CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
1974:
Summer Tournaments—Part I.
Tyra Parkins tells us (TTT, July-Aug., 1974, 18) that the 16-table, 125+-entry Olympia Open, sponsored by the Olympia Brewing Co. and the Washington State TTA, was held July 27-28 at the “air-conditioned, modern, well-lighted, hardwood floored, unobstructed, vast gymnasium at Seattle University.” Kudos to Roger Cook, who, in interpolating the U.S. and some 30 Canadian entries’ rankings/ratings with Dr. Michael Scott, III’s assistence, produced “an uncannily accurate ”draw. Also, more than a nod of thanks goes to tournament workers Dr. Michael Scott, II, Lee Olsen, Harold Russell, Tyra Parkins, Anthony Dodoye-Alali, and Steve Lightfoot.
Before play started, there was, I won’t say an Olympian but enough of a controversy aired in Topics (Sept.-Oct., 1974, 16; 18) between two Seattle clubs—the Ping Pong Parlor, represented by its “Committee of 32,” and the University Club connected with the Washington State TTA, represented by Dr. Michael Scott, II.
The “32” felt that the University Club resented the opening of the Ping Pong Parlor, where one could play every night of the week, because it took players away from the University Club, of necessity under a restricted schedule of play. The “32” say that on July 17 Joe Lee mailed an envelope “containing [filled out] entry blanks and playing fees for the Olympia tournament.” Because of a tight deadline, Joe called Michael and said the entries of Tom Ruttinger and others were coming. “Two days before the tournament,” Michael told Joe over the phone that “no entries had been received from the Ping Pong Parlor, that all the draws had been made, and that Mr. Lee should inform his friends that they would not be welcome to come to the tournament even as spectators! [I presume, if Dr. Scott said this, he thought there’d be more hassles for him if they were there].” Michael insisted his club was not selectively excluding these Ping Pong Parlor entries as charged. He said all late entries had been rejected, including Eddie Lo’s.
As it happened, the envelope Lee sent (with Tom Ruttinger’s return name and address on it), though correctly addressed, was returned to Mr. Ruttinger “unopened, postmarked July 23 as mailed to an unknown address” [my italics]. Huh? Understandably, Tom—whom Dr. Scott said wasn’t on an “official list of USTTA approved players,” was apparently snubbing the USTTA, for he “intended to purchase a $2.00 playing permit”)—came to the tournament seeking an explanation. Michael showed Tom what he and Joe Lee hadn’t seen in two different places on the entry blank—that not just a right street address but a name was required.
Lee had been to Scott’s home playing table tennis “less than one week prior to the deadline,” and said that he wasn’t going to play in the tournament. But, since they were friendly, when Joe told Mike entries were coming, and they didn’t come, Mike could have called Joe and maybe, or maybe not, likely not, have been able to take the entries over the phone. But why have to go to that trouble? (Turns out that Ruttinger—whom Dr. Scott said wasn’t on an “official list of USTTA approved players,” was apparently snubbing the USTTA, for he’d “intended to purchase a $2.00 playing permit.”)
Anyway, the tournament was held, apparently uneventfully. The Men’s was won by Peter Joe over Gerry Hamer, 18 in the 4th. Tyra wrote that “Peter’s penhold style and feline reflexes were in sharp contrast to Gerry’s close-to-the table stance, unorthodox [Seemiller-like] grip…and more bear-like reactions.” Often Peter would be in the midst of a follow through when Gerry’s “lightning fast block” would force him along the way to adjust his timing and forehand stroke. “Peter also had to display…fancy footwork to neutralize Gerry’s deft and diabolic placement of his blocks; whereas Gerry was content to patiently remain almost statue-like in his stance until Peter’s ‘a little-too-high return’ came to his forehand.” Then—wham!—came Hamer’s hammer. “At that moment, his glasses departed and his magnificent beard and long hair would distend as if he had put his finger in a light socket.”
