CHAPTER EIGHT

 

            1971: Pre-National’s Tournaments.

 

            Continuing with play in New York State, we’ll check out the Jan. 30^th Buffalo and Feb. 6-7 Rochester Opens. Jim Dixon was in the Men’s final in both. The 1^st he won from Manfred Jahn, 3-0, but in the semi’s had been down 2-1 to Rose before pulling it out, 19 in the 5^th. At Rochester he was upset in the semi’s by Dayton’s Bill Hodge, 18 in the 5^th, after which Bill had no energy left to give winner Mike Ezzo a fight. At the earlier site it appeared that the women were buffaloed into not appearing, but at Rochester Kathleen Remington defeated Diane Kazak and Darlene McCann to win the Women’s. McCann, whose son Tim won the 15’s in 5 over John Graham, teamed with Hodge to take the Mixed. Men’s Doubles at Buffalo went to Rose/Morris Myers over Jahn/Wasson; and at Rochester to Dave Hunt/Andy Anvelt over Dixon/Hodge in 5 (after Dave and Andy had dropped the first two games 24-22 and were at deuce in the 3^rd).

At Buffalo, Anvelt lost the B’s to Rose (after leading 2-0), but took the C’s over D winner Neal Fox, as well as the B and C Doubles with Bob Green who was the Tournament Director for the 1948 U.S. Open in Columbus that featured the famous Miles/Reisman final. The Consolation’s saw Andy force Myers into the 5^th. And in a defensive trial-by-combat Senior final (surely this was played in Expedite?), Green, though losing, almost 14, -22, 15, -17, -12 out-chopped sticky-chopper extraordinaire Myers three straight. At Rochester, Anvelt continued his string of successes—won the Handicap Singles over Bill Steinroeder; the 17’s over Steve Kazak (who lost the B’s to Richard Chen); and the Junior Doubles with Kazak over Jeff Anderson/Jim Shoots.

            There was a very good turnout for the Feb. 20-21 Northeastern’s at Farmingdale College on Long Island. In the 90-entry B’s, I don’t know how they let him in, but Peter Stephens was a lock. He blanked sheet-metal worker Ray Maldonado and firefighter Marty Theil who’d advanced with a deuce-in-the-3^rd win over the one-armed, 48-year-old Marcy Monasterial, Then in the 2-out-of-3 final Peter allowed Ernst Willer all of 15 points total.

And who do you think won the 80 entry B’s? Uh-huh. Peter Stephens. He blanked Doon Wong and Philadelphia Club Treasurer Dave Gaskill while his final opponent, Pete Cohen, had to make a two-games-down comeback against Monasterial. Cohen’s the guy with the fuzzy sideburns and the hair and the funny grip. He stays up at the table, blocking and hitting with just the one side of his racket. It took Stephens a while to get used to that eccentric game before rallying from 2-1 down. A Doubles—who won that? Do you have to ask? Peter Stephens with, o.k., a little help from Dave Philip—over Cohen/Gaskill, after nearly losing 3-0.

            No, Stephens didn’t have the balls to try to enter the Wheelchair event—though it would have been fun to see him play either the winner Ty Kaus or the runner-up Serge Jelenovsky.

            Some of the better players teamed with Juniors in the A Doubles—Sweeris partnered Jeff Zakarin, for example—and gave them tips. D. J. (that’s John) McGraw doubtless learned a few things from playing with Bill Sharpe, for he not only won the Under 17’s from Ricky Rumble, but was very helpful in the early rounds to the just coming on Juniors. He’d set the ball up, coach the kids on their strokes—quietly carry on a little mini-clinic right there at the table.

Jack Carr, for one (TTT, Dec., 1970, 8), would like to give top players at tournaments repeated byes, so that, instead of going through the motions against weak opponents, they could give coaching clinics for spectators and players—in return for which they’d receive free entry fees, hospitality expenses, and decent prize money. Why don’t we do that? asks Jack. Possible answers: It’s work for the good player. Eventually the player/coach would have to go from coaching to playing, and likely wouldn’t have the proper mind-set to compete against someone in the 8^th’s or the quarter’s who could play more than a little. It would require that he coach away from players concentrating on their matches in the venue courts (perhaps necessitating a set-up in another room). He would have to coach to a schedule that could accommodate players wanting coaching but who were playing in several events. And, given the necessary remuneration, it would require the organizers of the tournament to take in less money.

In the 15’s, Rumble had no trouble in the final with Richard Shelley, but after several months of coaching by Errol Resek, Richard, like his brother Larry, has greatly improved his attacking game. The most exciting match in this event was 10-year-old Mike Stern’s –9, 20, 22 win over Timmy House who thinks table tennis as much as any kid in New York.

In the Under 13’s, Jeff Zakarin apparently got himself straightened out bat-wise—after experimenting with a different racket he hadn’t had a good Eastern’s—and so knocked off Tony Ettinger in the final. The most surprising win here, though, had been Tony’s over Robert Nochenson. While vacationing with his parents in San Juan over the Christmas vacation, young Ettinger had gotten in hours of daily practice with a former Yugoslav star now working in Puerto Rico, Ivan Kuhir, and that of course had improved his game.

Muriel Stern, Under 17 Girl’s winner over Barbara Shelley, came of age this tournament. When Alice Green again didn’t show—and by this time she’d decided not to go to the Nagoya World’s—Muriel advanced to the final, where her opponent was Pat Hildebrand who’d beaten Maryland’s Xuan Ferguson in 4 in the semi’s. According to her father, Muriel doesn’t practice much (“She goes to the club,” says her mother, “and talks to the boys”). Here, down 2-0 and down 20-16, she proved herself an experienced player by not giving up, by staying alive to deuce it up and force the match into the 4^th.

In the Women’s A’s, Muriel loses deuce in the 3^rd to Long Island’s steady Peggy Daly who’s then beaten in the final by Ferguson. The two women’s winners, Hildebrand and Ferguson, share a third title when they take the Women’s Doubles from Daly/Vija Livins. Also, in the Mixed, they’re both at the center of the action: Pat pairs with George Brathwaite to defeat Xuan/Lim Ming Chui. Other women receiving trophies are Consolation winner Gloria Amoury and runner-up Maxine Brown.

In the Men’s Doubles, it’s Brathwaite again, with his last-minute pick-up partner Alex Shiroky, who people are watching. In their quarter’s against Roberts/Sealtiel, at 1-1 and 11-all in the deciding 3^rd, Robbie gets a net, then another, and though Alex acrobatically lunges in to return them, Mitchell with his golf glove, clubs them away. However, up 16-13, Roberts/Sealtiel unaccountably begin making errors, lose 7 straight, and are match point down. But then, despite Alex’s 20-18 whispered, drawn-out serve instruction to George, Mitch and Robbie deuce it…only to lose after all.

In the semi’s, George and Alex beat Pradit and Surasak, 20, 19, 16, when Surasak is caught just pushing too many balls back. In the other semi’s, Sweeris/Bukiet win the 1^st 25-23 from Resek/Boggan, and that’s the match. In the final, Dell and Bernie are up 1-0 but down 20-19 when Bernie gets a net and Alex whiffs one. Dell has looked over to me and said, “Oh, what a lucky shot! Mark it down, Tim!” But perhaps this has broken his concentration, for he follows with two errors, and in a moment the match is tied up. Now Sweeris/Bukiet lose the 3^rd, and though they’re 20-19 up in the 4^th they can’t close. Bernie plays a high ball safe rather than chance a hit, then gets such a hanger that he’s got to smack it. So he does, and, unbelievably, misses it. After that, there are no more chances.

Bernie doesn’t deign to play in the Senior’s. And the event’s better without him; you don’t know who’s going to win. Monasterial reaches the final, but Henry Deutsch proves too formidable for Marcy. The big upset here, though, is Islander Walter Shur’s win over U.S. #1 Senior Frank Dwelly. Walter, who after the advent of sponge, stopped and started, stopped and started playing, has been getting his hitting game back in shape these past Tuesday nights at the N.Y. Club. Winner Deutsch also teams with Maurice Kendal to defeat Dwelly/Hull and Sol Schiff/Sid Jacobs to take the Senior Doubles. But perhaps Mr. Table Tennis, as his equipment ads continue to define him, doesn’t care too much; he’s got another table to concentrate on, can deal from, though we’re not talking bridge here.

In the Esquire’s, the winner was Bob Green who’d given up the Game for almost 20 years. He dropped successive games to Danny Ganz, Sid Jacobs, and in the final Mitch Silbert. Mitch had spent long hours at the mike, trying nicely to convince people that, no, he didn’t really want to default them for not umping their required matches, but he would—or stop the whole tournament.

In the quarter’s, it’s Pradit vs. Roberts, Resek vs. Bukiet, Brathwaite vs. Shiroky, and Sweeris vs. Sealtiel. Against Peter, Robbie’s doing just fine with his unhurried but ever-into-position feline movements—is up 2-0 and at 16-all. Then he fails to return 1-2-3 serves, hisses out an expletive or two…and on they go into the 4^th. During one rally, Fuarnado returns five of Peter’s hardest smashes—wins the point from afar. Then he circles around and up to the table, blinks impassively like he’s vaguely interested. Only, his cat’s eyes never leave the ball. Soon he’ll move on to the semi’s.

