CHAPTER SEVEN.
1975: Summer Tournaments.
Back now to U.S. tournaments. Tyra Parkins reports (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 15) on the Athletic Supply Co. Open, held July 26-27 at the Seattle University Gym, an exceptionally fine playing venue that’s the home court of the Washington TTA. Joe Lee won the 68-entry Open over Canada’s 39-year-old Eric Calveley in straight games, including the 2nd in which Eric, leading 16-8, looked to win a point with an edge ball, but just as he said “Sorry,” Joe, lunging, drove his return in for a winner, then went on to take the game. Partnered by Alan Michael, runner-up to Dean Doyle in the U-17’s, Lee also took the Open Doubles from Paul Chang/Dave Davallou. Women’s Champ was Adt Waltrud of West Germany over Parello Smith who’d -18, 21, 21 outlasted Parkins. For the fifth straight year, the Senior’s went to Dr. Michael Scott over Art Ngai, Coach of the British Columbia Team.
Other results: Class I: Alan Bajkov, a pick-hit defender formerly from Hungary, now playing out of British Columbia, over Dick Tucker of North Carolina. Class I Doubles: Smith/Bajkov over Lee Olson/Dick DuBonne. Class II: Jay Adams over Tore Fredrickson. In the semi’s, Michael Scott, III, now going to Medical School, gave Jay a tough 18-in-the-3rd fight, and Tucker, despite faithfully taking his proper combination of assorted pills washed down with gulps of distilled water, was stopped by Tore, 25-23 in the 3rd. Class II Doubles: Scott, III/Roger Cook over Adams/Scott Levitin. Class III: Waltrud over Brian Bircher.
We hear from Lou Bochenski (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 15) that at the Rico’s Red Lion Open, played at the Paddle Palace, Aug. 16-17, 13-year-old Bobby Rinde upset three of the Northwest’s best players to win, startlingly, not the U-15’s (which he lost to Doyle, 19 in the 3rd) but the Open! In succession he downed Oregon State Champ Ron Carver in 4, then former South Korean National Junior Champion Keun Chung in 5 (Chung had won the Harvard Summer Open two weeks earlier here), and finally Vo Qui Han in 4. He also paired with Mike Bochenski to take the Open Doubles from Han and Dr. Bob Ho. Lou had gotten that video tape machine he’d wanted for his Palace (it cost almost $2,000) and had taped young Rinde in action. (He’d also taped Coach Jeff’s Smart’s demonstration and discussion of his repertoire of serves, and the ABC Wide World of Sports coverage of the Houston U.S. Open.)
Other Red Lion winners: Women’s: Vancouver’s Nimi Athwal over her sister Simi. Senior’s: Ho over Jim Waugh. A’s: Vancouver’s Juggy Padda over Seattle’s Pat Collins. A Doubles: Rinde/Mike Bochenski over Liu/Jeff Woo. B’s: Bill Popp over Bill Mason. C’s: Popp over Rich Remington. C Doubles: Jack McLarty/Popp over Bircher/Mike LaMear. D’s: Rick Mellinger over Rick Livermore. E’s: Oslund over Livermore. F’s: Mellinger over Owen McCurry. G’s: Grant Hoskins over Bob Robinson. Unrated: Oslund over McCurry, 25-23 in the 3rd. High School: Doyle over Woo.
Apparently neither Lou Bochenski nor any of the Paddle Palace players who attended the Aug. 23-24 San Francisco Open video-taped Japanese-American Don Rash (formerly Donburi Irashi from Sapporo) being injured there. And with good reason—for, despite a rather long article by Lou (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 16-17) describing how Don’s match with Paul Raphel was going, and then detailing how, in the midst of play, Don was struck in the temple by William Arata’s flying racket, it turns out that Rash was never even at the tournament. Meanwhile, Lou goes on:
“…Without as much as a moan Don sank to the floor to the horror of those assembled. William was quick to apologize and beg Don’s forgiveness, but due to the fact that Don was unconscious it is doubtful that his apology was accepted.
Don was taken to a hospital where a basular skull fracture with resulting sub dermal hemotoba [sic] was diagnosed. The doctors have assured us that Don will be out of the hospital by the middle of September and that he will make a complete recovery. Our hearts go out to Mr. Arata, who everyone agrees has not been the same since this tragedy….”
This may well be the strangest article that ever appeared in Topics, drawing both a righteous response from Don Gunn, and a denial by Rash himself. Here’s Gunn:
“…The whole thing appears to be a cheap hoax intended to discomfit Arata, who is the Portlanders’ favorite target of insult and abuse. He is described to me as a good-natured person who rises above the petty meannesses directed toward him, and in so doing reveals the smallness of his oppressors’ souls.”
Uh, maybe the hoax was intended to discomfit Bochenski?
Here’s what did happen at that Aug. 23-24 San Francisco Summer Open. Results:
Open: Paul Raphel over Dean Galardi. Open Doubles: Bochenski/Bochenski over Raphel/Jonas Danso, 23-21 in the 4th. Women’s: Judy Bochenski over Jai Howard. (Makes Lou’s article the more strange. Didn’t he ask Judy about the incident? Surely she couldn’t confirm it.) A’s: Wong over Masaaki Tajima who’d survived an exhausting 31-29 in the 3rd match against Dick Evans. B’s: Chang over Muhammed Aghili, 24-22 in the 5th (after being down 2-0). B Doubles: Doyle/Charlie McLarty over Don Nash/Bochenski. C’s: Amidi over Doyle. D’s: Doyle over Liu. Senior’s: Jack Howard over Evans who’d knocked out Azmy Ibrahim in 5. Junior’s: Galardi over Henry Fung.
The Huntington Beach Club held a mid-June Invitational Team Tournament with the following Results. Championship Division Winners: 1. Quicksport—Galardi (24-0), Rob Lange (17-3), Richard Badger (13-8). 2. Destruction, Inc.—Brad Fountain (19-1), Mike Carr (17-4), Keith Ogata (10-3).
Winners at Santa Monica, Aug. 30-31: Open: Raphel over Ray Guillen who’d 18 in the 5th barely prevailed over Angie Rosal. Open Doubles: Guillen and Dave Froehlich (10 years ago a leading CA player) over Howie Grossman/Dennis Barish. (Jairie Resek said she thought Ray “was playing table tennis in the background of a Boy’s Club promo featuring William Conrad of TV’s ‘Cannon.’”) Women: Angie Rosal over her sister Monica. Mixed Doubles: Stan/Angie Rosal over Joe Sanchez/Pat Crowley.
