Charles Voigt

Charles Voigt was born in San José, California but spent much of his time in Europe, based at times in Berlin and Rotterdam. He was responsible for organizing the major international tennis tournament in Hamburg each year and was also a member of the “German Committee to Participate at the First Olympic Games 1896 at Athens.” He was considered an enthusiastic devotee of the game and seemed more cosmopolitan than American.

Voight has a minor connection to the origins of the Davis Cup. He saw a young man at the 1896 tournament in Niagara-on-the-Lake. When he asked who it was, Voigt was told that he was the young millionaire, Dwight Davis, of St Louis. Voigt then suggested, in passing, that if he was a young tennis millionaire, he should do something for the game, and perhaps put up a large prize, or cup. Voigt also entered the 1900 Olympic golf tournament but did not start.

Voigt was still a US national in 1900 but played out of two European clubs – the Tennis Club de Puteaux in France and the Royal Homburger Golfclub 1899 in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany.