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The Outsider: A Memoir
The Outsider is a no-holds-barred memoir by the original bad boy of tennis, Jimmy Connors.
Connors ignited the tennis boom in the 1970s with his aggressive style of play, turning his matches with John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl into prizefights. But it was his prolonged dedication to his craft that won him the public’s adoration. He capped off one of the most remarkable runs in tennis history at the age of 39 when he reached the semifinals of the 1991 U.S. Open, competing against players half his age.
More than just the story of a tennis champion, The Outsider is the uncensored account of Connors' life, from his complicated relationship with his formidable mother and his storybook romance with tennis legend Chris Evert, to his battles with gambling and fidelity that threatened to derail his career and his long-lasting marriage to Playboy playmate Patti McGuire.
When he retired from tennis twenty years ago, Connors all but disappeared from public view. In The Outsider, he is back at the top of his game, and as feisty, outspoken, and defiant as ever.
This autobiography includes original color photographs from the author.
Connors ignited the tennis boom in the 1970s with his aggressive style of play, turning his matches with John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl into prizefights. But it was his prolonged dedication to his craft that won him the public’s adoration. He capped off one of the most remarkable runs in tennis history at the age of 39 when he reached the semifinals of the 1991 U.S. Open, competing against players half his age.
More than just the story of a tennis champion, The Outsider is the uncensored account of Connors' life, from his complicated relationship with his formidable mother and his storybook romance with tennis legend Chris Evert, to his battles with gambling and fidelity that threatened to derail his career and his long-lasting marriage to Playboy playmate Patti McGuire.
When he retired from tennis twenty years ago, Connors all but disappeared from public view. In The Outsider, he is back at the top of his game, and as feisty, outspoken, and defiant as ever.
This autobiography includes original color photographs from the author.
579 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
September 8, 2022
Well I should start my review with admitting that as a teenager, young tennis player, Jimmy Connors was my favourite player.
Bad boy yes, but he was a fighter, never gave up, and his title of his book fits him so well "The Outsider", he sure was a lot more than even I had released.
Jimmy Connors took the tennis world by storm like no player in the history of the game. A shaggy-haired working-class kid from the wrong side of the tracks, he was prepared to battle for every point, to shout and scream until he was heard, and he didn't care whom he upset in doing so. He was brash, he was a brat. He was a crowd-pleaser, a revolutionary. And he won more tournaments - an astonishing 109 - than any other man in history, including eight Grand Slam singles titles.
Only now is Connors ready to set the record straight on what really happened on and off the court. The rivalry with John McEnroe, that frequently threatened to turn violent, with Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl. His romance with Chris Evert, which made them the sweethearts of the sport. The escapades with his partner in crime, Ilie Nastase. The deep roots of the fierce determination that made him the best player on the planet.
Explained so deeply in this book is his great partnership and relationship with his mother, his enormous determination to win, to earn money, his physical energy, his great success in his great earning one off tournaments at Caesars Palace, playing so many greats including Martina Navartilova.
The incredible injuries, hip surgeries, knee surgeries, back problems all during and after his great career, terrible wrist surgery, his great run at the age of 39 years old.
But it's the stories behind the scenes, the battles with the different tennis organisations, the politics behind the scenes, the family problems, the health problems, his success with the Champions tour and exit.
You love him or hate him, but I loved the book and the story
Five stars.
Bad boy yes, but he was a fighter, never gave up, and his title of his book fits him so well "The Outsider", he sure was a lot more than even I had released.
Jimmy Connors took the tennis world by storm like no player in the history of the game. A shaggy-haired working-class kid from the wrong side of the tracks, he was prepared to battle for every point, to shout and scream until he was heard, and he didn't care whom he upset in doing so. He was brash, he was a brat. He was a crowd-pleaser, a revolutionary. And he won more tournaments - an astonishing 109 - than any other man in history, including eight Grand Slam singles titles.