Pam Ramsey, on hearing Bobby Gusikoff’s Hollywood Club had been opened now for some time, thought she’d go have a look (TTT, May-June, 1976, 19):
“From the Freeway you take SUNSET BLVD. to Beachwood. On the corner of Beachwood and Fountain stands a large building with lettering that spells out “Hollywood Indoor Tennis Club.” There is only one gate you can enter, a sign on which reads “Members Only.” As you drive through the gate you see parking spaces specifically reserved for Jimmy Connors. Johnny Carson, Barbra Streisand, Bill Cosby, Elke Sommers, and even Charlton Heston (just to name a few). “AM I in the right place? Am I supposed to be in here? Didn’t I see a small sign on the gate saying “Calif. Table Tennis Club”?...But where is it? Sounds like a typical Hollywood setting from some movie, doesn’t it? Well it’s real.
Soon you see signs that lead to the Calif. Table Tennis Club. First, you walk down a flight of stairs, then take a few more steps down a hallway with pictures of Danny Seemiller, D.J. Lee, Erwin Klein, Charlie Wuvanich (and many others) hanging on the wall; and finally you end up in a room with six tables neatly set up in a row. Each table is set in its own court with an area of 20 feet by 40 feet, each is barred off from the other with nice heavy barriers, and each has a row of lights directly overhead. The playing area is excellent. With a location like this, there is no doubt that table tennis will grow. Good luck, Bobby, on the success of your new club.”
For his 1975 season-starting inaugural tournament (TTT, Nov.-Dec. 1975, 19), Bobby got support from his old friend Jack Howard and the whole Rosal clan. Paul Raphel won the Men’s—in the semi’s beating Glenn Cowan and in the final Jack who’d stopped Howie Grossman. Bobby says he’ll be running all kinds of special events, hopes to get players in from the East and Midwest, and will try to bring Stellan Bengtsson in for coaching. He really wants to make the Club “cook” like it did in New York.*
Mary McIlwain gives us a thorough summary of the Pacific Coast Open, held Sept. 13-14 at Alta Loma, CA’s Chaffey College under the direction of Harold Kopper. In the Men’s final, though Paul Raphel started strong in the 1st with some devastating forehands, his “mischievous grin” was soon gone, for “cool-looking” Ray Guillen, “quiet and very deliberate,” came back to take the next three games. With his family offering encouragement, Ray showed “excellent concentration, superb blocking, and beautifully picked kill shots.” This was the third straight Pacific Coast final Paul had come up short on—he’d lost to Erwin Klein in 1971 and to Joong Gil Park in 1973. Guillen also won the Doubles with Dennis Barish over Raphel/Joe Sanchez.
Don Gunn in his July-Aug. “Gunn Shots” column had cited a rumor that “one of our top players” (read Angelita Rosal) had become a “Jesus freak”—he hoped this wasn’t true. Such an explosive phrase was sure to backfire, and in his July-Aug. column he tried to make amends:
“…When I wrote that there were rumors that Angelita Rosal had become a ‘Jesus Freak’ I was reporting, not passing judgment. The religious beliefs of players are seldom the concern of other players. What does concern us is that one of our most liked and respected players might quit the game. At the Pacific Coast Championships Angie told me that she has indeed undergone a spiritual conversion, and has accepted Christ into her heart. She considered giving up table tennis, but decided that as a sports champion she could better do the Lord’s work. Nothing freaky about that.”
McIlwain writes of Angie being “a spiritually enlightened triple winner” here at Alta Loma—and so she was. In the Women’s Singles she easily defeated her sister Monica. In the Mixed Doubles, she and brother Stan eked out a 19-in-the-5th win over Guillen/Heather Angelinetta—proved that “the family that plays together and prays together not only stays together but WINS together.” In the A’s, it was “handsome, young, fiercely competitive Masanori Yoshimura,” formerly from Hong Kong, vs. Angie, “a poised young Women’s world-caliber champion.” In this “most fascinating and electrifying match of the tourney,” Angie’s “vast world experience came through.” She won 16, -13, 9, 14, recovering with “flawless strokes to the harp’s tune.” “The Spirit shone through ‘Angel’ita,” and the “rooting of Yosh’s Paddle Palace pals could not get him going again.” But you sure got going, got a little carried away, didn’t you, Mary?
Other Results: U-17’s: Dean Galardi over Barish. (Thanks to the Upland Club’s
Coordinator Bill Ray and its President Jerry LaLande, Dean and Dennis had an interview
on CBS TV. “Two reporters and a cameraman drove at least 85 miles for this live story.”)
U-17 Doubles: Barish/Robert Livingston over Jim Lane/Karl Huber. U-15’s: Dean
Doyle over Lane, deuce in the 3rd, then over Huber. U-15 Doubles: Doyle/Lee
Larson over Huber/Mike Chapman. U-13’s: Reagan Tom over Chapman. U-13 Doubles:
Tom/Chapman over Larson/Terry Lawson. U-11’s: Doug Kirby over Julie Tom,
Reagan’s sister. Esquire Doubles: Eugene Wilson/Carmen Ricevuto over Russ Thompson/Chung Tom. Esquire’s: Julius Paal over Wilson. Senior Doubles: Thompson/Danny Banach over Wilson/Ricevuto. Senior’s: Paal over Banach.
Paal, whom I’ve given you background on before, is the Nov.-Dec., 1975
Topics’ Senior of the Month. Gene Wilson writes that Julius was born in Hungary in
1916, came to the States when he was 21, did graduate work at Princeton, and lived in
Pennsylvania for 30 years before moving to CA in 1969. He has a close-to-the-table, two-
wing game, and plays three times a week at the Park Club in L.A. He’s a “freelance
teacher, lecturer, writer, and does radio monitering.” Has two daughters, and, in addition
to winning West Coast Esquire/Senior (Singles rather than Doubles) events, is said to
be a good chess player.
More Results: A Doubles: Rick Guillen/Tournament Referee Dieter Huber over Greg Plakos/John Stewart, 27-25 in the 4th. B’s: Rick Guillen over Craig Manoogian in 5. B Doubles: Plakos/Stewart over Rick Guillen/Jim Boatman. C’s: Mike Bochenski over Scott McClure. C Doubles: Lane/Mas Hashimoto over Plakos/Stewart. D’s: Paul Groenig over Rich Livingston (Editor of the California Table Tennis News), 19 in the 5th. D Doubles: Paddle Palace players fought it out after a 20-hour drive: John Gold/Milentijevic over Don Nash/Bill Popp.
