Earl Cochell

Who is Earl Cochell?

Earl Cochell, is the only tennis player ever barred for life by the United States Tennis Association.

Cochell was ranked as high as No. 6 in the U.S. rankings before the 1951 U.S. Nationals. In a fourth-round match with Gardnar Mulloy, he became angry over a line call and tried to address the crowd by climbing into the chair umpire's ladder to take the microphone.

Cochell was barred from doing so, and eventually lost the match to Mulloy. Two days later, Cochell was suspended indefinitely and dropped from the rankings by the USTA. He never played another tennis match.

Cochell played his collegiate tennis at the University of Southern California, and was runner-up in the NCAA singles championship in 1951. In 1946, he reached the singles quarterfinals at the Cincinnati Masters.