Only now is Connors ready to set the record straight on what really happened on and off the court. The rivalry with John McEnroe, that frequently threatened to turn violent, with Bjorn Borg, and Ivan Lendl. His romance with Chris Evert, which made them the sweethearts of the sport. The escapades with his partner in crime, Ilie Nastase. The deep roots of the fierce determination that made him the best player on the planet.
Explained so deeply in this book is his great partnership and relationship with his mother, his enormous determination to win, to earn money, his physical energy, his great success in his great earning one off tournaments at Caesars Palace, playing so many greats including Martina Navartilova.
The incredible injuries, hip surgeries, knee surgeries, back problems all during and after his great career, terrible wrist surgery, his great run at the age of 39 years old.
But it's the stories behind the scenes, the battles with the different tennis organisations, the politics behind the scenes, the family problems, the health problems, his success with the Champions tour and exit.
You love him or hate him, but I loved the book and the story
Five stars.
December 15, 2014
Not much to say about this one: I have never been a big fan of Jimmy Connors and his autobiography has just confirmed that I never will be.
July 17, 2013
My opinion of Jimmy Connors did not change after reading this. I wanted to like him and at times actually felt sorry for him. I came away with the thought that because someone is blunt and in your face, it does not necessarily mean they are honest. (He, in fact, boasts all through the book of his absolute honesty)
Tennis needed Connors like The Indy needs a wreck. I give him kudos for making the game interesting but grabbing his junk, demeaning the officials and foul language in a punk street like fashion, was a turn off. He just came across like a bully.
He admits to the one affair that everyone knows about, but I find it hard to believe that was his only stray. His innuendo about Chris Evert is shameful. I would hope that he gave her the heads up, that he needed to put "that" in his book. And what he had to write about Agassi sounded more like sour grapes in justifying his loss.
Have no respect for him on so many levels, but did enjoy the book, and glad that I read it. It was a good trip down memory lane. Loved the play by play descriptions.
Tennis needed Connors like The Indy needs a wreck. I give him kudos for making the game interesting but grabbing his junk, demeaning the officials and foul language in a punk street like fashion, was a turn off. He just came across like a bully.
He admits to the one affair that everyone knows about, but I find it hard to believe that was his only stray. His innuendo about Chris Evert is shameful. I would hope that he gave her the heads up, that he needed to put "that" in his book. And what he had to write about Agassi sounded more like sour grapes in justifying his loss.
Have no respect for him on so many levels, but did enjoy the book, and glad that I read it. It was a good trip down memory lane. Loved the play by play descriptions.
June 30, 2013
I love tennis, but I've never been a fan of Jimmy Connors. I thought I would enjoy this book because of my love for the game. Nope! This book just reiterated why I never cared for him as a player. He is just as much a pompous jerk in this book as he was on the court. It's amazing to think he actually faults himself for nothing. The only reason I stuck with this narcissistic tale was to see his take on tennis. If you really like tennis, don't waste your time. Read Andre Agassi's book or John McEnroe's book. They're more honest and better written.
April 6, 2016
More than any athlete, other than possibly boxers, tennis players seem to define themselves within the contours of individual will and personality. A lot of tennis greats have written bios in recent years, and each of them seems to have this seminal moment early in their lives that encapsulates how the player sees himself and how he approached the game. Often it takes the form of a tension between the player and the gentility of the greater tennis world. For John McEnroe, it was getting on the subway in New York and commuting to the tony private school where he learned to play, of the tension between his father's working class Irish roots and these rich kids he was now hanging with. For Andre Agassi, it was the image of standing there and watching his dad, a champion boxer back in Iran, beat the living crap out of someone in front of his son. For Jimmy Connors, it was an even more harrowing image: Standing on a public tennis court in East St. Louis as a 7-year old boy and watching as a couple of gangbangers pummeled his mom and his grandfather right there on the court, knocking out most of his mother's teeth and sending them both to the hospital.
This, in a nutshell, is why I have always loved Jimmy Connors, because he was the real deal. Andre's rebel stance was always about image. He was the fair-haired boy with the elegant strokes, even when he was still just the son of an immigrant out hustling the members of the private tennis clubs in Las Vegas. McEnroe's working class blather always struck me as a bit ridiculous, as his dad was an attorney in NYC, and Mac's dream of being the next Eddie Van Halen just another rich kid's wet dream. But Connors earned his street cred the hard way.
Connors game was that of the ultimate scrapper. He was relatively short and kind of scrawny, with only a mediocre serve. His best weapon was this flat, two-handed backhand that he'd rocket just inches above the net, leaving little room for error. Nothing that he did was textbook. He had a great forehand return of serve, where he would catch the ball right off the ground, but he learned it playing tennis off the hardwood in a public gym in Belleville, IL.
As for Connors' autobiography, it is a bit hit and miss: A compelling story lies buried within his series of personal digressions and flippant attempts at humor. His telling of his tale makes it hard to separate Connors the combative athlete, changing the game of tennis while flipping the world the bird, from the silly young man drinking Suave Bolla on his Hollywood veranda, dreaming of being a playboy. People forget that Connors seemingly redefined tennis for about five years there in the early 70's, with his unconventional strokes and nasty attitude, until Borg and McEnroe came and restored order to the tennis universe, Borg with his athleticism and Johnny Mac with his incredible shot making. But for several years, Connors flew around the planet, taking on all rivals in these winner-take-all exhibitions, like a champion boxer, and he rarely lost. It is an era that doesn't fit in easily with our stat obsessed age, and for that reason alone I recommend this book.
It is too bad that Jimmy Connors didn't co-author his biography with a writer worthy of the theme. Because, more than Mac's bio, more than even the most excellent "High Strung," Stephen Tignor's look at the rivalries of this era, Connors' bio is the missing puzzle piece, a first-hand look at this most magical time in the game.
This, in a nutshell, is why I have always loved Jimmy Connors, because he was the real deal. Andre's rebel stance was always about image. He was the fair-haired boy with the elegant strokes, even when he was still just the son of an immigrant out hustling the members of the private tennis clubs in Las Vegas. McEnroe's working class blather always struck me as a bit ridiculous, as his dad was an attorney in NYC, and Mac's dream of being the next Eddie Van Halen just another rich kid's wet dream. But Connors earned his street cred the hard way.
Connors game was that of the ultimate scrapper. He was relatively short and kind of scrawny, with only a mediocre serve. His best weapon was this flat, two-handed backhand that he'd rocket just inches above the net, leaving little room for error. Nothing that he did was textbook. He had a great forehand return of serve, where he would catch the ball right off the ground, but he learned it playing tennis off the hardwood in a public gym in Belleville, IL.
As for Connors' autobiography, it is a bit hit and miss: A compelling story lies buried within his series of personal digressions and flippant attempts at humor. His telling of his tale makes it hard to separate Connors the combative athlete, changing the game of tennis while flipping the world the bird, from the silly young man drinking Suave Bolla on his Hollywood veranda, dreaming of being a playboy. People forget that Connors seemingly redefined tennis for about five years there in the early 70's, with his unconventional strokes and nasty attitude, until Borg and McEnroe came and restored order to the tennis universe, Borg with his athleticism and Johnny Mac with his incredible shot making. But for several years, Connors flew around the planet, taking on all rivals in these winner-take-all exhibitions, like a champion boxer, and he rarely lost. It is an era that doesn't fit in easily with our stat obsessed age, and for that reason alone I recommend this book.
It is too bad that Jimmy Connors didn't co-author his biography with a writer worthy of the theme. Because, more than Mac's bio, more than even the most excellent "High Strung," Stephen Tignor's look at the rivalries of this era, Connors' bio is the missing puzzle piece, a first-hand look at this most magical time in the game.
May 21, 2013
For Andre Agassi, tennis was famously about "the journey," about figuring out who he was and what he wanted -- and maybe, just maybe, growing up a little along the way.
No wonder Jimmy Connors, in his new memoir "The Outsider," calls Agassi "nothing but an act."
Because Connors doesn't believe anyone can change. You are who you are. There's no personal growth to be had, there's only pushing forward, trying harder.