In the absence of Defending Champion Judy Bochenski, the Women’s went to a “vastly improved Nimi Athwal”—over Karen Halverson in straight games. Tyra said, “At times it sounded like an Athwal clan convention with Simi, Nimi, Onkar, Amrit, and Pritham Athwal being paged over the loudspeaker for their matches.” Open Doubles went to Joe/Eddie Lo over Hamer/Alan Bajkov in 5. Senior winner was Mike Scott, II over Art Ngai, 11, 19, -23, -21, 15. “Mike has developed a Bill Rapp-style loop that is tantalizingly high and just seems to slowly float over the net, but is leaded with spin.” To “neutralize Mike’s blocking, looping, and counter-driving,” Art varied “his game style from topspin to chopping, [from] driving to spectacular lobbing, and [from a] close-up stance to [one] far back.”
Other results: Class I: Hamer over Greg Eng, 19 in the 4th. Class I Doubles: Eng/Ron Ferrians over Hamer/Onkar Athwal. Class II: Jeff Woo over Dick Tucker. II Doubles: Eng/Paul Lee over O. Athwal/Woo. Class III: Juggy Padda over Cook. Novice: Yale Sage over Brent Northrup, 17, -20, 20, then over Padda in 5. Novice Doubles: Bill Dobson/Cook over Randy Lowe/Sage.
Paddle Palace put on three summer tournaments. Don Nash reported on the 19-event June 7-9 Rose Festival Open. Results: Men’s ($200 in prize money): Tom Ruttinger, -19, 13, 19, 16, over Joe Lee, “his partner in the newly formed [March, 1974] table tennis center in Seattle.” Women’s: Marie Mason over Lori Mason. Open Doubles: Ed Ng/Keun Chung over Bob Ho/Paul Chang. Mixed Doubles: Joe/Penny Lee over Bill/Marie Mason. Family Doubles: Jack/Charlie McLarty over Earl/Jay Adams. Senior’s: Ho over retired actor Russ Thompson who made the long trip up from Hollywood. U-17’s: Kevin Young over Jay Crystal, 24-22 in the 3rd. U-15’s: Chris Burton over Bobby Rinde.
Other winners: A’s: Monsonori Yoshimura,” probably the most determined, intense player in the Northwest” (samurai echoes abound?) over Chung, -19, 20, 19, 20 (wow, that’s determined alright). 2nd best match: Paul Chang over Earl Adams, -10, 23, 21. B’s: Dunbar Carpenter over Ferrians who’d downed Crystal, 18 in the 3rd. B Doubles: Gordon Favell/George Steffanissin over Ferrians/Burton, deuce in the 3rd. C’s: Bill Vazquez over Rinde, 19 in the 3rd, then over Rick Brown. D’s: Bruce Carlson over Jim James, 19 in the 3rd. D Doubles: Cook/Burton over David/Jim James. Unrated Singles: Dennis Foster over Geoffrey Hanks. Dennis traveled about 2300 miles from Claypool, AZ and back, and played tirelessly in 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 events. Handicap Singles: Susan Fredrickson over Foster. Warm-Up Singles: Arnie Anderson, who by car covered 1600 round-trip miles from Salt Lake City, over Carpenter, 18 in the 3rd. Draw Doubles: Brian Wright/Mike Bochenski over Bruce Rufener/Anderson, -19, 16, 22.
The next Paddle Palace tournament was held July 5-7, so was named the Firecracker Open. But Don Nash (TTT, July-Aug., 1974, 19) tells us about a soaring hope that’s fizzled. In our Club, he says, “there are three times as many players in Class F (below 1000 points) as in any other category, but in tournaments we have failed to bring these players out into events structured especially for them. Usually the awards have been the same for Class F as for the Open [!].” Meanwhile, “dozens of players bring sleeping bags and stay overnight at the Paddle Palace, sleeping on padded leatherette built-in lounge seating that surrounds the main playing area.”
Results: Team’s: ex-Korean Keun Chung; Masanori Yoshimura; and Joe Lee over Judy Bochenski; former Oregon Champ from Vietnam Vo Que Han; and Ed Ng, 5-3 (Lee won all three, and Yoshimura downed Ng and Han). Open Singles: Judy Bochenski over 14-year-old Peter Joe. Best match: Jeff Kurtz over Yoshimura, 24, -21, 10, 20. Biggest upset: B.C.’s Alan Bajkov over Oregon Champ Ron Carver in 5. Open Doubles winners: Lee/Yoshimura over Bochenski/Ng who’d –12, 20, 17 barely survived Kurtz/Dave Hudson. (Dave got burned this Firecracker Open—lost enough points to drop him out of the “Master” class, so, if it’s any consolation to him, he can play in the A’s next tournament.) Judy, we learn elsewhere, has been busy—Pepsi Cola has sponsored her “in weekly exhibitions at supermarkets and at city parks, as well as at two county fairs and the Oregon State Fair.”
Other winners: Senior’s: Tore Fredrickson over Dick Tucker. U-17’s: Joe over Mike Bochenski. U-15’s: Roger Woo over Jeff Woo, then over Rinde (Jeff scored a stunning upset in the Team’s over Judy). A’s: Joe over David Davallou, -19, 16, 19. But since Joe reached the Open final, he couldn’t win the A’s. Hence Hiroshi Takaki, whom Joe beat in the semi’s, should have played Davallou for the title, but due to an error by the Tournament Director he didn’t—and on downing Fredrickson, whom Joe had beaten in the quarter’s, Takaki was declared the winner. B’s: Roger Woo over Victor Chan, -19, 19, 19. D’s: Bruce Carlson over Dan Farber in 5. E’s: Walker over Warren Palin who’d escaped Jay Adams, 19 in the 3rd. D Doubles: Terry Walker/Farber over Dean Doyle/Scott Levitin.
This was young Doyle’s first tournament—and it wasn’t long before Lou Bochenski sent in an article to Topics that made 4’,10” Dean July-Aug.’s “Junior of the Month” (12). When he started in Paddle Palace League play, Dean had “a rating of 750 points, the lowest you can go.” Intelligent, quick learning, an ideal student, he developed smoothness and steadiness by practicing with the Sitco robot, and his winning smile “gained him a practice partner whenever he wanted one, which was all day every day.” So of course with such dedication Doyle started making goals for himself, one of which was to quickly rise to a rating of 1,000 points or more. In a moment we’ll see how he did in the next Paddle Palace tournament, the Aug. 9-10 Northwest Open.
Lou can’t say enough nice things about Dean:
“…[He showed he’s] a master of all talents at [Judy’s exhibitions]…buzzing around with the clipboard to get challenger’s names, handling the P.A. system like a veteran, setting up and taking down the equipment, and even being one of the stars in the play itself. People find it hard to believe that someone can play so spectacularly with only four weeks of coaching. His personality shines, and he is a great asset as an advertisement for the Paddle Palace. We plan to use him in exhibitions in school assemblies and in clinics for teachers and P.E. instructors in the Fall.
He has advertised the Paddle Palace…by phoning the ‘Calling All Sports’ network radio talk show. No adult could possibly have handled it better. His ‘plug,’ spoken in a little boy’s voice, was far more valuable than any paid commercial….
Dean has been practically adopted by the Bochenski family with the youngest Bochenski, Mike, being his special buddy. He ‘camps out’ in the Palace room in a sleeping bag on one of the popular 90-foot couches, and so guards the Palace over night, along with Mike and faithful Tippy. Many adventures can be had at the Paddle Palace, such as flying paper airlines, lobbing a table tennis ball, playing pool, chess, or other games, moving the ceiling-high painting scaffolding, or entertaining visitors such as Dal-Joon Lee (D-J and Dean are undefeated doubles partners).
[As for good sportsmanship,] if it’s old-fashioned to refrain from swearing, throwing your paddle, shouting and showing your anger, then these [Paddle Palace] juniors led by Dean are plenty old-fashioned….”
Results from the Aug. 9-11 Northwest Open: 3-Man Team’s: 1. Tom Ruttinger/ Ken Pitts/ Kuen Chung. 2. Yoshimura/ Yuki Yamada/ Eddie Lo. Men’s: Tom Ruttinger over Eddie Ng, 18 in the 4th. Open Doubles: Ruttinger/Yoshimura over Vo Que Han/Judy Bochenski. A’s: Paul Chang over Yamada. B’s: Henry Swain over Jim Tisler. B Doubles: Jay Crystal/Mike Bochenski over Chris Depee/Bruce Douglass. C’s: Rick Brown over Bruce Carlson. D’s: Jim James over Clay Ashley who’d outlasted Dave Morrison, 24-22 in the 3rd. Senior’s: Bob Ho over Tisler. U-17’s: Mike Bochenski over Bobby Rinde. U-15’s: David James over Dean Doyle, 21, 19. Dean gained 196 rating points this tournament—which brought him to over 1100 points: goal achieved.
At the Aug. 10-11 San Francisco Summer Open, Dave Chan was the Men’s winner over Peter Yu in 5, then over Henry Fung. Earlier, Chan and Yu both had 5-game battles with, respectively, Dick Evans and Richard Liang (deuce in the 5th). Open Doubles: Chan/Fung over John Tannehill/Evans, 18 in the 4th. Miami’s Caron Leff, out west on vacation, found John giving lessons this summer at the San Francisco Club. A’s: Mike Greene over Chu. B’s: Glenn, deuce in the 5th, over Pang, who’d eliminated Chan, 23-21 in the 3rd. C’s: King Tom d. Chan who’d ousted Glenn, 19 in the 3rd. B/C Doubles: Pang/Chick Chui d. Masaaki Tajima/Jonas Danso. Sat. Consolation: Tajima over Frank Chang. Sun. Consolation: Tom over Tajima. Senior’s: Evans over Bob Stone. U-17’s: Fung over Tito LeFranc.
Pat Crowley said that Monica and Chris Rosal were two of maybe 250 local players who went to Anaheim to participate in the Aug. 8-11 Orange County Easter Seal Tourn-A-Thon. Play was all-day, all-night to benefit the Rehabilitation Institute of Orange County (RIO). Coordinator Ginny Reid said, “This is a great way to have fun and help crippled children and adults at the same time.”
Results from the Aug. 17-18, 22-event Santa Monica Open: Men’s: Joong Gil Park over Guillen. In his semi’s, Ray had defeated Glenn Cowan in 5 after Glenn had taken out Grossman, 19 in the 4th. Open Doubles: Cowan/Banach (down 2-0) over Guillen/Eric Thom. Women’s: Patty Martinez over Monica Rosal. Mixed Doubles: Mark Adelman/Martinez over Guillen/Heather Angelinetta, 24, 20, 16. Esquire’s: Paal in 5 over Wilson who’d just gotten by Thompson, 19, -16, 22. It was here in Santa Monica, at the Y, that Wilson started to play—the year was 1935. Senior’s: Paal over Evans. Senior Doubles: Thompson/Banach over Semana Nautica Senior’s winner Dick Badger/Huber. Who should suddenly surface and want to play in the late-Aug. San Diego Open but Marty Doss, formerly a top U.S. player. As they say, he’s been “on the run” ever since the fall of ‘67 when he was managing the Prince Georges T.T. Club in Maryland. He’d played in Germany, then returned, incurring a $100 debt to the USTTA. At a Nov., 8-9, 1969 E.C. Meeting, President Graham Steenhoven had suspended him because he’d not paid the $100 he owed the Association (though after some delay he did pay $25). Graham asked that a note about Doss’s suspension be sent to Eastern clubs and to Topics. Now, since years have passed, Pacific Region Tournament Director wants to know from current Disciplinary Chair Mike Scott (who has no record of any action taken against Doss), and Mike in turn wants to know from former Disciplinary Chair Jack Carr (1) “If Doss is still actively suspended from the USTTA can he purchase a $2.00 players’ permit?”; and (2) “Is Doss eligible to purchase a USTTA card and be reinstated?” Carr’s advice is, “It’s your Committee’s call to let him play, or not, but Jack makes it clear he’d never let Doss play in any tournament he ran…for reasons I don’t need to go into here. Result? Marty didn’t play.
San Diego Results: Open Singles: Park over Guillen. Best late-round matches: Dean Galardi over Thom, and Patty Martinez over Al Everett, both in 5. Men’s Doubles: Tommy Vaello/Everett over Guillen/Thom, -14, -19, 19, 22, 24, then, 20, 19, 26 over Bill Ukapatayasakul/Adelman who’d squeaked by Ray Fahlstrom/Cowan, deuce in the 5th. Senior’s: Paal over Carmen Ricevuto. Senior Doubles: Paal/Frank Suran over Bill Cooper/Ricevuto. A’s: Jafar Fatemi over Sanchez, 19 in the 5th. A Doubles: Carr/Lofthouse over Lechtick/Steve Varella in 5. B’s: Sam Liang over Carr. B Doubles: Banagas/Carr over Mark Peeling/Richard Alden. C’s: Banagas over Al Martz.
What are D-J Lee, Dell and Connie Sweeris, and especially Bruce Plotnick doing so far from home, playing out in Denver in the Aug. 10-11 Rocky Mountain Open? One answer: winning events (and money?). Championship Singles: Lee over Sweeris, 19 in the 4th. Best win: Joe Windham over Jack Howard, 23-21 in the 4th. Men’s Doubles: Sweeris/Jim Wherry over Howard/Plotnick, 22, -13, 17, then over Lee/Bob Leatherwood, 22, -13, 17. Women’s: Sweeris over Jan Polkinghorne. Mixed Doubles: Sweeris/Sweeris over Denver Affiliate contact-man Jerry Plybon/Polkinghorne.
A’s: Plotnick over Larry Kesler. A Doubles: Wherry/Leatherwood over Plotnick/Steve Simon. B’s: Dom Tse over Jones. B Doubles: Jim Cavanaugh/Jim Riddell over Edmonds/Lee. C’s: Aniefiok Archibong over Polkinghorne. Consolation (one game to 31): Sy Kenig over Riddell, 31-21. Esquire’s: Ed Stein over Kenig. Senior’s: Stein over Cavanaugh, 19 in the 3rd. U-17’s: Plotnick over Randy Nedrow. U-15’s: Plotnick over Paul Cracraft who’d advanced over Dave Jones, 19, 17, -21, 19. Under 17 Doubles: Plotnick/Jones over Paul Groenig/Nedrow. Father/Son Doubles: Bill/Tim Walsh over F.B./Bryan Lucas.
Marianne Szalay informs us that a Mexican International Team Tournament was scheduled for Houston (complimentary hotel rooms had been booked at a Red Carpet Inn), but it had to be canceled. (Why?) However, a Mexican Team did play in a spring Panama Invitational, and Armando Quintero, the #2 Mexican behind Roberto Otero, won the Men’s Singles over Hue Wei Sing of the People’s Republic of China.
The July 13-14 San Antonio Closed was a strange sort of Closed. Why? Because you didn’t have to be from there to play in it. Men’s: Houston’s Don Weems in 5 over Austin’s John Hewes who’d outlasted Steve Smith, -11, 18, -24, 19, 18. Women’s: Marjory Wilcox, who 30 years earlier had been a U.S. Open quarterfinalist, over Arlington Heights, IL U-13 entry Faan Yeen Liu. In 5 years Faan Yeen will be the U.S. Closed Women’s runner-up. Men’s Doubles: Paul LeBlanc/Mike Finnell over Weems/Randy Gay. Mixed Doubles: Weems/Norma LeBlanc over Paul LeBlanc/Cindy Garza. A’s: Hewes over Ryan in 5, then over Smith. B’s: Ryan over Ron Heilman, -16, 16, 22, 19. Consolation’s: Simon over Gay. U-17’s: Finnell over Faan Hoan Liu. U-15’s: Faan Hoan Liu over Stephen Tenay who’d defeated Faan Hoan’s sister, Faan Yeen, after she’d –15, 30, 11 stubbornly downed Loren Stone. U-13’s: Faan Yeen Liu over Arthur Amaya who’d 19 in the 3rd gotten by Patrick Fromme.