Albuquerque’s July New Mexico Open Results: Open: Bohdan (Bob) Dawidowicz over Helmuth Vorherr. Championship Doubles: Mac Horn/Hall over Butler/Christensen who’d eliminated Vorherr/Dennis Gresham. A’s: Kathy Dawidowicz over Horn in 5. A Doubles: Hall/Horn over Evans/Steve Arnold. B’s: Evans over Les Enslin who’d advanced over Arnold, 19 in the 3rd. In World War II Les had been a radio operator/gunner on a bomber, had been captured and interned as a prisoner of war. B Doubles: Coons/Christensen over Jim DeMet/K. Dawidowicz. C’s: C. Davis over Cordova. Consolation’s: Christensen over Sandoval. Senior’s: Vorherr over Horn, 18 in the 5th. U-17 Doubles: Dawidowicz/Erickson over Coons/Robertson.
The South Dakota Open, played June 14 at the Ellsworth Air Force Base, produced the following Results. Open: Jerzy “Jerry” Skublicki, a Jan. arrival from Poland who was trying to get a work permit to stay in the U.S., over Bob Dawidowicz. Open Doubles: Skublicki/Dawidowicz over Larry Kesler**/Paul Williams (who’d eliminated Larry in 5 in the Men’s). Tom Cook would have to tell us (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 19, 18) just a short time after this tournament the sad news that Skublicki, 36—“the day after he had given up hope of getting a work permit from the Immigration and Naturalization Service and decided to seek political asylum in the United States”—died in a traffic accident.
Jerry knew he couldn’t go back to Poland—they’d have put him in a concentration camp. He’d hoped to bring his wife and two young sons over to the Wisner, NB area where the LeRoy Petersen family had been sponsoring him, and where he’d been able to earn money by giving table tennis and tennis lessons. Cook said Jerry, besides being a table tennis professional, was a skilled soccer player and skier. “He was awarded the Mistrza Sportu by Poland, an honor Petersen described as something like being an All-American, only much more difficult to achieve.”
Other South Dakota winners: Women’s: Kasia Dawidowicz over D. Johnson. Mixed Doubles: Skublicki/Dawidwicz over Kesler/Williams. A’s: Greg Redman over Jim Lynum who’d advanced over Dana Jeffries in 5. B’s: Lynum over Jeffries. B Doubles: Mark Kennedy/Hall over Williams/Keith Kalny who’d stopped Redman/Knight, 19 in the 3rd. Senior’s: LeRoy Petersen over Heerman. U-17 Boys: Todd Petersen over Redman, deuce in the 5th. Todd, Topics’ Sept.-Oct., 1975 “Junior of the Month” is, at 13, the Nebraska State Men’s Singles and, with Jim Lynum, Doubles Champion. Todd said Jerry Skublicki “helped my backhand and showed me 15 new serves and improved my game about 15% in three months.” U-15 Boys: Petersen over Kalny. U-13 Boys: Kalny over L. Hadden. U-17/U-15/U-13 Girls: Dawidowicz over Johnson.
Steve Grant, doing the write-up for the July 26-27 Aquatennial Open at Magoo’s, stressed the play of the strong Thai players who were now living and coaching in Minneapolis. The $100 1st-Prize in the Men’s via a semi’s round robin went to former Thai National Champion, now an Australian citizen and their 5-time National Champion, Chayanont “Charlie” Wuvanich, who I’d been corresponding with and trying to help come to the States. Runner-up was the current and 3-time Thai Champion Chuchai “Chan” Piernpruska. “Holding a 20-18 lead in the first game of a two out of three, Chan smashed the winning counterdrive to Wuvanich’s gut, forcing Wuvanich’s return off the end of …but NO!—Chan’s paddle was in the way! Groans from the 70 or so spectators couldn’t properly express Chan’s agony when he lost that game at deuce. His spirit was gone.”
In the other semi’s matches, Charlie penetrated Houshang Bozorgzadeh’s up-close-to-the-table hard rubber defense, but the Iowa-based Iranian star couldn’t time his own forehands right. Nor could Bozorgzadeh defeat Chan. The Thai “pushed with Houshang, lofted his slow, left-handed roll when the occasion called for it, continued pushing if the Iranian’s return was short, and finally won the point by getting through a hard loop or smash.” However, Bozorgzadeh’s unusual chop/block game proved a total puzzlement to 20-year-old Apichart “Sears” or “Sis” Taveepanichapan, former Thai Junior Champion, who was able to beat Chan.
Steve gave kudos to 17-year-old Mike Thomas for taking a game from Chan. Holding precariously, very precariously, to a 20-16 lead, Mike “continued blocking back Chan’s loops but saw his lead fall to one point. Then Mike looped, Chan’s block hit the side edge, and Thomas got it back with a diving jab. Alas, though, Thomas’s return was too high. But—surprise—Chan’s smash missed! Thomas deserved the game, and the crowd loved it.”
Other Aquatennial results: Men’s Doubles: Charlie/Chan over Houshang/Rich Sinykin. Women’s: Sheila O’Dougherty over Takako Trenholme, -20, 19, 15. (Grant says Takako’s been working hard in Wuvanich’s clinics, as has Sheila, and has become such a challenger to Sheila that she was able to beat her in their Class B match.) Mixed Doubles: Sinykin/O’Dougherty over Don Larson/Trenholme. A’s: Al Schmitt over Thomas. B’s: Jim Lynum over Ed Ells. Esquire’s: Jerry Gavenda over Al Faulkner. Senior’s: Gavenda over Dick Moore. Junior’s: John Soderberg over Nick Steblay. Junior Doubles: John Soderberg/Tom Soderberg over Steblay/Jeff Durand. Boys: Brandon Olson, “the nation’s premier 9-year-old” (though his footwork needs work), over 11-year-old Tom Soderberg. Midgets: Swen Baker over Soderberg.
Grant, one of Topics’ best writers, under a striking headline (Sept.-Oct., 1975, 20; 28), “Soderberg Beats Wuvanich Hands Down In Twin City Open,” begins his article on the Sept. 28 tournament at Magoo’s by saying John left “the world star stunned, red, and woozy.” Charlie was “too slow and didn’t stay close enough to the table,” said Grant—“John’s superior technique won out.” Were observers surprised? No, nor should they have been, for this was not the Twin City Open. “This was the Speed Beer-Drinking Open at the post-tournament party.” Steve explains:
“The winner was the first to drain a full mug of beer and slap it on the table. Only Wuvanich and Soderberg had proficiency at this art. Wuvanich claimed 5,000 victories world-wide without a loss. Soderberg felt his two-swallow technique would win, despite his inexperience and tender age. Charlie Disney bet ten push-ups against John, and seconds later found himself on the floor of the crowded Italian restaurant. John won the next two also. Each was extremely close, the winner detectable only by the sounds of the mugs banging on the table. Wuvanich protested each decision, but found no support from the official starter and judge—Thai teammate Chan (Chuchai Piernpruska)….
Jerry Soderberg, well on his way to getting bombed before returning to those great institutions, Stanford University and Judy Bochenski, the next morning announced the fourth match between his little brother and Wuvanich as the finals….In three seconds the beer had cleared and the mugs met the table simultaneously. ‘Deuce,’ yelled the fans.
Refills all around. As always when he drinks, Wuvanich’s bright red face lit up the dim room. ‘You should have seen Chan a few weeks ago,’ said John Soderberg. ‘He only had one beer and the whole next day his face was puffy and he was so weak.’ Chan was drinking water on this occasion.
…Chan gave the go signal. Wuvanich got off to a good start, but pushed his chair farther and farther from the table as he drank. Poor technique. They finished the beer at the same time, but John got his mug on the table first.”
So how’d Charlie do at the court table? Did he at least win the Men’s at this Open? Well, who could beat him? Chan had never done it before. But this time he did, 2-1, and took the $75 1st Prize. Nope, not a good weekend for Wuvanich. “He felt bad about his poor form, for he knew his coaching students (especially potential students) and spectators expected more.” But he did come 2nd ($25) over Sears, the third Thai, who this time lost to Chan, when the Champ broke him with an “amazing counter-smash” for the win.
Other Open Results: Open Doubles: Chan/Sears over Chuck Turchick/Stu Sinykin who’d earlier (from down 2-0) nipped Mike Thomas/Al Schmitt, deuce in the 5th. Women’s: Sheila O’Dougherty over Faan Yeen Liu. Mixed Doubles winners: Chan/Liu. A’s: Tournament Director Steve Steblay over Jerry Soderberg. B’s: hard-rubber killer Turchick over Jim Lynum. C winner: Faan Yeen Liu. Senior winner: C. F. Liu. Under 17’s: Faan Hoan Liu over John Soderberg. U-17 Doubles: John/Tom Soderberg over the Lius. Under 15’s: F. H. Liu over Todd Petersen.
Winners in the July 26 Milwaukee Open: Men’s: 1. Jim Lazarus (over Geoff Graham, 17, 8; over Tony Poulos, -19, 11, 9; over Brian Mitchell, 20, 20). 2. Mitchell (with an earlier win over Faan Hoan Liu in 5). 3. Graham. 4. Poulos. Men’s Doubles: Graham/Poulos over Ted Stomma/Laszlo Keves. Women’s: Barb Taschner over Faan Yeen Liu. Mixed Doubles: Mitchell/B. Taschner over Liu/Liu. A’s: Keves over T. Running. B’s: S. Hansen over D. Sinha. C’s: B. Holt over T. Tucker. Senior’s: Keves over Russ Sorenson. Boys U-17’s: F.H. Liu over Kraus. Girls U-17: F.Y. Liu over R. Mayer. Boys U-15: F.H. Liu over B. Allpow.
Nashville used to be a good place to play, said Richard Kissel, but it’s gone to hell via their so-called summer Developmental Tournament. A lot of development needed. “No practice tables….Two of the eight tables had lighting so bad that decent play was impossible—and all the tables were marked, scratched, or dented to an excessive amount….The gym was very warm….The barriers were a pale green color—were amazingly close to the color of a new ball after the first game or so.” Kissel, scheduled to play at 9:00 a.m., arrived at the tournament at 10:45 to find that he was defaulted from the event. Later, the Seemillers arrived for an event that had started five hours earlier—and were they defaulted? No. Is that just? Is that right?
Duke Stogner, with the help of Brian McClesky, reported (TTT, July-Aug., 1975, 18) on two Arkansas June tournaments. The first of these, the Arkansas Closed, played at Little Rock’s University Mall, had “lots of spectators,” and “was covered by all the local news media.” A weird story the media might have picked up on “was when one of our state’s top players made a thirty-five mile trip to the tournament, then turned right around and drove back, just because he refused to pay a fifty-cent late-entry fee [this fee clearly indicated on the entry blank].” (Hah, flash to 2007, and to all those who willingly paid a late fee of $75 to play in the U.S. Open.)
McClesky, upbeat because he and Shirley, his bride-to-be, were planning a July 18th wedding, became the new Men’s Champion over Pakistan’s Peter Tang, a student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Tang and his fellow student Hiroshi Moriyasu from Japan won the Doubles over Jamey Hall and Stogner who’d downed McClesky/Paul Hadfield in 5. The Women’s also went to a new Champion, Nancy Hill, who dethroned three-time State titleholder Jan Bratton. Nancy lost only one game—but that to Dottie Stogner who reminded husband Duke that he’d promised her a new warm-up suit if she could ever take a game from Nancy. Mixed went to Hadfield/Hill over the Stogners. A’s: Moriyasu over G. Davis in 5. A Doubles: Lyon/McClesky over L. Young/S. Peters. B’s: Hall over J. Light, 19 in the 4th. C’s: Peters over Young. U-17’s: Hall over M. McMahan. U-17 Doubles: McMahan/Andy Bloxom over Hall/Young.
The Arkansas Fun Festival at Hot Springs, held with the help of Bert Botter, Jr. President of the Sertoma Club, saw Hopkinsville, Kentucky’s Homer Brown win the Men’s—but not without a struggle. Homer’s struggle wasn’t on court, though—he didn’t come close to losing a game. It had to do with the 15-hour trip he had to take to get to the tournament and the $125 in car repairs it cost him. He had “alternator and regulator trouble which left him stranded on the highway for nearly two hours, after which the car had to be towed in.” Then, once Homer and his friends were “able to continue their journey, they had to stop a couple of times to keep the battery charged up.”
Runner-up in the Men’s was Paul Hadfield who’d upset Larry Bartley in the quarter’s and Ralph Kissel in the semi’s. Paul’s described as a “cigarette-smoking, scarecrow-lookin’ comedian, “a strange player” with a “cannonball” backhand. McClesky himself was upset at this Fun tournament with one, Bill Brunson, and publicly said so: “You shock me with your obscenity and unsportsman-like conduct. We realize you hate to lose but please control yourself. I played Bill a match and won, but, rather than a friendly handshake, I was verbally assaulted and hotly informed of the evils of anti-topspin players (I use anti on my backhand).” Brown/Bartley won the Men’s Doubles over Hadfield/Davis. Women’s again went to Nancy Hill—this time over Claudia Brunson. Mixed winners were Hadfield/Hill over Brown/Thomas. A’s: Bartley over Dave Zapatka. A Doubles: Zapatka/Sientz over Bartley/Chip Naus. B’s: Hadfield over Stogner. C’s: Hall over Scott. U-17’s: Hall over Bloxom. U-15’s: Naus over Bloxom.