Read the rest of the review
No wonder Jimmy Connors, in his new memoir "The Outsider," calls Agassi "nothing but an act."
Because Connors doesn't believe anyone can change. You are who you are. There's no personal growth to be had, there's only pushing forward, trying harder.
Read the rest of the review
May 24, 2017
First I read The Outsiders.
Then I read The Outsider.
Currently looking for any book titled The Outside.
k
Then I read The Outsider.
Currently looking for any book titled The Outside.
k
July 14, 2013
With Connors you get what you see. This book is no different. If you disliked Connors totally then you will not like this book. He disparages opponents, talks big and skips around a lot.
On the other hand, if you want to know what being a kid learning tennis, a pro playing all over the world and a retired sports figure is like then this is a good book.
Having been a big fan of tennis in the Connor's era and also living in St. Louis I was really interested in the story. It did not disappoint me at all. The writing isn't great but it feels authentic. Connors does dish on some people (like Chrissy) and holds back on others (the girlfriend he had while married) he is pretty honest for someone with a big ego. In a profession like tennis where you are on your own I think big egos are common.
I liked the parts about Jimmy's family in East St. Louis and how often he came home. Not only was his mom huge in his tennis career (and much maligned) his grandparents were too.
A memoir, not an autobiography, this is Jimmy's story.
On the other hand, if you want to know what being a kid learning tennis, a pro playing all over the world and a retired sports figure is like then this is a good book.
Having been a big fan of tennis in the Connor's era and also living in St. Louis I was really interested in the story. It did not disappoint me at all. The writing isn't great but it feels authentic. Connors does dish on some people (like Chrissy) and holds back on others (the girlfriend he had while married) he is pretty honest for someone with a big ego. In a profession like tennis where you are on your own I think big egos are common.
I liked the parts about Jimmy's family in East St. Louis and how often he came home. Not only was his mom huge in his tennis career (and much maligned) his grandparents were too.
A memoir, not an autobiography, this is Jimmy's story.
June 14, 2013
It was a fantastic book to read for several reasons. First it gave me an understanding of his life and all that went into his budding tennis career. The book allowed me to see the back story not just what we saw on TV. Second, reading about his career and professional relationships fascinated me mainly because every opponent was part of my tennis-following life. In today's game there is no personality - no desire to root for any single player. It is not and will not ever be the same. Third, his family life added to the read as is was the webbing of his life and it allowed me to see the whole story. I still miss watching Connors play but this book helped me to relive many great moments of his career. If you are an 80's tennis fan you will love the book and his stories.
June 16, 2013
Great book. I could relate to so many of his experiences as I played during that era and was a ball girl for him and many others mentioned.
August 22, 2018
I've read both Pete's and Andre's books and this one I liked the best
August 11, 2021
I was surprised and inspired that he had no problem telling readers what he really thought of his competitors like Mac and Agassi. It didn't grab me and suck me in like other memoirs have done but I still finished it. He had an interesting life and I appreciated his candid writing style. A breath of fresh air.
June 7, 2018
4.5 stars. I found this book (which I listened to as an audiobook) quite candid and exactly as I remember Jimmy Connors being ... brash, straightforward, unapologetic, himself, competitive etc. I loved tennis during Connors's era and this book is a highly entertaining look at those times and at Jimmy's life & career. I wasn't an avid fan of Connors back then (his behavior on the court was often abysmal), but after listening to his memoir I actually give him much more credit as a player & person than I did back then, ie he wasn't solely a pr*ck but actually cared for others (his group of friends and his family) and the game too. And as a player he was quite inspiring how he fought, won, & how long he played. I'm very glad he wrote this & that I got to it. Sure he had his demons & problems: his language, his vices, his gambling & adultery ... it's all here in the book.... but he has some touching moments as well: with his parents & wife, and even his chapter on Gerulaitis hit me hard. Pick it up if you get a chance.
July 14, 2013
Having really been into tennis during the Jimmy Connors era and being from St. Louis where we heard more about his family than most I really enjoyed his book. Don't get me wrong, I am not a huge fan but I think this book really opens up the world of tennis of all levels to the outsiders. It really took me back hearing all those names from tennis in the past.