Oh, oh, Bukiet’s in one of his moods. He doesn’t like the table, doesn’t like the ball. Errol puts his glasses on, says the table is perfectly fine, and the new Nittaku ball couldn’t be better—why, they’re using them at the upcoming World Championships in Japan. The first two games Bernie plays horribly—as if he’s still got his new fur coat on. As they begin the 3^rd, no matter what it might cost, Bernie can’t stand it any longer.  He holds up the broken ball. How this happen? Which absolutely infuriates Errol. So much so that he asks for a ruling. USTTA Rules Chair Cyril Lederman comes down from the stands. Yes? Did anyone actually see Bukiet break the ball? No? Well, then, continue play. Resek again builds up points…and, down 10-4, Bernie throws up his hands in despair. It’s hopeless.

“Don’t shake hands with him, Errol!” someone shouts smiling. “That ball!” says Bernie…and something more. “He didn’t win one set from me for two weeks, now he beat me.”

Bernie’s telling the truth. It might well have been during this two week interval that Boggan was lying. The two were at New York City’s Ed Sullivan Theater in New York performing, so to speak, on the “To Tell The Truth” TV show (first airing Mar. 8^th). Bukiet was the 3-time National Champion; Boggan, a bearded Bernie, the imposter who didn’t fool anybody. After the questions, after the guessing by panelists Kitty Carlisle, Bill Cullen, Gene Rayburn, and Peggy Cass, the real Bernie stands up.

How much money he’s going to get, he hasn’t figured out yet, but he’s smiling. “Now I want…” Yes, he’s glad host Garry Moore has asked him—as he was about to say, he will indeed produce his playing partner.

Boggan looks on. Fuarnado Roberts in the audience looks on. And out from the wings comes Errol Resek, pockets of his jump suit stuffed with balls. A few strokes…then, sorry, no more time. Thanks, everyone.

On the other side of the Northeastern Men’s Draw, Shiroky plays Brathwaite so fast I don’t even get to see the match. “What happened, Alex?” I asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. “I hit well one game. That’s all.”

It was almost all for Sweeris too. He loses the 1^st at 8 and the 3^rd at 18; but in between he sandwiches that all important deuce game. In the 4^th and 5^th, it’s no contest, Sweeris wins: Sealtiel’s got a block that he can’t do anything with.

Semi’s time, and Dell has to leave one table for another—leaves momentarily behind shoes, rackets, boxes of the controversial new Nittaku balls he’s hoping to sell. He starts well against Brathwaite, is up 1-0 and 18-16 after some fine passing shots, but then George gets a net, Dell fails to return three serves, and George gets another net. Match all even after two games. And match all even after four. But in the 5^th, from 13-12, Sweeris runs it out.

            As for the Resek-Roberts semi’s, I’ve never seen Errol so steady. His best stroke is not his loop (which is very good of course) but his forehand push. He just seems to have as much time as he wants to work for a high ball. Robbie, I thought, played badly—except for the 3^rd where he was in Globetrotter form. “Fast ball, slow table,” said Fuarnado—“the ball rises shoulder-high, and I can’t control it.”

            The LITTA is impressed with Errol. They decide to give him, win or lose the final, $100 to help pay his expenses to the National’s. And just to show their heart’s really in the right place, they give Brathwaite $100 too.

            Now it’s Sweeris’s turn to get $100? That’s the prize if he wins. And, o.k.. he’s closed up shop, and, coming out for the final, he’s got it together, does he? Down 6-5 when Errol serves and the ball hits something and skims into the net, Dell takes up his face towel and dusts off the entire table. O.K., ready? Errol serves off. Which prompts Dell to push the table closer to Errol. After this frivolity, Dell fails to return three straight serves! With such a loss of concentration, it’s no surprise Sweeris drops the 1^st and is at deuce in the 2^nd. But now it’s Errol’s turn to be sloppy—he doesn’t return serve, then misses a sitter. They’re all even again going into the 5^th. But Dell is playing better, is perfectly comfortable countering from 20 feet back. Up 10-7, Dell, chasing a ball far back, extends the racket almost out of his hand yet manages to loft a return. Errol misses the highest hanger you ever saw—and, instead of it being 10-8 after he’d won a hard-fought point, he’s down by 4.

            Dell has passed half his CPA exams—he knows there’s no way for Errol to account for that last shot, it has to cost him. It does: 5^th game and title to Sweeris. And so—but, look at this: people milling about still want to buy those Nittakus that are going to be used at Nagoya. And Schiff, Mr. Table Tennis, is still dealing. And now Dell is back over there with him…opening up—who knows?—a brand new career?

            At the year-ending, six-region Ontario Winter Games for Juniors, played in Etobicoke, Boys and Girls from the Central Region, coached by Gabor Szucs, came first. Their records: Boys: Errol Caetano, 15-0; Paul Brathwaite, 14-1; Paul Klevinas, 14-1. Coach Peter Gonda, 14-1, led the 2^nd-place Niagara team. Girls: Violetta Nesukaitis, 15-0; Flora Nesukaitis, 15-0, Darinka Jovanov, 15-0.

            The Ottawa Association held its 1971 Championships on 12 Nissen tables at Algonquin College—with Derek Marsham, who’d coached the Ottawa Juniors at Etobicoke, winning the Men’s from Canadian News International Editor Patrick Arkell who’d rallied to beat Frank Shaver in the semi’s. Women’s, as expected, went to Paula Shaver over Eileen McCullough.

            At the Feb. Muskegon Open, Connie Sweeris took the round robin Women’s over Sue Hildebrandt. Kathy Scheltema finished 3^rd, Deb Foster 4^th, and Doris Mercz 5^th.

The Men’s saw Don Brazzell upset #2 seed Jim Davey, then eliminate Ken Foster in 5, to reach the semifinal round robin. The three players joining him there were: Dell Sweeris who, as Kathy Scheltema tells us in her write-up (TTT, March-April, 1971, 1;3), was victorious “over a hard-hitting, determined Mike Veillette 20, 24, 19”; Bill Lesner, 5-game winner over Leonard McNeece; and Jeff Smart who’d knocked out Imants Karklis.

            Brazell had come 1^st in the $15 Handicap event by beating Dell who’d had to give him a 30-point start to 50. This time there wasn’t any spot—and yet Brazell, “smashing and returning well enough,” forced Sweeris into the 5^th. Though losing to Smart in 5, Don also stopped #3 Lesner in 4. Bill and Jeff lost to Dell—which made him the winner. But when Lesner got the better of Smart, a three-way tie for 2nd developed, broken by Brazell’s “most games won.” Men’s Doubles went to Sweeris/Lesner over Davey/McNeece.

            Other results: Class A: Tom McEvoy in 5 over Ferenc “Frank” Mercz who’d defeated both Dave Shenk, 21, -21, -21, 22, 19 and Mike Veillette in 5 (winning the 3^rd 29-27). Who is this guy, Mercz, playing out of West Lafayette, Michigan? “Never heard of him” said the seeding committee. But of course Frank, a two-time Virginia State Champion, being in the Air Force, has been stationed also in other parts of the country where, as might be seen in Topics, he’s repeatedly made his mark. Class B: McEvoy, 2-1 over Mercz who’d 19 in the 3^rd eked by a “vastly improved” Maurice Hunter, Michigan Closed Under 15 Champ. Class C: Alex Laufer (his first tournament win) over Randy Priest deuce in the 5^th in the semi’s, and 19 in the 5^th in the final over Mercz. Class B/C Doubles: McEvoy/Mercz over Brazzell/Don Clark.

Senior’s: Elmer Ybema over Michigan TTA President George Buben. Alas, Frank Tharaldson’s entry “had chosen to reach Muskegon the same day he had.” Alas, alas, loyal Frank had made it a rule not to imbibe any soft drink “that wasn’t his company’s Orange Crush.” But did Bea Scheltema’s snack shop have Orange Crush? Thirsty Frank was crushed to find that it did not. Muskegon juniors “earned their entry fees by calling matches.” Detroit’s Maurice Hunter, 14, constantly pleaded with adults to “Please limit your warm-ups to two minutes,” while Muskegon’s 13-year-old Brian Sydnor, “threatened, ‘Dell Sweeris, report to the desk or I will default you.’”

            No danger of Dell being threatened with default at the Michigan Open shortly before the National’s—not with Peter Pradit, Bernie Bukiet, Jerry Karbulka, and Jim Lazarus in the field. Karbulka, the Czech penholder who’s had deuce-in-the-4^th problems with chopper Sam Veillette, is described by covering reporter Jeff Smart (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1971, 27-28) as using “wood shots and a C stroke loop,” while his semi’s opponent, Pradit, “plays like jagged lightning with an at-the-bounce, slap-and-slip-and slide attack.” After winning the 1^st game at 7, Peter is down 17-12 in the 2^nd, then rallies to deuce it up. But now, says Jeff, Jerry “‘DOES HIS THING’—WHICH IS TO KILL THE BALL (he must have the hardest smash of anyone in the U.S). And wins 22-20. Match all even.”

            In the 3^rd, “Jerry’s super-loops, mixed with bothersome wood shots, seem too much for Peter who trails 13-6!” But then it’s 13-12!…And deuce again. Whereupon Peter gets a net, and, ad-down, Jerry pushes into the net. Pradit goes on to take Karbulka in 4, and, on beating Lazarus, advances to the final.

            Sweeris, down 19-15 in the 1^st against Bukiet, wins 6 in a row. Follows by increasing his lead to 2-up. So what, says Bernie, who’s soon blocking back everything Dell throws at him….In the 5^th, Dell’s up 10-2. But what’s a lead like that? says Jeff. “It’s every hustler’s average score.” Bukiet pulls to 13-11, “is just amazing. And then he misses a kill. And, strange, again the game switches round. Dell takes 7 out of 8 to end the match.”

            Against Pradit in the final, Sweeris, “spinning hard,” leads 14-7, but Peter catches him at 16-all and takes the 1^st at 18. Up 15-14 in the 2^nd, Sweeris evens by taking 6 straight points. After winning the 3^rd easily, Peter in the 4^th is “up 11-10, gets two nets! Then, at 14-11 he gets a net-edge!” But “some tremendous counter-driving” brings Dell to 16-all, and again he runs out the game. In the 5^th, Pradit’s up 13-11, and, after “both players get in about 20! fast counter-drives,…Sweeris smacks one through.” Pradit “gets tight,” and Dell is up 19-17 “and his forehand kill is really hot.” Only now he loses 3 straight, and Peter has him match point. After being forced back, Sweeris comes in, smacks a backhand. “What! It’s coming back! Well, kill it again.” Dell does. It’s a killer alright…right into the net. Pradit wins, 19 in the 5^th.

            At the Feb. 25 Max D. Gooden Open, the Championship Singles featured an 8-man round robin. First was Alan Goldstein (7-0). Second was the St. Louis Closed Champ Larry Chisolm (6-1, with a deuce in the 3^rd win over Jerry Plybon). Third, Plybon (5-2, with a 19 in the 3^rd win over Charlie Disney). Fourth, Disney (4-3). Fifth, Eric Woltasczyk (3-4). Sixth, Art Fiebig (2-5). Seventh, James Wachter (1-6). Eighth, Harry Sandner (0-7). Women’s Singles and Girls Under 17 went to Diana Myers over her winning Under 15 Doubles partner Jean Varker. The Mixed to Myers and Plybon. Men’s Doubles winners were Disney/Goldstein over Plybon/David Barnes.

            Tom Walsh tells us (TTT, Mar-Apr., 1971, 13) that the Feb. Nebraska Closed saw Steve Flansburg, “oft state champion,” by “varying spin and occasionally looping,” defeat former state champion Remus Kavas (formerly Kavalauskas), now of Chicago. (They’d play again in March, and this time Kavas almost hit through Flansburg, losing 25-23 in the 5^th.)  Women’s went to Diana Myers (over her mother Barbara), as did the Men’s Doubles (sic) where she partnered Flansburg (over Walsh/Kavas), and the Mixed where she paired with Champak Narotam (over Walsh/Barbara Myers).

            Other results: A’s: Walsh over Narotam. B’s: Leo Kudirka over Rodney Cowles. Murray Kutler, who was the Consolation winner over Charles Polson, dominated Junior play—he won the 17’s over Jon Deuchler, -16, 19, 17; the Junior Doubles with his brother Mark over Deuchler/Dave Downs; the 15’s over John Zaragosa; and the 13’s over Todd Petersen, the Under 11 Champ over Dan Downs. At the Boys Club tourney, Petersen, though playing only a year, was said to be impressive in the Under 10 division. The new Novice event went to Jim Malashock over “recent beginner,” the future USTTA Coaching Chair and National Program Director Bob Tretheway.

            Now here’s Oklahoma’s increasingly contributive Ron Shirley, not damning with faint praise, not even praising with feint damnation”:

 

“…How many table tennis fans outside the Southwest know that this area’s best player never plays in a sanctioned tournament and isn’t even a member of the USTTA? Besides that, he runs the best tournament in the Southwest each year and everybody who’s anybody in these parts plays in it. This very successful unsanctioned tournament [Texas Open] always runs on time, always offers the biggest trophies, and always is the big tournament we look forward to. Guess that just goes to show that USTTA sanctioning isn’t necessary for either a good or successful event…” (TTT, May-June, 1971, 25).

 

            How true. And how difficult it is, in a country so large, in a Lone Star state or elsewhere, to get everyone (and especially he who’s being referred to here, Louie Lancer) to embrace a National Association. Still, for almost 40 years now, many dedicated workers have continued and will continue to do just that. Must be something to be said for such a uniting.

 Bob O’Neill writes that on Feb. 6-7 Houston’s first sanctioned city tournament drew 45 entries, though some of them played on only one day, apparently not knowing they were supposed to play on two. In the Championship event, there were 6 round robin groups of 7 players each—with Group A being the strongest, followed by Group B. Cecil Kost, “with his strong loop and devastatingly accurate kills,” scored his first win over Hanumanth Rao to take Group A. Rao was second over Al Engel. Group B was won by Brad Fountain (his first ever trophy), with Fu Liem the runner-up via a tie-breaker with Phil Daly and Kelly Estes, the Boys Under 15 Champ over, among others, Perry Schwartzberg, a player we’ll hear quite a bit about later. Championship Doubles went to O’Neill/Don Weems over Kost/D.G. Van Vooren.

            Ron Shirley wrote entertainingly (TTT, May-June, 1971, 24) about the Oklahoma Open. The seedings, he said, went to seed; upstarts advanced:

 

“Take Wiriya Tjakra, for example….[He] was completely unknown and entered every event from Class C up. An engineering student at the University of Oklahoma, Tjakra took the court against [Dennis] Crawford         and quickly became very well known. And just as quickly thrown out of Class C.

 

Crawford, last year’s number one Oklahoma player, is usually death to a chopper—and Tjakra is definitely a chopper (his name almost sounds like chopper—the ‘Tj’ is pronounced like ‘Ch’). But Dennis’s powerful spins just didn’t phase his Indonesian opponent’s defense like they do most….”

 

            Though 4^th seed Crawford went down to Tjakra 18 in the 4^th, Ron had earlier given him his due—pointing out (in the March-April Topics) that Dennis, along with Norman Behymer, last season’s Oklahoma Boys Under 15 #2, were among 30 honorees, including baseball’s Johnny Bench, who received certificate awards at a Jan., ‘71 Oklahoma City Press Club Sports Headliner dinner. OCU basketball coach, Abe Lemons, gave a lemonish impression when, as Ron says, he “introduced Crawford and Behymer [whose name he never did pronounce correctly] as ‘tennis players’ and then as ‘tennis table players’ before finally spitting out ‘table tennis players.’”

            Ron also tells us, in proud maverick fashion, that, though neither Dennis or Norman “holds a USTTA Exhibition Player card,” doubtless “the national association won’t be too hard on them for introducing the sport to ten or fifteen thousand sports fans [by playing Christmas-holiday exhibitions with ‘spectacular shots’] at two sessions of the prestigious All-College Basketball tournament.”*

            Shortly after Crawford lost, here comes Wichita’s Gordon Beehler who was “‘almost unknown’ since he hadn’t played here in years and was assumed to be out of practice.” Beehler, like Tjakra, “chops a lot but at times he also hits well (HARD!) with his pimpled rubber.” Exit 3^rd-seed Joe Cummings, who lost in 5 (dropping the swing 3^rd game 22-20).

            Another surprise in the quarter’s was Don Berry—“super looper and spinner extraordinaire.” Three weeks earlier “this young Englishman from Manchester” had played at Fort Worth (that was in the unsanctioned Texas Open?) where he’d been “impressive.” Still, though he had Kevin Bell’s “cat-like speed,” it seemed likely that Kevin’s stay-at-the-table-and-hit game would be too much for Don’s spin-and-move style. But Berry beat the #1 seed in 4, 21-6 the last game. Only #2 seed David Bell escaped being upset. He advanced to the semi’s, 3-0, over Class C and U-15/U-13 winner Steve Hammond who also paired with Shirley to take the B Doubles.

            Thus, in the one semi’s, Berry looped away Tjakra in straight games (just as he’d done previously in the A final), and in the other, David Bell easily defeated Vern Eisenhour. David took Don in the final, 22-20 in the 4^th, in part perhaps because the Englishman might have been a mite tired after looping his way through 5-events and 18 matches. Berry did team with Cummings, though, to take the Men’s Doubles from Kevin Bell and Steve Arnold who provided Topics readers with an explanation of the 3^rd and 5^th-ball attack, especially as practiced by the “Red Chinese”—that is, serve so as to attack-for-the-point return, or serve and, if unable to immediately follow, aggressively maneuver so as to do so on the second return. Barry also partnered Paul LeBlanc to a win in the A Doubles over R.C. Watkins/John McAdams. Women’s went to Norma LeBlanc in 5 over (for the first time) Carmen Ortiz who’d eliminated Ozella Henderson. Mixed winners were: Ortiz/Cummings over LeBlanc/ Kevin Bell in 5.

Other results: Class B: Jay Evans (and his “steady variety of unusual spins”) in the semi’s, deuce in the 4^th, over David Barnes, and in the final over Avi Blattstein (who’d lost in the A’s to John Tomlinson deuce in the 3^rd). Senior’s: Watkins over Lou Coates. Under 17: Jerry Crawford 25-23 in the 5^th over Arnold who’d advanced 25-23 in the 5^th over Jim Hammond, runner-up to brother Steve in the 15’s, deuce in the 3^rd.

At the 19^th Annual Arizona Open, held Feb. 13-14 at the spacious New Moon Valley High Gym in Phoenix, top-seed Denis O’Connell’s forehand attack was too strong for runner-up Jim Bristol. Denis teamed with Ray Mack for an easy Doubles win over Bristol/Al Everett. Women’s went to 16-year-old Cindy Cooper over 16-year-old Elsie Spinning. Cindy, with Mack as her partner, also took the Mixed from Mac Horn/Spinning.

Mack recalls O’Connell as “a serious player who had the practice ‘plan’” of using Ray to practice his 3^rd and 5^th ball attacks. Once, Denis told Mack that he would never be a good player. “That hurt,” said Ray. “I wanted to know why.” Dennis asked him how long he’d been playing, apparently thinking that Ray, who was maybe 20, had been playing about 5 years. When Mack said, “Only 18 months,” Denis had a change of heart, and they began practicing and for a time played doubles together. Because Ray practiced with and encouraged Cindy Cooper to hit the ball properly—she used too much sidespin on her shots—he was able to play Mixed with her. Which, especially since they won, was great fun (“I had a huge crush on her because she was so nice and just plain beautiful”).    

Other Arizona Open results: A’s: Roger Yee over John Harrington. Yee also won the A Doubles with Danny Yu (over Ning Chang/Yinlin Chan). B’s: Tom Sacra over Bob Treece. Tom also won the B Doubles with Harold Kopper (over Treece/Ed Stein in 5). C’s: Chris Castro over Phoenix Club President Forrest Barr. Consolation’s: Jim DeMet over Russ Finley in 5. Senior’s: Helmuth Vorherr over Defending Champion Horn. Under 17’s: 14-year-old Mark DaVee over Cooper. Under 15’s: DaVee over Andrew Serrano.

Milla Boczar’s Hollywood Club, the site of two winter tournaments over a 6-week span, had a very distinguished visitor—the 1936 U.S. World Women’s Champion Ruth Aarons, newly accepted into the International Swaythling Club. Aarons, who in 1967 after the death of her brother, Lisle, moved from N.Y.C. to L.A., was accompanied to the Club by actress Shirley Jones and her son (by Jack), David Cassidy, whom Ruth was managing.** As a result of her visit, she met Wendy Hicks, was impressed by her, and afterwards wrote a Jan. 31 letter to a Mr. Yokoyama of Universal Orient Promotions in Tokyo hoping he or someone he knew might be able to help fund Miss Hicks to the upcoming Nagoya World’s. Ruth described Wendy as “a very likable and bright young woman, as well as a very talented athlete.” Wendy wrote an appropriate Thank You response to Ruth, but I’ve no record as to whether Mr. Yokoyama was able to help or not.

At the Jan. 30-31 Hollywood Open, Erwin Klein won the Men’s over Wayne Obertone. Ray Mack, echoing Alex Salcido’s appraisal of Erwin, didn’t think Klein was a very nice person because unless you were a high-ranking player he didn’t deign to speak to you. However, as a player, Ray thought Klein terrific, his touch “phenomenal.” Though some judged Erwin by this time to be “soft,” Ray marveled at his ability to return people’s chop with light topspin or to return their topspin with up-close-to-the-table chop. As for Obertone, he was sometimes mocked by young Raphel, a punster and natural mimic for whom everyone was fair game (me he referred to as “Tim Bogus”). Mack recalled how Wayne’s footwork was more than a little suspect—he’d take “no less than 6 (!) steps for a simple backhand push and return to the ready position.” Ray thought Obertone “probably suffered from a severe case of obsessive compulsive disorder, or maybe a severe case of perfectionism.” Since Wayne had worked diligently to become a performing pianist, good enough to go on tour, perhaps this had something to do with his need for preciseness.

Heather Angelinetta took the Women’s over Cindy Cooper. Once, in his innocence, Mack cheered loudly for Cindy when she got a net and incurred Heather’s wrath. Not sporting, she said, no skill to winning that point. Angelinetta, like Rufford Harrison, who was also from England, shared an obsessiveness about proper dress. Heather pointed out to Mack that his cheap $3 track suit, which he’d “been wearing for a year,” had “spelled the word ‘Patriots’ as ‘Patroits’ on the pants and sweatshirt.” Yeah, yeah, Ray knew that, and knew that without money he’d soon have to go back to Rochester, N.Y. But in the next quarter-century, with his many Genessee Valley titles and Lifetime Achievement Award, he would become a living legend among the Kodak camera-minded. Mixed Doubles went not to Angelinetta/Grossman but to Ray Guillen/Pauline Walker over Earl Jones/Angelita Rosal. Men’s Doubles to Guillen/Grossman over Nick Mintsiveris/Denis O’Connell. Milla and Fred Herbst, reporting on the Southern California scene (TTT, Mar.-Apr., 1971,12), say that Nick, “the friendly Greek bartender-college student,” had gone home last summer—that’s to Erie, Pennsylvania, where his parents have a restaurant—“and came back with a new bride, Carole.”

Other results: B’s: Andy Beckenbach over Dieter Huber. C’s: Eric Thom over Frank Huzarsky, 19 in the 4^th. Senior’s: Alex Gati over Ken Cunningham. Boys Under 17: Paul Raphel over Guillen. Girls Under 17: Cooper over Rosal. Boys Under 15: Raphel over Thom. Boys Under 13: David Lange (after he and his family had been in their native Scotland for a year) over Mickey Kritz, “recently of Israel.” Angelinetta/Herbst say that Mickey’s dad “is a prof at UCLA and author of a children’s book published in Israel and translated from Hebrew into English.”          

            At the Mar. 6-7 Open, a warm-up for the National’s at which the California TTA is paying the entry fees for any of its Juniors, Wendy Hicks was the Women’s winner over Angelita Rosal. (No Men’s Singles results provided.) Men’s Doubles winners were Guillen/Grossman over Darryl Flann/Bob Ashley. Mixed went to Guillen/Hicks over Flann/Walker. Mintsiveris, with his “bearcat-paw forehand and crushing backhand” beat Hicks in 5 to take the Class A’s. Ray Mack beat Thom in 5 to take the B’s.

Other results: Doug Hobson beat Larry Pekkannen in 5 to take the C’s. Guillen/Hicks also won the A Doubles—from Jim Bristol/Danny Banach. Best in B Doubles: Mack/Thom over Angelinetta/Herbst. Senior’s: Herbst over Russ Thompson. Under 17’s: Guillen over Raphel, -18, -19, 23, 15, 19. Mack said that Ray didn’t have Paul’s graceful, powered forehand or classy chop, but he could make “double-winged returns from near or far,” was tenacious, had “ a huge heart,” and an “unflaffable can-do attitude.” Under 15’s: Raphel over Thom.  Under 13’s: Kritz over Laing. Herbst/Angelinetta say that, under Alan Miller, the new CTTA Junior Development Chair (“who learned to play and coach in England”), “all juniors will receive a free membership.”

             At the Feb. 20-21 Cupertino Open, David Chan won the Men’s Singles (over George Makk) and the Men’s Doubles with H. Weber (over Makk/Azmy Ibrahim). Apparently there was no Women’s event, but the Mixed went to Jim Naik/Hilde Brautigan over Chan/Yuriko Kirby. Ibrahim took both the A Singles (over Ramon Fernandez) and the A Doubles with Fernandez (over Richard Terry/Mike Greene). Azmy’s obviously been playing, but I haven’t noticed him on the tournament scene. Perhaps because Don Gunn reported that in Nov. of 1969, “in a colorful Coptic Christian ceremony,” Azmy married Margaret Harada, “possibly the most beautiful woman ever to come from Hawaii, or anywhere else.” No, she doesn’t play t.t., but “she sometimes works at tournaments, and was a great help at the 1969 Nationals.”

            The Eugene, OR Club has its own player ratings (based on league as well as tournament play), but at its Jan. 30^th Eugene Open, seedings could not be based just on local play. Men’s winner was Tom Ruttinger over Joe Lee who’d knocked out Rob Roberts. Women’s winner was Judy Bochenski, Eugene’s #2, over University of Oregon’s Rachel Pong. Men’s Doubles went to Lee/Roberts in 5 over Eugene’s #1 Jeff Kurtz/Bob Ho. Mixed to Ruttinger/Bochenski over Earl Adams/Karen Berliner.

            Judy, who plays the clarinet in her Sheldon High School band, will not only turn in a Championship performance at the Atlanta U.S. Open, but, along with TV appearances on “To Tell The Truth” and “What’s My Line,” will solo onto center stage at the Oregon Legislature and with continuing aplomb perform the role of that state’s most acclaimed teenage diplomat. And, though it probably prompts only “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” in-group recall, who knows, perhaps she and Olga, with tears of joy, brought the hamburger to China.

 

SELECTED NOTES.

*In the Dec., 1970 issue of Topics (7), Rufford Harrison had taken to task the Detroit officials who’d stopped play on 60 tables at the USOTC’s to announce that those who gave exhibitions without a USTTA Exhibition card would be subject to suspension. Ridiculous. It was to the Association’s benefit for adept players to give exhibitions. O.K., so the Exhibition player pays a $10 fee for his card, question is, What does he get in return? Rufford concludes that many players will continue to ignore this stupid threat and “go their independent ways if the USTTA doesn’t adopt a more positive attitude.”

**Actor Richard Neilson, who, as Jimmy Nelson, was runner-up in the 1940 English Open Junior’s to Jimmy Bermingham, told me he first met Ruth Aarons at a Shirley Jones Cassidy dinner party, and that he and she hit it off talking excitedly about English Team players. Later, he said, they were both members of an in-group “Nowhere To Go But Up” Club.