Charlie Wuvanich won the Men’s ($500) over Peter Pradit at Monty Merchant’s $1,000 Burger King Open,*** held Aug. 30-31 at the University of South Alabama Gym in Mobile. Monty was disappointed on two counts. First, he received only 52 entries. Then, recalling he’d split International matches with Charlie before, this time he had him 19-17 in the 1st, 19-14 in the 2nd, and lost 19, 20, 17. Monty finished 3rd over John Quick “who survives in the game with his talent, without any real practice or training.” Wuvanich/Pradit of course won the Men’s Doubles over Quick/Wayne Daunt. Women’s went to Carol Stephens over Teresa Miller. Pradit/Miller tok the Mixed from Decatur, GA’s Gene/Carol Stephens.
Other Results: A’s: Daunt in 5 over Bruce Smith who’d had a tough match with Stephens. B’s: Kwok Sai Wing, originally from Hong Kong, now living in Nashville, over Power Poon in 4. Lefty penholder Kwok, who favors a quick attack and a variety of serves, was unknown to Monty, so he played in the C’s and won that too—over R. Jones. Consolation’s: Bruce Hvasta over B.J. Varner.
Tom Baudry gives us reports on two Louisiana summer tournaments. The new Shreveport Club, organized by Chip Naus, held its first Open, July 19-20. Chip, a high school student, is only 15, but he initiated this 12-event tournament, and got the untiring help of Billie Watkins who ran the matches, assisted by her husband R.C., Winnie Voss, Naida Rodriguez, Rick Lacy, Ching Lee, Roger and Mary Joe Naus, and Joe T. and Mary Monsour. The Open Singles ($115) was won by ex-Indian International Monty Merchant who had a squeaker match with runner-up Hanumanth Rao ($70). Perry Schwartzberg came third ($45) after playing “a fantastic match with Rao under the expedite rule but just couldn’t hold on to his previously controlled offense.” Bob O’Neill finished fourth ($35).
Other Results: Championship Doubles: David Babcock/T. Parker over Schwartzberg/Don Weems in 5, then over Doug Hibbs/O’Neill, 19 in the 5th. Women’s: Nancy Hill over Melinda Varner. Mixed Doubles: Dan and Naida Rodriguez over Hadfield/Hill. Senior’s: (Tie) R.C. Watkins and G. Woods. A’s: Babcock over Zapatka. A Doubles: Babcock/Parker over Naus/Weems in 5. B’s: Terry Zeigler over B. Emerson. C’s: Hadfield over Naus, 23, -25, 20.
Baudry stresses the intimacy, the friendship found at both his Baton Rouge “Club of the Month” and his Louisiana State Closed, held Aug. 3, with the venue help of Baker, LA Mayor Pete Heine (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 23; 28). Tom’s proud of his self-sufficient Club—they own eight Detroiter tables, 140 hardwood barriers, and have a “comfortable bank balance” after being “totally supported by membership dues and tournament profits.” Their 40-member Club has a Board of Directors with Tom as its President, and Power Poon as its new Vice-President. Planned activities on a 12-month basis are the keys to the Club’s success—always something to look forward to, to work for. Their own Tournaments, Leagues, an Award Dinner, a Summer Party, the Club Round Robin (played on Tuesday nights over a 7-week period), a Club Challenge Ladder, and trips to Inter-Club Matches and outside tournaments. As Tom says, such a Club “creates a feeling of belonging, a feeling of being a vital part of something alive.”
Louisiana Closed Results: Championship Singles: John Quick over Bruce Smith. Men’s Doubles: Smith/Bello over Quick/Whiteside, -11, 20, -22, 18, 19. Women’s: Varner over Carrie Joseph. (Note to Allen Long: Women’s matches according to the entry blank were 2/3; why are you insisting your friend’s match should be extended to 3/5?) Mixed Doubles: Thompson/Joseph over Friley/Friley. A’s: Poon over Naus, 19 in the 5th, then over Jay Hakes. B’s: Wally Putnam over Naus. Senior’s: Woods over Reggie Barrus. U-17’s: Keith Friley over Naus, 19 in the 4th. U-13’s: J. McDonald over G. Murphy.
Aug. 16-17 Newgy Open winners at Miami, FL: Men’s: Peter Pradit in successive wins—over Carl Danner (from down 2-1), over Greg Gingold, 19 in the 4th, and over Jerry Thrasher, 19, -22, -21, 5, 19. Men’s Doubles: Danner/Bernie Bukiet over Gingold/Marv Leff in 5. Women’s: Nancy Newgarden over Teresa Miller. Mixed Doubles: Bukiet/Miller over Gingold/Newgarden. A’s: Lenny Bass over Randy Hess. A Doubles: Bass/Steve Federico over Hess/Averill. B’s: Mike Charney over Doug Wilcock, 19 in the 3rd, then over Bruce Hvasta. C’s: Wilcock over Frank Racine. Handicap: Vladimir Kamenko over Wayne Daunt. Consolation’s: Bard Brenner over Hvasta. Senior’s: Leff over Sam Hoffner. U-17’s: Danner over Ronnie Rigo. U-15’s: Rigo over Jeff Cohen.
Randy Hess tells us that Steve Rigo won the 20-week Orlando Handicap League. “Each person paid a $.50 playing fee each Friday for the League. The winner for the night got half of the money and the other half went towards a Club dinner at the Sweden House [had to play at least 13 nights to be eligible for the dinner].” Steve’s win was the more remarkable because with his weekly successes he’d gone from a -6 to a -20 handicap. Second best percentage was turned in by Steve’s son, Ronnie.
Ray Filz, reporting on the Atlanta Summer Open (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 24), was in a real down mood—ticked off a few things bothering him. He recalled and sharply criticized Frank Tichy’s fiasco of a tournament in Chicago, and complained that Jerry Thrasher wasn’t at Atlanta tournaments any more. He also lamented that such promising players as Bill Edwards and Clay Whitelaw (“a big strong left-handed looper who played a lot like Stipancic, only was not nearly so ugly”) were no longer competing. Both of them had developed their games in such an unlikely place as Nashville, but had retired (Clay was now a tennis pro and ranked No. 3 in Nashville).
Ray wondered if Atlanta could ever be a “source region”—and thought, “For what? About the only thing is syphilis or gonorrhea (we’re No. 1 in both).” How about a source region for table tennis players, as was Sweeris’s Grand Rapids or Disney’s Minneapolis? No, Ray decided, Atlanta was more conducive to outdoor sports. Also, said Ray, a source region had to have “a vast amount of foreigners who played the game in the homeland”—at Tichy’s club, regulars must have included 20 Hungarians. Atlanta seemed a loser’s town to Ray—their sports teams weren’t doing well; there was still the stain of that disastrous 1971 U.S. Open. Meanwhile, other U.S. tournaments, too, were failures—who could forget the near chaos of the Long Island USOTC’s? The Game was fading fast.