At the July 27-28 Purcell, Oklahoma Open, Joe Windham, whom we’d seen training in Grand Rapids, won the Men’s over runner-up Charles Butler. 3rd-Place went to Russell Finley; 4th to Steve Hammond. Men’s Doubles: Eisenhour/Fagan over Crawford/Finley. Women’s winner, playing in her first tournament, was 10-year-old Kathy Thompson of Bartlesville, OK over Janet Collins of Dallas. Mixed Doubles: D. Rodriguez/Collins over R. Crawford/Angie Crawford.
A’s: Eisenhour over Fagan who’d squeaked by Dana Jeffries –13, 19, 20. A Doubles: Fagan/Ray Bennett over Eisenhour/Jim Hammond in 5. B’s: Davis Ragnell over Meredith Elston. B Doubles: Elston/Chuck Davis over P./S. Olivier who out-endured Jim Short/Mark Kennedy, -19, 18, 24. C’s: Mark Stoolz over Kennedy. Senior’s: Eisenhour over Lou Coates. U-17’s/U-15’s: Gerald Evans over Short. U-17 A’s: Floyd McCammon over Brad Nichols. Junior Doubles: Finnell/Terry Cortez over Short/Harold Hull. U-13’s: Stoolz over Cortez. U-11’s: Kathy Thompson over Terry Seidle.
Leighton Johnson (TTT, July-Aug., 1974, 23) fills us in on the annual Aquatennial Open, held July 27-28 at Magoo’s. It was the largest one to date—with “over 100 local entries and a contingent of 20 players from Iowa.” A note of thanks to “co-directors Scott Colesworthy and Nick Steblay, and their helpers Leighton Johnson and Steve Steblay.”
In conjunction with those 20 out-of-towners from Iowa, that same July-Aug. TTT (11), features a promotional article by Don Larson and Charlie Disney. Magoo’s, in an effort “to encourage more out-of-state players to travel to local tournaments around the [Midwest] region,” want to start the ball rolling. So, (1) they’re “going to resume the paying of traveling expenses” to Magoo’s tournaments. “The rate will be 4 cents a mile one way for any car with 4 or more people for distances greater than 200 miles.” Also, (2) “For any club that sends a carload of players to a Magoo’s tournament, we will guarantee a carload or more of our players will go to their tournament.” And (3), to promote inter-club team matches at tournaments, Don and Charlie hope “to include a 2-man team event” at their next tournament. The overall idea is to generate more quality competition and so attract more players and spectators. Don and Charlie work hard to try to get the Sport noticed. They and Rich Sinykin “gave a very professional and successful exhibition at the Minneapolis Sports Center during the half-time of the Minnesota Buckskins World Team Tennis Match on August 7.”
Aquatennial Results. Men’s: Houshang Bozorgzadeh over runner-up John Soderberg. 3rd Place: State Men’s Champ Pete Tellegen; 4th Place: Joe Bujalski who’d upset Disney in 5. But Charlie, take heart. Fellow, name of John Weinstein, says he was in Minneapolis for a scientific convention, wanted to mix business with pleasure, so he came to Magoo’s. Was enjoying himself so much, could feel he was getting better, that, after the convention ended, he called his wife, said he wanted to stay the weekend, then called her again, said he wanted to stay 10 more days. “Strangely enough, she believed me. And understood!” So, under Charlie’s “superb tutelage,” this enthusiast figures he improved his game 10 points.
Open Doubles: Bozorgzadeh/Disney over Larson/Tellegen who’d upset State Champs Rich Sinykin/Steve Strauss, 25-23 in the 5th. Women’s: State Champ Sheila O’Dougherty hit through Janet Jamison’s hardbat defense. Mixed Doubles: Strauss/ O’Dougherty over Stu Sinykin/Judy Heichart. Esquire’s: Peter Verteiko over Chester Halpern. Senior’s: Minnesota Senior Champ Ray Mosio over Bujalski. U-17 A’s: John Soderberg over his brother Jeff. U-17 B’s: Adam Gottesman over Judy Heichart after Judy had escaped Gordy Thompson, 26-24 in the 3rd. Junior Doubles: John Soderberg/Mosio over Stillions/Greg Redman. U-15’s: Greg Mosio over Jeff Soderberg. U-13’s: Stillions over Minnesota State Midget Champion Tom Soderberg.
Tom McEvoy reports (TTT, July-Aug., 1974, 26) that Dell Sweeris felt he had “too many other obligations”—including some much-praised training camps this summer—to be able to run his Grand Rapids Woodland Center properly. The new co-owners, Jim Bednar and Bill Connelly, held their inaugural tournament, the Woodland Open, on June 22.
Results: Men’s: Paul Raphel ($50), -16, -19, 14, 18, 9 over Joe Windham, then over Mike Veillette who’d 17, 20, 20 defeated Joe Rokop, after Joe had gotten by Mike Baber in 5. Other good matches: Veillette over Paul Lamse’s forehand loop and wood backhand when, at 19-all in the 4th, Mike moved to finish Paul with an edge and a kill. Windham over Mike Carter: from down 2-1 and 19-20 in the 4th, and from down 19-20 in the 5th. McEvoy said, Windham must have had an angel on his side, or the devil—but isn’t the devil a fallen angel?” Women’s: Michelle McKinstry over Joan Kohn. Senior’s: Ward Wood over Bruce McGee, then over Bill Hornyak. Bruce upset top-seed Bong Ho who, after seeing Hasegawa play at the U.S. Open, was trying to switch from a penhold to a shakehands grip. U-17’s: Baber over Andy Hopping. U-13’s: John Huizinga over Mark Kohn.
Men’s A’s: Baber rallied to make Lamse’s game deadwood. But Paul had knocked out both Al Martz who’d upset Pat Cox, and Craig Burton who with his anti-spin had eliminated Carter. Women’s A’s: Joyce Donner over McKinstry. B’s: McEvoy by default over Larry Su who’d “mumbled something about getting his children back to Lansing—he’d brought his kids but not his wife.” B Doubles: McEvoy/Hopping over Burton/Gary Whiddon. C’s: Whiddon over Garrett Donner. D’s: Ives (Slamming Sammy) Jackson over McGee. D Doubles: McGee/Butler over Steve Campana/Milt Schatz. Novice: Henry Dollinger, who came all the way from Kansas City, over Campana. Handicap: Butch Huizinga over Dick Butler, 51-41.
McEvoy, in an adjacent Topics article, also reports on the July 12-13 Michigan Open at the Woodland Center. Class A Team’s (5 three-man entries: #1, under 1800; #2, under 1700; and #3, under 1600): McEvoy/Irl Copely/Jim Bednar over Jim Schorf/Barb Taschner; and Larry Thalman, 5-1 (Schnorf on beating McEvoy tied with Copely for best record: 7-1).
Advancing on one side of the Men’s draw into a 4-player round robin were Seemiller, Raphel, Baber (who’d upset Jerry Thrasher), and Gary Wittner (who’d eliminated Rokop). Advancing on the other side into a parallel round robin were Sweeris (23-21 in the 4th with Carter), Veillette, Windham, and Ricky Seemiller (21-19 in the 4th with McEvoy). The top group saw Seemiller finish 3-0 and gain the final over Raphel, 2-1. In the bottom group, Sweeris, 3-0, reached the final, but not without a 19-in-the-4th struggle with Veillette, and despite losing 19 and 20 games to fast-improving Ricky Seemiller. Ricky also provided terrific spectator action in two other matches. He beat Veillette in 4—after rallying from 1-10 down to take the 1st at 16, then went on to win after losing the 2nd 25-23. He also came back from down 2-0 against Windham.
In the first two games of his final with Dell, Danny, hitting and blocking beautifully, won 14, 16 games. But then, though leading most of the 3rd, he lost it at 19. In the 4th, Dell caught Danny at 19-all, and now the two played “one of the most beautiful exchanges” McEvoy had ever seen. “Danny took the attack, forcing Dell back to the barriers, as Dell returned one, two, three smashes of Danny’s, then Danny pushed one and Dell took the attack, forcing Danny back. Then Danny countered and Dell countered right back, and then Danny hit the next ball off.” But could Dell, with the ad, force the match into the 5th? Nope—19-year-old Danny kept his cool.
Other results: A’s: Baber over Jeff Smart, then over Bill Davis, both 18 in the 3rd. B’s: Schnorf over Neal Fox, 19 in the 3rd, then 19, 19 over Vic Meridith who ousted McEvoy, 19 in the 3rd in expedite. C’s: Sam Shannon over Hornyak. D’s: Bruce McGee over Dan Hayes by default—too hot and humid for Dan. Novice: Steve Claflin, U-13 runner-up, over Gary Gallick, -19, 17, 23. Handicap: Windham ($20) over Whiddon, 51-48. Other matches of note: Sweeris over Baber, 52-50; Whiddon over Sweeris, 51-47; Windham over Seemiller and McEvoy.
Bill Connelly, who was managing the Woodland Club, became involved in a summer controversy (TTT, July-Aug., 1974, 11) with Marshall Barrymore, President of the Michigan TTA, over the sanction fees that Michigan clubs were charging—“5% of gross receipts for open tournaments and 10% for all closed tournaments.” Bill didn’t see why he should pay such fees—in Woodland’s case, $500—to a “stagnant and virtually useless organization.” What was he getting in return? Granted the MTTA “pays $30 a year to each junior member for out of state entry fees,” Gordon Redding is Woodland’s only active junior, and he’s sponsored by the Club. Woodland is unique in holding “a series of at least twelve tournaments a year in which cash awards are given.” Woodland “sponsored a tournament that featured top players and offered over $1,500 in prize money.” Woodland paid for the Japanese and Indian teams to come to Grand Rapids after the U.S. Open. Both Bill and supporter Tom McEvoy argued that a club as professional and helpful to the Sport as Woodlawn ought to be given a sanction break. You do want to see it survive, don’t you?
Barrymore replied that, in addition to supporting out-of-state junior play, the MTTA sponsors “four teams to the U.S. Open Team Championships.” Thus, he said, given this use of MTTA funds, “I am certain that the Woodland Club has derived and experienced substantial financial benefit.” For the recent Team Championships, the MTTA “contributed approximately $82 for two members of the Woodland Club.” Marshall’s son, Jay, “encouraged by the prospect of trying out for the Michigan Junior Team,” attended clinics at the Center and stimulated others to go there too. In addition, he “paid $60 for an annual tournament playing pass at Woodland.” Actually, said Barrymore, the “total tournament fee revenue paid in the last two fiscal years by the Woodland Center was $166.26”—or “$27.71 per tournament [for 6 tournaments].” Was $27 a tournament so taxing?
McEvoy responded to Barrymore in the Sept.-Oct. issue (19). Tom felt it was insulting to Bill that Marshall thought he, Tom, might have ghost written Connelly’s Topics letter. C’mon, Bill didn’t get his degree in Psychology without being able to write papers. Marshall wanted to clear up any misstatements, but then made one himself when he said that Bill told him in a phone conversation that he didn’t see any value in paying USTTA dues. Bill denied this, and, moreover, his Topics Letter had made it clear he didn’t at all begrudge the USTTA its $50 tournament fee. McEvoy extracted Barrymore’s dart that said, as a V-P of the MTTA Tom missed Board meetings—and with a convincing explanation threw it back at him. In other comments, McEvoy let it be known that he thought the MTTA was “less than dynamic.