When Mexican Airways Flight 704 crashed into the mountains near Monterrey on June 4, 1969, it claimed the lives of 79 people including a national hero and one of the greatest players to wield a tennis racket, Rafael Osuna.  Osuna was only 30 years old.  He came from a middle-class Mexican family, studied at University of South California (USC), going there as a raw freshman and developing his game under the guidance of coach George Toley.  He had carried the hopes of his country for a decade until his life was tragically cut short, just days after leading Mexico to an epic victory over all-conquering Australia in a Davis Cup tie, the crowning achievement of a remarkable career.  He was a grand slam winner, a former world number one and one of the most innovative doubles players in the sport's history.

Osuna's first notable success came at Wimbledon in 1960 when he won the doubles with his USC roommate Dennis Ralston, the first unseeded pair to achieve the feat.  Even more impressive, is that Osuna and Ralston won this tournament while an under classmen in college against the best players in the World.  The 1960 Wimbledon Championships took place on the outdoor grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. The tournament ran from Monday 20 June until Saturday 2 July 1960. 

The main test for Osuna and Ralston came in the semi-finals against the number 2 seed team of Rod Laver and Bob Mark.  Laver and Mark took the first set 6-4, and then in marathon sets two and three Osuna and Ralston edge out the pair 10-8 and 15-13.  Laver and Mark bounced back in the fourth set and took it by a 6-4 score, before ultimately falling to Osuna and Ralston in another marathon like set dropping the set 9-11 and landing Osuna and Ralston in the Final match.  On the other side of the bracket, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser were the defending champions, but lost in the quarterfinals to Mike Davies and Bobby Wilson.  Rafael Osuna and Dennis Ralston defeated Davies and Wilson in the final, 7–5, 6–3, 10–8 to win the Gentlemen' Doubles tennis title at the 1960 Wimbledon Championship.

This Silver Trophy is the trophy presented to Rafael Osuna for his Men’s Doubles victory on this day in 1960.  The trophy was manufactured by famed jeweler Asprey of London and features the elegant engraving, “All England Lawn Tennis Club Wimbledon, Gentlemen’s Doubles Championship, 1960, RH Osuna” across the front of the cup of the trophy.  Measuring approximately 6” in diameter and standing 5” tall, this award is the first Wimbledon Victory in the short, but most remarkable career of Mexico’s greatest tennis player even Rafael Osuna.  The trophy was sourced directly from Mexico where our consigner obtained this directly from a relative of Osuna. 

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