It looked as if Ray would get only about 30 players for this tournament—he got 50, which of course was still discouraging. So discouraging. Read on--was there ever in a Topics article such a bummer tone taken as this one by Filz? Who was the No. 1 seed attending this Open? Homer Brown, “sporting a ½ inch wide moustache,” whom Ray immediately damned with faint praise. This top player had won a “major” at Starkville, Mississippi, had won the A Doubles at Oklahoma City “where Richard Hicks carried him all the way to the gold.” Homer’s “a good egg in the long run,” wrote Ray, “but who likes long runny eggs.”
The Men’s final between Brown and unseeded, unplaced Larry Bartley—who’d upset both “forever face” Ralph Kissel (looked the same as he did 10 years ago) and then Chuck Michel—was “one of the dullest finals I’ve ever seen,” said Ray. Homer himself apparently caught whatever disease was afflicting Ray—no usual Oscar-like performance, nothing at all dramatic from him in his straight-game win. But, never mind, come Aug. 30 he’d be marrying Judy and be up for that. Moreover, there certainly was drama in the Men’s Doubles—even depressed Ray would have to admit it. Larry Thoman/Lee Edwards worked a little miracle in the semi’s, scored six straight points in rallying from 20-16 down in the 5th to beat Kissel and James Altenbach, then in the final they outlasted Brown/Bartley, again 22-20 in the 5th. A’s went to J. Tsui over H. Tchen. A Doubles: Thoman/Bartley over Gene Stephens/Ron Sanders. B’s: Tchen over Tsui, 19 in the 3rd, then over Wilson Bryan in expedite. C’s: Bob Ervin over Tchen, 20, -9, 21, -23, 15. Consolation I: Carl Golden over Frank Racine, 25-23 in the 3rd. Consolation II: Bob Walker over Audrey Cain. Senior’s: “affable” Walker over semi-retired “old grouch” Cyril Lederman. Junior’s: Cecil Brooks over Andy Dillon.
Of course it was almost inevitable that someone would respond to this article—and Filz’s friend John White, whose hometown was the maligned Nashville, did (TTT, Nov.-Dec., 1975, 18). Said he couldn’t understand Ray’s tone because “he seemed to be a normal, reasonably intelligent happy individual.” Why had he become so disillusioned? John concluded that “most of the ‘undesirable’ conditions or problems about which Ray laments are simply products of his pessimistic mind, rather than actual reality.”
John offers correctives to Ray’s various points of view. He has good things to say about Atlanta. It was “the first Southern city to hold a USTTA sanctioned tournament.” He thinks the workers who staged the 1971 U.S. Open in Atlanta ought to be praised. If anyone deserved criticism it was the USTTA E.C. “who awarded the top annual tournament in this country to obviously inexperienced personnel.” He says he got Whitelaw and Edwards interested in tournament table tennis by taking them to, of all places, Atlanta. But why blame them for retiring? They have to make a living, and they’re not gonna do it in table tennis—they were ambitious enough to make a move away from the Sport. Anyway, John concludes, from now on if I can’t say something good, I’m going to keep my mouth shut. I presume he thinks Ray ought to do the same.
No voice coming to us regarding the July 5 North Carolina Team Tournament in Durham, N.C. Just the results: Championship: 1. The Aliens—Parvey Siddigi (10-2), Danny Hill (9-3). 2. Evil Weeds—Bill Brown (9-3), Mark Gilliam (7-5). Class A: 1. Fossil House—Bob Shur, Paul Kommell. 2. Salt & Pepper—Mac Meredith (6-4), Mike Johnson (7-3). Class B: 1. Ping & Pong—Richard Phillips, Melanie Spain (5-5). 2. Fruit Loops—Denny Stanley (9-3), Billy Collier. Class C: Greensboro—Clyde Vincent (6-4), William Wall. 2. Underdogs—Keith Sellers, Philip Dulin. Steve Hitchner, playing for the Golden Apples, had the best individual record (11-1).
Results of the Triangle Fall Open, held in Raleigh, Sept. 6: Men’s: Fred King over Bill Brown in 5. Doubles: Brown/Mark Gilliam over Steve Hitchner/Tom Poston. A’s: Tom Tarrant over Denny Stanley who’d advanced over Manfred Heynot in 5. B’s: Hitchner over Larry Skirm who’d outlasted JeffreyTsui, 23-21 in the 5th. C’s: Skirm over Hitchner who’d knocked out Paul Kommel, 28, -20, 13. D’s: Norman Kilpatrick over Charles Hudgins. Senior’s: Mort Greenberg over Dick Tucker. Junior’s: Denny Stanley over David Albright.
Former USTTA President Norman Kilpatrick has returned to play, and, as President of the Kanawa, West Virginia Club, fills us in on the happenings there. The Kanawa Closed was held at the new North Charleston Community Center Gym, a free venue thanks to the City of Charleston and the Charleston Parks and Recreation Commission. The 1975 Men’s Champion, for the third year in a row, was Coy Hughes who defeated Kilpatrick deuce in the 5th in the semi’s, then Morris Harvey College student from Nigeria Soulman Fouja deuce in the 5th in the final. The other semifinalist, Jim Fulks, took the Senior’s. Men’s Doubles went to Kilpatrick/Fouja. U-17’s to David Albright. U-15’s to Eric Kilpatrick (Norman’s son?). Here are the final individual standings for the 1974-75 Kanawa Valley League: 1. Fouja (41-3). 2. Kilpatrick (39-5). 3. Hughes (38-6). 4. Fulks (36-9). 5. Whitey Lykins (32-10).
Kilpatrick’s best playing years were in the 1950’s. He takes the opportunity on coming back to play again to make both some new and some old observations (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 22). The “style of play,” he says, “has greatly speeded up, and improved.” (Wait till 30 years from now.) Then he speaks of the many “physically handicapped” players he sees—only he’s not talking about the disabled. He’s talking about all the illegal serves that seem to be almost the norm at table after table. “I would urge all sponsors of sanctioned events to see that the USTTA serve rule is observed, or that the players with the curved fingers, cupped hands, etc, are truly handicapped when they make their unusual motions during their serves.”
He also chastises Rufford Harrison for taking a “cheap shot” at him when Rufford was campaigning “against Tim Boggan’s drive for the USTTA presidency,” saying what he knew to be false—that under Kilpatrick’s presidency the USTTA almost went “bankrupt.” Another sore point with him, as we’ve seen in an earlier volume, is the “cancer” of ITTF politics—particularly regarding China and Taiwan. “For years the ITTF was headed by an English Communist [Ivor Montagu] and he was the only reason that one of the world’s best table tennis nations, Nationalist China, has never been allowed to play in the WORLD’S.” Kilpatrick also thinks that the U.S. Men didn’t get a fair World ranking after the 1963 World’s****
Results of the Virginia-Washington, D.C. Closed, held May 31 in Arlington: Open: Larry McMillan over Alan Evenson. Women’s: Xuan Ferguson over Kay Young. A’s: Dr. Ray Chen over Dick Stakes. B’s: Frank Gauldfeldt over Ed Barbara in 5. C’s: Frank Valliant over Ron Snyder in 5. D’s: Angpun Chaphiv over Stan Johnson. Senior’s: Herb Horton over Chen. U-17’s: Evenson over Dave Driggers. U-13’s: Philip Shaw over Mike Podolak.
Dr. Chen, the Class A winner at this Closed, in an article “Table Tennis and Heart Attacks” (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 8), says, “Heart disease can be thought of as a murder mystery—and he lists 17 suspect killers, including of course cigarette smoking and lack of exercise. Writing more than 30 years ago, he notes that “There is surprisingly little scientific evidence to support the idea that mild to moderate exercise has any protective effect against the development of heart disease.” But “severe exercise might have some beneficial effect.” Ray quotes a Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s book on aerobic exercises. Cooper, he says, “rates running, bicycling, and swimming laps quite highly as effective exercise training. Table tennis is rated low.” Not what you want to hear, huh? Could anything be worse? Yeah—does our sport “bring on heart attacks?” Well, “the tension and anxiety of tournaments” might not be so good, but unless the arteriosclerotic disease has developed you’re probably o.k. So…what, Chen? You want a competitive tournament player like me to get in condition like the Chinese and Japanese players…or just play for fun? I don’t like either of those alternatives—wish me luck, I’ll take my chances.****
At the Sept. 20-21 New Carrollton Open, Danny Seemiller struggled to win the Men’s—first over Bill Sharpe, -12, 6, -20, 19, 18, then over George Brathwaite, deuce in the 5th. Doubles went to D. Seemiller/Joe Rokop over Stan Smolanowicz/Sam Balamoun. Women’s: Barbara Kaminsky over Xuan Ferguson. Mixed Doubles: Seemiller/Yvonne Kronlage over Brathwaite/Ferguson who’d eliminated Boggan/Kaminsky, -20, 14, 20. A’s: Sid Jacobs over Tom Vanius. A Doubles: Jacobs/Mike Lardon over Valliant/Ron Snyder.B’s: E. Potts over Roger Cormier. C’s: Jim Mossberg over Phil Shaw, 19 in the 3rd, then over Eric Boggan. D’s: Mossberg over J. Sabrowski. Consolation’s: Gordon Gregg over Carl Kronlage.
Other results: Esquire’s: Dick Stakes over C.Windle. Senior’s: Sharpe over Boggan. Boys U-17: Jeff Steif over Alan Evenson, -13, 20, 21, then over Mike Stern. Girls U-17: Dana Gvildys over Jackie Heyman, 20, -18, 19. Boys U-15: Stern over Curt Kronlage who’d knocked out Scott Boggan, 19 in the 3rd. U-15 Doubles: Kronlage/Shaw over E. Boggan/Stern. Parent-Child Doubles: Tim/Scott Boggan over Carl/Curt Kronlage.
The Philadelphia Independence Open drew criticism, but first the Results:
Men’s: Danny Seemiller over Brathwaite. (Two good 5-game quarter’s matches: Tim Boggan over Rokop; Brathwaite over Sharpe.) Men’s Doubles: Danny/Ricky Seemiller over Brathwaite/Boggan who’d advanced over Roger Sverdlik/Mike Bush, 19 in the 4th. Philly Men’s Closed: Rich Farrell over Balamoun who’d outlasted Bush, 19 in the 5th. Philly Men’s Doubles Closed: Smolanowicz/Hamid Hayatghib. Senior’s: Sharpe over Boggan, 19 in the 3rd. U-17’s: Bruce Plotnick over Eric Boggan who’d been -17, 19, 13 tested by Mancino. U-17A’s: Mike Lardon over E. Boggan. U-15’s: Lardon over E. Boggan, 19 in the 3rd. U-13’s: E. Boggan over Richards.
Other winners: AA’s: Bush, 18 in the 5th, over Jerry Thrasher who’d knocked out Jim Shoots in 5. A’s: Benfield Munroe over Gary Wittner, 19 in the 5th. A Doubles: Wittner/Herb Vichnin over Ron Luth/Jeff Steif. Philly A Closed: Marcus over Wong. B’s: Vichnin over Marv Plevinsky. Philly B Closed: Berd over Sorey. C’s: Sid Jacobs over Doon Wong. D’s: Enoch Green over Bob Quinn. E’s: E. Boggan over Willis. F’s: Willis over Faison who’d advanced over Valentine, -24, 17, 19. G’s: Cleland over Dicker. N’s: Rubin over Faison who’d just gotten by Simon Jacobson, 20, -15, 19. Handicap: Fisch over Jacobs. Handicap Doubles: Jack Wiener/Jacobson over Lardon/Steif.
After lamenting some of his past experiences at the Philly Club, “Disgusted” writes (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1975, 26) of going to this Independence Open with three other players and suffering more of the same:
“…These three players were scheduled in the early events again. Two of them did finally play—about two or three hours after they were supposed to. The other player waited until the middle of the afternoon to play his first match. My first singles event was scheduled for about 10:30 a.m. I was finally called at 4: 30 p.m.! Unbelievable. I played my second and final singles match at 8:30 p.m.. And yet I had not lost a match!
The A Doubles that I’d entered was scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. They did not even start it on Saturday! At 9:30 the announcement was made that we would continue at 9:00 a.m. Sunday.
Well, I was not expecting to come back on Sunday because I had plans. So I forfeited in both singles and doubles. I hope I made someone very happy because I was very unhappy….”
Would you think four extra Philly Closed events made the wait-time unusual?
This letter brought a rebuttal from Gloria Amoury (TTT, Nov.-Dec., 1975, 25) who, though she didn’t attend the Independence Open, had nothing but kind words to say for the playing conditions at the Philly Club and for the considerate people who ran their tournaments. Apparently the Club, showing kindness, accommodated her by allowing her leeway time for an 8:30 event, the only one she had a chance of winning. She says she likes it that people play “with comparable ratings rather than the more personal man-against-man, woman-against woman [better not to have Women’s events—to be boringly locked into playing the same opponents again and again].” There’s “a warmth” at this Philly Club, and “Mrs. Wong’s marvelous Chinese noodle soup” An out-of-towner like Gloria feels welcome. She also likes it that “the Philly players invest time and energy in holding tournaments on a more regular basis than any place I’ve heard of, which I doubt their critics could manage.” One sour note: Mrs. Wong’s soups will be savored only in memory: daughter Debbie is giving up table tennis for tennis.
Philadelphia also held the Sept. Liberty Bell Open, and again 4 of the 23 events were strictly Closed events. Results: Men’s: Danny Seemiller over his brother Ricky in 4. Men’s Doubles: Seemillers over Dave Sakai/Alex Shiroky who’d eliminated Boggan/Benfield Munroe in 5. Philly Men’s Closed: Bruce Plotnick over Hamid Hayatghaib, 18 in the 5th. Philly Doubles Closed: Hayatghaib/Brodsky over Smolanowicz/Balamoun. Senior’s: Boggan over Al Gill. U-17’s: Plotnick over Rutledge Barry. U-17 A’s: Tim Seemiller over Weitzen. U-15’s: Scott Boggan over Barry, -13,19, 21. U-13’s: Eric Boggan over Eric Kilpatrick.
Other winners: AA’s: Hayatghaib in 5 over Plotnick, then 8, 9, -22, -22, 16 over Boggan who’d survived Jim Shoots in 5. A’s: Plotnick over Munroe, 24-22 in the 3rd. Philly A Closed: Hvasta over Sorey. B’s: Randy Seemiller over Jeff Steif in 5. Philly B Closed: Hvasta over Kistler who got by Erich Haring, 19 in the 5th. C’s: Enoch Green over Scott Boggan, 19 in the 3rd, then over Ron Luth. D’s: Green over Luth. E’s: Haring over Renner, 18, -21, 20, then over Thompson. F’s: Haring over Hawk. G’s: Norman Holder over Barry Margolius. N’s: Dicker over Whitener. Handicap: Dasher over Haring. Handicap Doubles: Dasher/E. Boggan over Mike Lardon/S. Boggan.
Results of the Long Island Open, played June 21 at Long Beach: Class A: Mike Bush over George Brathwaite, 24, -7, -9, 20, 16. (Semifinalist Greg Gingold upset Errol Resek.) Class B: Mike Stern over Jeff Steif. Class C: Scott Boggan over Bob Quinn. Class D: M. Davis over S. Brill. Class E: Chris Schlotterhausen over Barry Margolius, then Neal Golub. Class F: J. Faiser over D. Fisch.
As at Philadelphia, so at the Long Beach Nassau County Open, there were no Women’s events. Fred Danner says the USTTA has “never tried to get women out to play.” But while it’s true that the Association never organized, say, a planned and follow-up Drive to that end, individuals in various parts of the country have encouraged and supported Women’s play, and urged in Topics that women not be discriminated against. Fred writes in his work-in-progress Memoirs how he tried hard to get Table Tennis as a varsity sport in the Nassau and Suffolk high schools. He was thwarted not only because of a Suffolk Director of Athletics who was unreasonably against it, but because in Nassau, unlike Suffolk, girls weren’t playing in the School Clubs.
SELECTED NOTES.
*In a complementary twist of fate, in that same issue of Topics (26), Bob Hopkins offers his Club of the Month—the New York Club formerly run by Gusikoff. Why this Club? Hey, Bob has his own reservations: “It is on Manhattan, which is a plus until the police steal your car. It is in the basement of a seedy hotel, one flight up from the swimming pool and steam room, so that the temperature is always even—between 85 and 95 degrees.” But 5 of the top 15 players in North America play there—and “there is no other place like it.” Bob says, “I’ve never really thought of Doug Cartland as a humorous man. However, one night there, we talked about Marty Reisman’s book. I said that I enjoyed THE MONEY PLAYER. Doug said, yes, it was a pretty good book. But, if he ever wrote his autobiography, he would title his THE MONEY PLAYER—AND WINNER.”
We also have another reaction to Marty’s book:
**Kesler, after being stationed in the southwest, Turkey, and Germany before ending up in Rapid City, S.D. is about to retire from the Army where he’s been an Environmental Health Technician. He’ll return to Oklahoma City and become an auditor for the Department of Agriculture. As the years go by, he’ll become more and more interested in officiating, and by 2007 will be the Tournament Referee for the U.S. Open. He had the unusual opportunity for two weeks in the 1960’s to be a substitute Harlem Globetrotters exhibition partner for 4-time World Champion Richard Bergmann. Granted vacation leave from his Houston base he found himself opening with Bergmann at a Texas A & M venue where the school’s large ROTC audience cheered him on.
Naturally Richard had given him careful directives—but when Larry, nervous, smacked his first drive long by about three feet, he was afraid to hit the next one as ordered, and dropped the ball. This caught Bergmann by surprise, and when Richard awkwardly, clumsily tried to get it, Larry laughed and so did the crowd, thinking the comedy was part of the act. When Larry dropped again, Richard came rushing in, his racket caught the table edge, and, as Larry could see, sheared off all the rubber on the backhand side of his blade. It was the one time he didn’t have a spare racket, so he continued play with just the wood on that side. After the match, Bergmann showed Larry the severed handle in his palm—he’d broken his bat on that table edge and had played out their match with just his two fingers holding the blade. For his next performance with Larry, he brought seven rackets.
***Burger King also sponsored the 1973 U.S. Open Class B Champ Joe Mimoso to the ’75 U.S. Open. Joe, pictured here to the far right, is doing summer exhibitions for Burger King. For one at the Greenpoint, Brooklyn YMCA, where he expects about 500 young people to show, especially since each of them gets a free burger and coke, he’s enlisted help from (l. to r.) Robert Earle, Horace Roberts, and Dave Philip. Says Joe,”It’s a fantastic way to promote a rising new sport in America and to attract new customers to Burger King.”
****This question of whether the U.S. got a fair Men’s World Ranking after the 1963 World’s never occurred to me. But I’ve checked into it. There were four round robins, the winners and runner-ups of which would continue on in single elimination. China and West Germany advanced to one semi; Sweden and Japan to the other. Japan had beaten us. However, like four other teams, we were second in our group, and posted a 5-1 (25-12) record. All top 10 teams didn’t play the same number of matches, and when you compare their matches won/lost and their games won/lost, I don’t think you’ve any strong argument with the U.S. finishing 9th. However, we finished 10th behind Communist Romania 4-3 (28-16), and I believe one could quarrel with that.
*****In 1989, at the age of 59, I had, on just getting to a hospital in time, what the professor/surgeon operating on me immediately under makeshift conditions and the watchful eyes of a ring of students called “a classic heart attack.” Before I was anesthetized, I thought, “Flow, blood, flow!” When I went under, I dreamed I was paddling a canoe. Then suddenly the canoe veered right onto land and kept going straight through to water on the other side. Weird, huh? But obviously the mind observes directives in its own way. Would-be killer suspect: my father had died at 54 of a sudden heart attack while shaving, looking at himself in the mirror.