Jimmy's family life was also interesting. His relationship with his mother was well known but also this book explains more about his father and grandparents I wondered why the book was called a memoir but now that I know a memoir means sections taken from a person's life as opposed to an autobiography which is chronological I like the book more. It does skip around!
For those who never liked Jimmy Connors, you will like him less if you read this book. He admits faults but does not apologize for them and frequently disparages former competitors. This book, like Jimmy Connors is open and brash.
Jimmy's family life was also interesting. His relationship with his mother was well known but also this book explains more about his father and grandparents I wondered why the book was called a memoir but now that I know a memoir means sections taken from a person's life as opposed to an autobiography which is chronological I like the book more. It does skip around!
For those who never liked Jimmy Connors, you will like him less if you read this book. He admits faults but does not apologize for them and frequently disparages former competitors. This book, like Jimmy Connors is open and brash.
July 24, 2013
Jimmy Connors was a childhood hero of mine. When I picked up tennis in the 7th grade I became addicted to watching him, McEnroe, Edberg, Becker, and Agassi bring tennis to the front page of the sports section.
This book is written just as though Jimmy were speaking. It's not always grammatically correct, but it sure does get the point across. He's vulnerable, humorous, and opinionated. I loved getting a front row seat to both his tennis and personal world.
I didn't want this book to end. I wish there was another 400 pages to read. If you read this book be ready to feel the pain as he watches his mom get beat up by thugs when he was a young child, feel the passion as he discovers the beauty of tennis as his mom grooms him, experience the highs and lows of professional tennis, and hurt when he goes through personal darkness including the dissolving of his marriage (followed by the redemption).
If you love tennis this is a must read.
This book is written just as though Jimmy were speaking. It's not always grammatically correct, but it sure does get the point across. He's vulnerable, humorous, and opinionated. I loved getting a front row seat to both his tennis and personal world.
I didn't want this book to end. I wish there was another 400 pages to read. If you read this book be ready to feel the pain as he watches his mom get beat up by thugs when he was a young child, feel the passion as he discovers the beauty of tennis as his mom grooms him, experience the highs and lows of professional tennis, and hurt when he goes through personal darkness including the dissolving of his marriage (followed by the redemption).
If you love tennis this is a must read.
January 27, 2018
The Outsider is truly a reflection of its author. Jimmy Connors writes as if he were sharing his life story with a friend with whom he was having a quiet drink. He tells you about his tennis career (the hard work, the victories, the many injuries and the defeats). But, he also reveals sides of his personality that many of his fans, myself included, were unaware. Connors struggled with an addiction to gambling for many years. He had an affair that almost destroyed his marriage. However, the one facet of his life that truly tells us the most about him in this story is his sense of loyalty. Connors, throughout his life, has been loyal to the ones he cared about, his family and many of his on-court rivals, many of whom became his close personal friends. I highly recommend this book to those of you were fans of the game of tennis during Connor's era and anyone who enjoys a no-frills down to earth autobiography.
May 31, 2013
I liked the first quarter of the book (about Jimmy's youth, his family, learning to play tennis), and I liked the last part (the sad stuff about growing old, having family members die, etc.). But the middle two quarters were dull. Connors touched on all sorts of interesting issues (his relationship with Chris Evert, how he almost ruined his own marriage, his own gambling problems, people's perceptions of his mom, drug use by some in the sport); but there was little depth or feeling in his account. I wanted to like the book, but I was disappointed.
By the way, is it possible to give half stars when rating a book?
By the way, is it possible to give half stars when rating a book?
November 27, 2016
Connors writes a documentary style like he's a tennis player, the same way writers might come together to play some pedestrian tennis. No great prose, just a recitation of facts with no meaningful self-reflection, no insiders look at the tour or his inner game. No sense that with his gifts he has responsibility. He even acknowledges that he was an ass on and off the court, but then claims he had choice. No revelation there- he's still unaware. That doesn't mean he wasn't among the best ever, it just means that his talents between the lines don't translate to any greater purpose, or any great autobiography.
