Mixed doubles | 1955, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966 | ||
| 1 | Men's singles | 1956, 1957 | U.S. Open |
| Men's doubles | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960 | ||
| Mixed doubles | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1960 | ||
| 1 | Men's doubles | 1961 | Canada Open |
| Mixed doubles | 1960, 1961 | ||
| 1 | Men's singles | 1957, 1958 | Swedish Open |
| Men's doubles | 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964 | ||
| Mixed doubles | 1962, 1964 | ||
| 1 | Men's singles | 1956 | Denmark Open |
| Men's doubles | 1956 | ||
| Mixed doubles | 1966 | ||
| 1 | Mixed doubles | 1964 | Nordic Championships |
| 1 | Men's doubles | 1961, 1962 | French Open |
| Mixed doubles | 1962 | ||
| 1 | Men's doubles | 1962 | German Open |
| Mixed doubles | 1962, 1964 | ||
| 2 | Men's singles | 1956, 1958, 1961 | All England Open |
| Men's doubles | 1958, 1966 | ||
| Mixed doubles | 1954, 1958, 1964 |
References
- ^ Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1967 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1967) 166-170.
- ^ Herbert Scheele ed., The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1967 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A, Jennings Ltd., 1967) 71-87.
- ^ Pat Davis, The Guinness Book of Badminton (Enfield, Middlesex, England, 1983) 112.
- ^ "Hall of Fame of the Badminton World Federation". Badminton World Federation. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.