September 28, 2020
Being a tennis fan in the 1970's and 80's was great and Jimmy Connors was one of he big stars and personalities of that era. Love him or hate him you had to admire his tenacity, determination and never give up attitude that was instilled in him by his mother and grand mother during his formative years. The on court antics were part of the "show" as Connors realized that the sport needed to be entertaining to attract the crowds and tv ratings. While winning eight Grand Slam singles titles he mingled with the likes of Dean Martin and other celebrities and has some great tales to tell. His mix of abundant self-confidence and self deprecating style make it an easy enjoyable read.
November 25, 2018
Agassi's biography sets an impossibly high bar (thanks to the ghost-writer, J.R. Moehringer) in this category. This book never promises to be anything like "Open" but it falls short of even more tempered expectations. It's hard to criticize self-indulgence when talking about a star in an individual sport, but Connors just doesn't come across as a very pleasant guy. Unless you are ready to dismiss his constantly grabbing his nuts in front of the president of Ecuador, and other assorted Shenanigans, as just....well, Jimmy being Jimmy.
February 11, 2015
It's not that this was bad, but it often felt like it was written by a 7th grader. Also, dude had/has a big chip on his shoulder and that got annoying. We get it, you're so different from all the other entitled millionaire athletes. No need to talk about it every page.
Anyway, I have fond memories of watching Jimmy Connors' comeback at the US Open in the early 90s and it was interesting to learn about what made him a great tennis player. But I wouldn't recommend this to many people.
Anyway, I have fond memories of watching Jimmy Connors' comeback at the US Open in the early 90s and it was interesting to learn about what made him a great tennis player. But I wouldn't recommend this to many people.
May 22, 2013
I always enjoyed watching Jimmy Connors play tennis, so it was a no brainer that I would read his memoir called The Outsider. I especially liked reading about his young teen years and found his comments on his fellow players interesting. The part with his on-again, off-again relationship with Chris Evert was very good also.
(Gerard's review)
(Gerard's review)
July 4, 2013
he writes the way he played - straight at you. He was the seismic shift that brought the game to the boomer generation.
I wish he and Ashe hadn't had such a rocky relationship. They were both my tennis heroes. Ashe taught me how to act, court courtesy, sportsmanship
Connors showed me how to play your heart out. - Never quite, grind in out!
I wish he and Ashe hadn't had such a rocky relationship. They were both my tennis heroes. Ashe taught me how to act, court courtesy, sportsmanship
Connors showed me how to play your heart out. - Never quite, grind in out!
September 20, 2013
Overall, the book moved quickly and was easy to read. Despite its length I read it in about a week. He definitely lays bare his vices and indiscretions, along with those of some of his friends. I was on the fence about giving it three or four stars, and if I were more of a tennis fan I probably would have rated it higher. He gives a lot of good detail about his preparation and strategy.
June 23, 2013
I got to follow Jimmy Connors in the second half of his tennis career, so it was interesting to read about his family life and tennis "history." The book had a lot of name dropping and did not go into as much depth as I would have liked about some of his career highs.
July 25, 2013
I gave this book 3 stars because it was like a train wreck and I just couldn't stop watching the carnage. This is definitely a no holds barred memoir and if you ever pissed off Jimmy Connors, you are probably mentioned in this book.
October 8, 2013
This book is taking forever to read. I always liked Jimmy Connors, but his story is just not that interesting. Finally finished! Too much skipping around. It wasn't cohesive enough to feel like a story.
December 9, 2019
While I am a big tennis fan and always interested in how talent makes it to the top.....this book was a 400+ rationalization of a lifetime of bad behavior....Connors was crass, totally self-absorbed and a jerk.....and his book only serves to confirm those facts...end of discussion.
May 19, 2013
He should just stick to tennis.
May 24, 2013
I gave this two stars instead of one because he did something I didn't think was possible...he proved he's more of an a$$hat than I could have imagined.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews