CHAPTER FIFTEEN
1977: Gusikoff’s Incendiary “Match Point”
Column. 1977: E.C. Minutes and Related Subjects (Manufacturers Provide Funds To
Hire Bill Haid as USTTA Executive Director and Establish USTTA Headquarters in
St. Louis).
“THE NEW E.C. IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND DANGEROUSLY NEGLIGENT AT THEIR FIRST MEETING.” This bold headline (referring to the July 23-25 E.C. Meeting) that appeared in Bobby Gusikoff’s “Match Point” column (TTT, Sept.-Oct., 1977, 12) will elicit a fiery response from E.C. members—the more so because ex-Tournament Director Gusikoff is already justifiably under attack for monies he owes from his U.S. Open, though just how much that total is will not be publicly known until the Dec. E.C. Meeting.
Bobby, who himself is thought devious and unethical by E.C. members (certainly he’s totally irresponsible in money matters; they have little or no priority with him), accuses Martin, Shirley, and Danner of not being honorable—of “deliberately suppressing and hiding from the USTTA members the finest promotional offer American table tennis has ever had.” This proposal, addressed to Gusikoff with a request to present it to the E.C., is from Bob Kain, representing the International Management Group (IMG) or, more specifically, the racquet sports arm of IMG, its International Merchandising Corporation (IMC). There wasn’t much time before the July 23-25 E.C. Meeting, so Bobby sent this proposal quickly “to all E.C. members for consideration.”
Founder/President/Chairman of the Board/CEO Mark McCormack’s IMG is “a sports management firm that grossed $30,000,000 last year.” It represents many professional sports figures, such as Bjorn Borg and Arnold Palmer, and many well-known sports extravaganzas, such as Wimbledon and the World Series of Golf.*
Appended next to Bobby’s “Match Point” column was Kain’s long letter, cluing the reader in on the workings and successes of the Management firm, and what they could do for us: “IMC would like to assist the USTTA in the development, organization, administration, and negotiation of income producing opportunities available to the Association.”
Specifically they’d undertake (as they do, for example, for the United States Racquetball Association) “exclusive representation of the Association” with regard to: “the sale and other use of Film and Television rights with respect to USTTA events…the sale, license or other disposition of merchandising rights with respect to the USTTA’s Name and Designations…the obtaining of commercial sponsors…[and] the sale, license, or other disposition of merchandising rights with respect to the Association’s events….” IMC would also “help conceptualize and devise programs and promotions” to increase publicity and exposure for the Sport.
In return, IMC would want “a 25% commission on all merchandising income” coming into the USTTA while they were its merchandising arm, and they would want “an annual retainer of approximately $25,000 a year.”
Bobby says this proposal so threatens “the E.C.’s precious control over table tennis that it was purposely left off the agenda at the last [July] meeting. THIS ACTION IS THE MOST FLAGRANT BREACH OF TRUST I HAVE EVER SEEN.” Bobby is so genuinely outraged that he seems oblivious to his own U.S. Open breach of trust (primarily of course because of his Can-I-help-it-if-I-didn’t-have-enough-money? attitude).
He says, “I spoke with Sue Sargent to make sure this proposal would be put on the agenda….Sue told me the proposal was on the agenda and that she was looking forward to going over it with Ron Shirley on the plane ride to the Meeting.”
He says, “I called several EC members after the meeting to ask what the reaction was and these were some of the answers:
Mal Anderson—“What proposal? I don’t remember it. We must have overlooked it.”
Sue Sargent—“Too busy with other things and never got around to it.”
Bowie Martin—“I think it was tabled for another meeting.” [There’s no mention of the IMC proposal in the Minutes published in Topics.]
Ron Shirley—“Don’t remember it. We were too busy with other business.”
Bobby’s opinion is that it’s “absurd to think that a new USTTA Executive Director could possibly come close to doing the job for Table Tennis that IMG could do with their expertise, sponsor connections, and general experience. Where will the money for IMG come from? I’m sure that the $25,000 fee mentioned by IMG could be reduced with discussion. The rest of the money is there in this year’s budget”: $10,000 E.D.’s salary; $2,500 Public Relations (“outrageous expenditure”); $1,000 Fund raising; $1,000 Library and Film (for what?); $600 Women’s (“Women’s What?”).
“These monies and others should be spent where they will do some positive good.
The E.C.’s handling of this entire affair should be greatly disturbing to all USTTA members….We now have an E.C. which is obviously the most self-oriented we have ever had….” Bobby then segues into the new and severely restrictive USTTA Election law that limits the number of candidates for the office of USTTA President or Executive Vice-President and so tends to perpetuate those already in office. He also vigorously protests another new restrictive law that forbids any articles in Topics about “rival associations”—though the writers expressing their views are USTTA members. This “verifies the fact that Butterfly and Yasaka were greatly displeased with the players’ strike at the ’76 U.S. Open.” Bobby thinks this E.C. is a “disgrace,” and urges USTTA members to protest these officers’ “dangerous and dishonest” ways.” Protect “the players and members’ rights,” he says.
Of course the question immediately arises, Should I have printed Gusikoff’s column? I addressed this question in my own accompanying article. There I said I’d asked Bob Lardon, Treasurer of the National Junior Table Tennis Foundation, to call Mr. Kain to verify that what Bobby said was true regarding their meeting. “Yes,” said Lardon, “Gusikoff had indicated to Mr. Kain that he, Gusikoff, was not on the USTTA Executive Committee but that he would see to it that the E.C. received the proposal.” I also asked, though admittedly on short notice (since I had to get out the magazine), for E.C. members to respond to Gusikoff’s views, and that I would be sure to include their responses in juxtaposition to Bobby’s article.
I said, “Readers will have to decide for themselves whether, in the best interests of table tennis, Mr. Gusikoff has acted responsibly, whether each and every member of the E.C. has, and whether I, as Editor of the paper, have.”
Jack “Buddy” Melamed’s article was the only non-E.C. member’s response printed in Topics (Nov.-Dec., 1977, 6):
“…Bob Gusikoff acted irresponsibly in making his rude remarks and Boggan was irresponsible for wasting two pages of Topics just to create an unnecessary controversy.
Based on the amount of time they had to evaluate the IMG proposal, the members of the Executive Committee made a prudent judgment of the matter and their decisions were in keeping with their responsibilities.
Gusikoff also wrote a letter stating, ‘I am sorry that part of the umpire’s fees were not paid…but I ran out of money.’ I presume this is also the reason Gusikoff has not paid the USTTA the balance of the sanction fees, and has yet to pay all of the prize money from the ’77 Open. What were the words Gusikoff used to try and discredit the EC members—IRRESPONSIBLE, DANGEROUSLY NEGLIGENT and FLAGRANT BREACH OF TRUST. Unbelievable!
It is obvious that the E.C. does not choose to negotiate with the IMG people at this time. The members of the Executive Committee were elected to represent us. We cannot expect 100% of the players to agree with their every decision. [And when the players don’t, can they publicly voice their opinion, and must they do it politely?] It is my opinion that Tim Boggan overstepped his position in allowing Mr. Gusikoff’s frenzied and outlandish accusations to occupy so much space in our Topics.
Perhaps the USTTA should accept the IMG offer and if we made the more than necessary money we could pay them the $25,000 and keep the profit….Otherwise, we’ll tell them, “We’re sorry, but we ran out of money.”
Buddy does alright with his free speech, huh? No minced or wasted words there.
Ah, well. Need I defend myself? Privately I could take as my guide, lines, say, from Ronald Steel’s book on journalist Walter Lippman:
“The great healing effect of publicity is that by revealing men’s motives it civilizes them. If people have to declare publicly what they want and why they want it, they cannot be altogether ruthless. It takes more courage than most men have to be openly selfish and regardless of the judgments of their fellows. A special interest openly avowed is no terror to democracy. It is neutralized by publicity….
The great virtue of democracy—in fact its supreme virtue—is that it supplies a method of dragging the realities into light, of summoning our rulers to declare themselves and submit to judgment.”
That said, here are the responses of those who wanted to respond to Gusikoff and to my decision to let him have his say—Anderson, Carr, Harrison, Martin, and Shirley (President Schiff didn’t respond, but at some later date he did speak to IMC’s Kain, which drew praise from Gusikoff). You’ll see that these E.C. members differ in their responses and in doing so offer us glimpses of their personalities.
Anderson: “Dear Tim, If Mr. Gusikoff’s foolish article does get published there should be an answer to it. Here is mine:
Bob asks, ‘Why was this offer (the IMG proposal) never put on the agenda?’ It was. Item 29 of the summer meeting agenda. ‘Why was it never even discussed by the E.C.?’ Because we’d all read it in advance, and all of us observed the $25,000 ‘hook’ it contained. The USTTA would have been obligated to pay IMG this amount even if they weren’t able to raise one cent for us. We’d already passed the budget for the season, so all of us knew that this much money wasn’t there—it would bankrupt the USTTA if we had to pay it. Thus, when we reached this agenda item, no one would make a motion to consider the proposal—we all knew it was impossible to consider at this time.
As Recording Secretary, I only minute those items that are at least moved by an E.C. member. Anything not even moved is left out. Thus, this proposal was not mentioned in the minutes. [Shouldn’t it have been? Wouldn’t the membership be interested to know that such an important sports conglomerate as IMG was interested in the USTTA? And wouldn’t at least mentioning the proposal be a required courtesy to Bob and to IMG.’s Kain who went to the trouble of writing a long letter requesting the proposal be brought to the Board’s attention?]
Mr. Gusikoff’s so-called quotes are ridiculous. There is no way I would have said, ‘What proposal? I don’t remember it.’ I knew this proposal, had read it in detail, and remembered it clearly. Especially the hook.
…Since you started discussing irresponsibility and negligence, Bob, why didn’t you mention the sanction fees and prize money for the 1977 U.S. Open that you still haven’t paid? Why don’t you even answer Jack Carr’s letters to you on this subject? D-J Lee paid the German team’s hotel bill so they could check out—you couldn’t be located at the time. Have you ever repaid D-J?
The present E.C. is the least self-oriented I’ve ever seen. The summer meeting was the best ever—no one yelled, no one tried to gain any advantage or money for himself or friends of his. I’ve been attending E.C. meetings for the last ten years, and I’ve never seen this before! Several of the new members are in the Table Tennis business—they are very successful at it, so they don’t make any attempt to gain money or advantages for themselves, unlike some former E.C. members who were defeated in the last election. In fact, when the vote for awarding the 1978 U.S. Open came up, all 5 members with business connections abstained.
The new members’ main campaign promise was they would hire an executive director, and they are keeping it. If there is a way to vastly improve our sport and image, I think this group of businessmen will find it.”
Carr (who wasn’t at the meeting): “New Editor Needed Now Bids are sought for a NEW TOPICS EDITOR.
One of the many reasons the Executive Committee voted 9-0 to cancel Tim Boggan’s contract is his continued publication of articles contrary to the best interests of table tennis. [Cancel my contract? Or give me a new and, as Fred Danner said, a “better” one?]
There can be little credence in an article by someone who after four months still owes money to USTTA members and who violated his agreement made in Las Vegas with the Executive Committee and published in Topics.
Since Boggan’s contract expires after the January-February issue and disciplinary action is pending against Bobby Gusikoff for failure to pay money owed to the USTTA, perhaps this is their way of getting even with the Executive Committee.
Undoubtedly other E.C. members like myself did not receive the Gusikoff-IMG proposal until several days after the meeting if they received it at all. Since the flat fee IMG cost is more than the entire USTTA bank account, serious considerable deliberation and negotiations are needed before the assigned committee can make definite proposals.
Despite the criticism by Gusikoff and Boggan, I have confidence in Ron Shirley, Bowie Martin and Fred Danner. I ask you, our fellow members, to bear with them for two years instead of jumping to improper conclusions when all the facts are not known.
The Executive Committee can use and needs the services of another outstanding man—the intelligent, energetic, ambitious Gus Kennedy.
Boggan’s publication of half-truths, false accusations and character assassinations is irresponsible and childish, and hurts the public relations and promotion of the sport we love.” [After reading Rufford Harrison’s objections to this article, Jack didn’t want it published, but it took him too long to get his half-hearted decision to withdraw it to me and I went to press with it in the magazine.]
Harrison [who wasn’t at the meeting]: “Dear Tim,…[We] discussed Gusikoff’s proposal, even though it was received much too late for inclusion on the agenda….Admittedly it was discussed only briefly. The gist was that, since we had just allocated funds for the rather forward step of hiring an Executive Director, we certainly could not remotely consider anything that needed an outlay approaching half of our annual budget, as Gusikoff’s proposal did.
I might add that there was another thought in my mind as I spoke [sic] against that proposal. I remembered that Gusikoff had agreed to have established a joint bank account with the USTTA for U.S. Open income, so that our fees would be paid ‘upfront,’ He did not do this. To date I believe he has paid some $2,000 of the sanction fee, which is probably less than half of what he should pay, none of the International Team Fund fee; none of the rating fees; only part of the prize money; and only part of the umpiring fees. Furthermore, he did not pay the hotel bills for some of the foreign participants, who also did not receive their prize money…[After two letters from Ogimura, the USTTA out of their General Funds paid the JTTA $1,056, paid the Korean Development Bank Team’s Executive Director the $100 prize money due, but probably did not send him the winners’ certificates or trophies that were to be awarded; paid the $818.09 prize money and hotel bill for the Germans.].”
[I must say, the responses of Anderson, Carr, and Harrison are different enough to give readers pause for thought.]
Martin: Dear Tim, “I received the [IGM] proposal on July 22, 1977, which was the day I left for the Executive Committee meeting in Washington, D.C.; I barely had time to look over the contents prior to the meeting: as you know there were 77 items on the agenda to be considered.
I felt my first responsibility as a newly elected vice president was to make my major campaign promise good, the promise to hire an Executive Director to run the USTTA. The election results clearly revealed that this action was strongly supported by the membership. The hiring of an Executive Director was proposal No. 16 on the agenda. This item was taken up and passed. Naturally this item of employing an Executive Director establishing a central USTTA office, and related expenses constitute a large expenditure for the USTTA….[Bowie says “the IMG proposal was No. 29 on the agenda. He scanned it over, understood the proposal, and concluded “there was no guarantee to the USTTA of any income from this arrangement.] As there was obviously no money in the USTTA budget for this [IMG proposal] (the hiring of an Executive Director had already passed), no action was taken.
One of the major problems the association has always had is lack of direction, continuity, and lack of planning for the short and long term. An Executive Director can help solve these problems. The USTTA cannot afford an Executive Director and the IMG proposal at this time. A good Executive Director could make it possible for us to have both; acquiring such a person will be a giant step in the right direction. [Gusikoff later praises this response as being “honest and truthful.”]
CRITERIA FOR TOPICS: During the period I considered running for vice president I spoke with many USTTA members about their feelings on a variety of subjects; one of the subjects most often brought up was the contents of Topics. The general feeling I received was that Topics should be the Official Publication of the USTTA, and should not serve as the publication of other associations or groups, not as long as the USTTA was paying the bill out of USTTA membership dues. I will be responsive to the feelings of the majority of the USTTA players, and not to the feelings of a small group in the membership. [Why not be responsive to both the majority and the minority?]
ELIGIBILITY FOR CANDIDATES FOR USTTA OFFICE: I would ask each interested person to read over the eligibility requirements for USTTA Office. Do you feel that they are overly restrictive or do you feel that a candidate should be as qualified and experienced as possible? [I think Barry Margolius’s Nominating Committee Report, “Who Won? Who Cares?” (May-June, 1978, 13), which I’ll come to later, goes a long way toward answering Bowie’s question. The highly stringent requirements for one to run for the two highest E.C. positions induces in the membership not interest but apathy.]
Shirley: Dear Tim, “I personally don’t feel like you should print articles from persons who have a history of writing bad checks, who owe the USTTA large sums of money, who are under investigation by the USTTA Disciplinary Committee, and who have written less than the truth in other articles they have submitted to you. To print such things and to spend your time and magazine space responding to senseless tirades is not in the best interests of the USTTA or the sport as a whole.
Since you did request a reply, though, I will gladly do so after Mr. Gusikoff has taken care of all his financial obligations and has been cleared of the numerous charges against him which the USTTA Disciplinary Committee is now considering.
On a more pleasant note, I am pleased to report to you that good progress is being made in an organized, business-like manner to hire an Executive Director, to establish a permanent office, and to develop plans and goals for the USTTA. All of these items will be acted upon at the next meeting of the Executive Committee in December.”
E.C. Minutes/Other
Matters
Present for all or part of the time at the Dec. 19, 1977 E.C. Meeting at Caesars Palace were: E.C. Officers: President Sol Schiff (SS), Recording Secretary Mal Anderson who took the Minutes (MRA)), Corresponding Secretary Sue Sergeant (SGT), Vice President Bowie Martin (BGM), Vice-President Dal-Joon Lee (DJL), and Vice-President Fred Danner (FGD); also, Proxies: John Read (JCR) for Executive Vice-President Rufford Harrison; Gus Kennedy (GK) for Treasurer Jack Carr; and Gene Sargent (GS) for Vice-President Ron Shirley.
Guests attending at one point or another were: USTTA Publicity Director Stan Robens, Tom Wintrich, Midwest Regional Director Tom McEvoy, Wally Gundlach, Barry Margolius, Heather Angelinetta (there to try to clear up a “misunderstanding (over U.S. Team uniforms?) that occurred at the 1977 U.S. Open, involving her, Bob Gusikoff, D-J Lee, and the USTTA” ($400 is due her?), Duke Stogner (there to put in a bid to hold the 1978 USOTC’s in Little Rock, Arkansas; the E.C. reaction was “favorable”…but they’ll award the tournament to Detroit).
Regarding the reactivation of the International Team Squad, “Kennedy reported he has written a form letter and sent it to 25 top players. To date, only 4 of them have replied,” so it appears the ITS won’t be reactivated. Gus calls our attention to the ITTF’s history volume just out, “The First Fifty Years,” available through him for $2.25. Also, as our International Chair, he’s recently exchanged letters with North Korean officials regarding the Apr. 25-May 6, 1979 Pyongyang World’s—mutual concerns focus on embassies, passports, visas, participatory and travel arrangements. (Since it’s illegal in the U.S. to import North Korean stamps, Gus is scrambling round in Scott’s Stamp Catalog to see if the stamp he’s got might be either valuable or dangerous to him.)
Richard Streeton, writing in the Oct. 25, 1977 London Times (reprinted in TTT, Mar.-Apr., 1978, 10), stresses how the last World’s in Birmingham proved a financial disaster for the English TTA—they “could face a loss of about $60,000.” More than “1,000 competitors and officials” had to be provided for. In some way, this ultra-prestigious tournament has to be cut down to size, for only the Asian countries seem able to finance it (China will have it in ’81, Japan in ’83). As the ITTF now has 125 member-countries, it “clearly is not ideal for one continent regularly to stage the tournament.” Streeton says the ETTA’s financial loss comes at a bad time because, although the World’s gave table tennis a big boost in England, the Association has no funds to capitalize on this sudden interest. However, one way to try to preserve some impetus is through a dispersion of the Birmingham World Championship films, available for sale (275 pounds each) or rent (10 pounds per week or part of a week).
Mal Anderson, USTTA Photography Chair, has a series of sequence photos in Topics—Shigeo Itoh’s Power Loop Drive (Sept.-Oct., 1977); Sam Hammond’s Backhand Loop (Jan.-Feb., 1978); and Kjell Johansson’s Flat Forehand and Kill (Mar.-Apr., 1978), all analyzed frame by frame—Itoh by USTTA Coaching Chair Jeff Smart; Hammond and Johansson by USTTA Coach Chris Francis. Also, Mal as USTTA Rules Chair, tells us that the ITTF has two new rules regarding rackets. One defines “Sandwich rubber” as “a layer of circular rubber (what we call sponge) surfaced with a layer of pimpled rubber, the total thickness of the pimpled rubber being not more than 2 millimetres.” The other requires that a player, “before using a racket for the first time in a match, shall, if so requested, show both sides of the blade to his opponent.” What one might find there—too-long pips, too-thick pips, whatever—may not be legal after Jan. 1, 1978. Then, if your opponent wants to take a look at your racket, you’re caught, right?
The U.S. player Bruce Abrams (TTT, Jan.-Feb., 1977, 10) calls our attention to “a fantastic new rubber”—called Slime. “Yes, that’s right—Slime,” which is “10 times as effective as “Feint, Phantom, Sriver Killer….” Bruce explains:
“…The smooth-faced Slime contains a very thin 4” circular water storage compartment hidden inside the layer of sponge. The rubber surface on one side (and one side only) contains microfine pores that on firm contact with a moving object release a fine moisture-film.
Thus you can cause a “wet ball” as often as you choose. The pores have been spaced and measured to cause the wet spot to last a maximum of 10 seconds. Since it takes about 2-3 seconds for your opponent to realize something is wrong, and since it requires an average of 3-4 seconds to find the wet spot (Slime produces the smallest possible spot), and at least 5-6 seconds for even a fast opponent to run to the umpire and point out to him the exact [offending] spot, guess what the umpire sees? That’s right. Nothing! The spot has already evaporated! You are in no danger of losing your ill-gotten point.
Moreover, after a few points like this, your opponent will stop calling “Wet ball!” for fear of being labeled a cry baby….There is only one very slight drawback…The water supply lasts approximately 3 full games. Therefore the sponge might have to be refilled. But an injection needle comes with each sheet….”
Hey, yeah, a little shaky, but with China’s Huang Liang on serve you need an equalizer.
USTTA Committee changes: Alex Sze replaced Ira Feldman as Intercollegiate Chair; Jim McQueen replaced Caron Leff as Southern Regional Tournament Director; Bill Hornyak replaced Tom McEvoy as Midwest Regional Tournament Director; and McEvoy became the National Tournament Director, replacing Neall Fox who resigned. Though Neal had been praised just this month by Westfield Director Dennis Pedicini (“Neal Fox is a gem. He doesn’t just do your draws, he really cares about your tournament”), he’s also been repeatedly criticized (Clubs and Affiliates Chair Dick Feuerstein said Neal, as National Tournament Director, “should have been replaced long ago”).
Fox had held two big jobs—Tournament Chair and Rating Chair—and the control he wanted and the conscientiousness that characterized his considerable efforts made him subject to delays in getting out draws or up-to-date ratings. Also, he sometimes issued blunt pronouncements which may have caused Tournament Directors to criticize him in return. For example: “These tournaments [which he designates—Reisman being one of the offenders] are so late that they will not be processed unless the sponsor is willing to pay the extra cost of late processing….Mike Scott, Warren Rasmussen and Dave Sakai may not hold any more tournaments. All three names are being submitted to the Disciplinary Committee [chaired by Mike Scott] for possible action because of chronic problems with their tournament.” (Some confusion with Scott and Fox, I think, that got straightened out; Fox, perhaps, was too quick to speak.)
Neal was to have contacted the Dunlop Company about continuing the Barna Award they’d previously given annually to a person in the U.S. who’d done the most for the Sport. But he didn’t follow up (write a short letter?) because, he said, “of the pressure of other work.” Clearly, the Tournament work or the criticism was something he didn’t need. It turns out that Dunlop has discontinued the Barna Award.
Stan Robens resigned as Chair of the Film and Library Committee, which Bill Hodge, understandably, despite his initial eagerness, couldn’t do much with either. However, Stan has a vision. He intends to “start up a USTTA Development Fund.” His intention is to raise $20,000…$40,000…$60.000 to print and send out “promotional materials” that will then bring in large contributions to the Association from wealthy donors. Stan’s aim is to raise $1,000,000. To get this project going—convince an audience that Table Tennis “is a popular and exciting sport”—he looks to form a USTTA “100 Club” whose individual members or clubs will each contribute $200 toward this goal. Then he hopes to get an additional $10 or more from each Association member. Thus the half-page announcement (TTT, Mar.-Apt., 1978, 7) that boldly asserts, “A Sleeping Giant is Awakening!”
In your Rip Van Winkle dreams, Stan—though, since you also said every little bit helps, you will get some nominal donations.
At least Robens is to be commended for an idea, one that promises a dozen benefits this money could bring us—coaching clinics, a National League, our players competing abroad, increased membership, and much more. His plaintive question (“Won’t you please join us in promoting Table Tennis? I appeal to your love of this great sport….”) draws, in effect, the brutally direct answer “No.” So it’s Stan and his supporters who’ll eventually wake from this fairy tale. Meanwhile, Robens is in Vegas, doin’ a dream act—is up there on stage with Tony Orlando. Maybe they’ll do a rendition of Fred Grobee’s catchy new song (“…I hope I’ve made it clear to very Jack and Jill: Top table tennis is a game of super skill”).
Tom Wintrich has a dream too. He wants to be the Editor of Topics. He tells the E,C. that he’s “confident he could make it a first class paper and meet the $2,200 budget.” Perhaps his dream will one day become a reality? But not now. After a half hour’s discussion, ”the contract negotiated with Boggan by Martin, Danner, and Carr” was passed 6-3 with Anderson and Wintrich’s friends, the Sargents (Gene casting his proxy vote for Ron Shirley), dissenting. Tom had written me much earlier (Sept. 10) that “it appears my desire for a higher salary thwarted my chances. [Of course Tim was exercising his option according to his contract to continue on as Editor.] The local joke if I had won the position was that I could have given front page coverage to our small-time tournaments….At this particular time I am very involved with organizing a major money tournament [what that is, he doesn’t say] and I don’t know if I will remain a serious contender for the job. Regardless of my decision, I know you are a tough competitor and won’t be frightened off by a newcomer to the sport with grandiose plans.” Oh yes, Tom continues to be a contender; and, no, I’m not frightened, nor will I ever be.**
There are ten applicants for the position of USTTA Executive Director. Bill Haid, in the later 1940’s the Editor of Topics (see Vol. II, 217-18; 258-59 for my highly critical comments about him as he was then) will take office Jan. 24, 1978. Here’s his background (TTT, Mar.-Apr., 1978, 1):
“…Prior to coming with the USTTA he was with Associated Lithographers as Associate Publisher and Advertising Director of Tennis West, and prior to that was Vice-President of Blackwell Printing Co. in St. Louis, MO. Other experience was with Maritz, Inc. as production manager of the largest creative sales-incentive company in the world, and with American Investment Company involved in their national marketing program.
Mr. Haid is a U.S.T.A. Sectional Chair Umpire, an official for AAU Track and Field events, and a Golden Gloves official. He has put 10 years of his life into PTA work, 12 years in the Boy Scouts of America, and 3 years as a part-time YMCA Recreation and Athletic Instructor. In addition to playing table tennis he has been a fast-pitch softball pitcher for 42 years, and plays tennis and golf. He thus brings experience from many sports to his new job.
Bill and his wife, Sarah, had been living in Tempe, Arizona, but now have moved to St. Louis….”
Bowie Martin was the E.C. member in charge of studying the E.D. applicants’ resumes. But he had to have consulted with Shirley and Sue Sargent, his other Committee members who were allied with Wintrich and it would seem Robens. Haid, living like Robens in Arizona, was employed by Tennis West, the publication that (see Chapter IX) featured an article highlighting Robens’s associations with Phoenix-area sports personalities. Earlier, Robens, encouraging Shirley/Sergeant/Wintrich’s aspirations (see Chapter III), had solicited Diamond Publishers out of Phoenix to make up a new Topics format that could be substituted for the old should Wintrich or someone else replace Boggan as Editor. The Haid-Wintrich connection will continue through Bill’s tenure until finally both will be based at the USOC Headquarters in Colorado Springs.
Butterfly’s Bowie Martin also took the lead in serving as E.C. liaison regarding Boggan’s contract, and I recall him being very cooperative and fair with me. So, though Shirley, like Miles, very much wanted to do a succession of U.S. Opens beginning with his upcoming 1978 one, the E.C. resisted his Southwestern power grab. The 1979 U.S. Open will be awarded to Long Island’s Table Tennis Enterprises, Inc. who’ll have Benihana as a sponsor. Of course I can’t be too critical of these moves by Shirley since, as we’ve seen over the years, I’ve been pretty intent on grabbing power myself.
Ironically, while this maneuvering has been going on, the E.C. has decided to appoint a Morals and Ethics Committee. Three unbiased people [sic] will make sure that “no member of the E.C., including the President, and no committee chairman, uses his USTTA office and/or influence to promote his own business or to seek financial rewards for himself….This committee [with disciplinary powers] can be dissolved only by a 2/3 majority vote of the E.C. Members of this committee [members as yet nameless, as yet uncalled to action, who perhaps never will be called] cannot be members of the E.C. or any other USTTA committee….Passed 7-1 (JCR expressing Harrison’s vote).
Following Bill Haid’s appointment, thanks to the groundwork laid by Sol Schiff and Bowie Martin with the manufacturers attending the Jan. 24-29 National Sporting Goods Show in Houston, and a final Jan. 28th 19-point presentation by Haid, the desired goal was reached (TTT, Mar.-Apr., 1978, 4). “The manufacturers and importers of table tennis equipment joined together in a commitment to the USTTA to donate approximately $30,000 for 1978 and the same for 1979 towards the employment of an Executive Director and the establishment of a USTTA Headquarters.” This Headquarters will be located in the Bridgeton Square Building in St. Louis, near the airport. “The modern offices…are carpeted and draped. Available in the office complex are a receptionist, meeting rooms, free coffee service, telephone answering service, copy machine, notary service, and free parking A storage room and room for expansion exists.” Hopes run high that the USTTA is “moving in the right direction.”
Moving in the wrong direction was ex-U.S. Open Tournament Director Bobby Gusikoff who’d gotten himself into one big mess:
“The 1977 U.S. Open was discussed at length. The sponsor owes about $9,000 to the USTTA and membership [Fred Danner later estimates the debt to be about $10,200], did not live up to various agreements with the E.C., etc. A report had been received from the Disciplinary Committee that recommended the sponsor be suspended.
SGT/ That Bob Gusikoff be suspended until he pays the monies he owes to the USTTA and the USTTA membership in full. Passed 8-0.
BGM/ The E.C. member in charge of the National Publication will inform the editor that no articles by Gusikoff will be allowed in Topics until after he has been reinstated. Passed by general consent.”
Gusikoff objects. He’d sent to the E.C. a Profit & Loss Statement showing a loss of $7,000 on his U.S. Open. In an accompanying Nov. 3 letter he blames Neal Fox for not earlier supporting his U.S. Open bid and instead arguing at the Dec., 1976 E.C. meeting in Vegas that Herb Vichnin should be awarded the tournament. This delay, Bobby says, severely hampered his attempts to raise sponsorship. Bobby argues that USTTA Tournament Chair Fox’s favoritism amounts to collusion. He says, “As Neal Fox was acting on behalf of the USTTA I feel that the USTTA should accept partial responsibility for the loss. I therefore suggest that the USTTA waive all fees due them from the ’77 Open and use the $2,000 sent in already to pay the expenses of the Japanese and German teams. I see no reason why the USTTA should stand to make a profit on the Open when it was primarily the USTTA’s fault for the loss.” Well, if Bobby can talk himself into believing this, the E.C. can’t.
Gusikoff also argues that he assumed “things were o.k.” after he sent this letter, which also included a plea for understanding that he was broke. So he was surprised to hear of his suspension. He says in a Jan. 31, 1978 letter to the E.C. that “There may have been misjudgments but there were no improprieties whatsoever in the entire handling of the tournament.” Why wasn’t he invited to the E.C. meeting so the Board could hear his side of the story? Was that fair? Some E.C. members, however, believed that while Bobby was in Vegas for the Closed he was either invited to the E.C. meeting or at least knew that his case was going to be discussed there.
Danner, in a Mar. 18, 1978 letter to Disciplinary Chair Dr. Michael Scott, says the E.C. had “no choice” but to suspend Gusikoff. He sums up the charges:
In Fred’s opinion, Bobby “showed intent to defraud the USTTA and the players. First, “in violation of his agreement with the USTTA,” he “changed the name for U.S. Open checks made payable from the ‘1978 U.S. Open.’” These funds were to be deposited in a “special account” from which withdrawals required not only Gusikoff’s signature but that of a USTTA official. But U.S. Open checks went to a “C.T.T.C.” (California Table Tennis Club) account “which Bob alone controlled….”
…Then he issued several checks which bounced because of insufficient funds in a closed account.” This, Fred says, is “inexcusable” and 2-3 months later at least some of those getting bad checks haven’t been paid. When Gusikoff was asked “whether he filed a police report for Grand Larceny” against someone whom he said “‘ripped me off’ for three thousand dollars… he said he couldn’t do that because the guy who stole the money was a friend of his.”
“We chose not to proceed with legal action against Gusikoff since he would not have sufficient assets to make it worthwhile, and since there was still some hope he would honor his debts.”
Later, a strange turnaround: it would seem the USTTA paid a debt to Bobby. In 1984, he would be inducted into the USTTA Hall of Fame, and in 1999, partially paralyzed, would receive the Association’s Mark Matthews Lifetime Achievement Award.
Next up for the Disciplinary Committee: former USTTA President Charlie Disney and his Club Manager Don Larson. In a Dec. 30, 1977 letter to Disciplinary Chair Dr. Scott, newly appointed Tournament Chair Tom McEvoy, following up on Neal Fox’s complaint, gives his asked-for opinion that both Disney and Larson should be suspended “until such time that they honor past obligations.” They failed “to pay the sanction fees as well as other USTTA fees at the last 4 tournaments they held…Rating fees and USTTA memberships and player permits were also sold and this money was never turned in either.” The amount owed is $154.50.
In his Jan, 4, 1978 return letter to Tom, Dr, Scott says he’s “quite reluctant to recommend suspension of a prior USTTA President.” When Scott seeks E.C. advice, Schiff tells him, “Don’t let the fact that Disney’s an ex-USTTA President prejudice you—he should live up to his obligations.”
Harrison tells him, “I think your reluctance to go after a former president is excellent. I think also that the complaints about him are justified….As far as I know, Disney’s TT clubs are his only business…and I imagine [are] reasonably profitable.” But, adds Rufford, part of his income comes from charging people fees and not submitting them to the USTTA. He pushes for his local club, not the USTTA.
“What would he do if suspended?” Rufford asks. Continue to run unsanctioned tournaments as he’s doing now. “To do Charlie justice, he felt that the USTTA screwed him somewhat when he ran that USOTC’s back in 1974. He advertised a certain schedule of prize money, and when the players asked for more, he got no support. You perhaps should take that into consideration. On the other hand, that sort of thing doesn’t exonerate him.” Harrison favors taking action of some sort, but doesn’t know what.
Carr replies: “Disney never paid any fees for the USOTC’s he ran, so add this to the report. Schiff feels there was some deal with Boggan on that. [If so, why wouldn’t Charlie acknowledge it—say, Look, I had a deal—get himself off the hook?] Disney never replies to letters and he’s almost impossible to get by phone. Disney was one of our worst presidents—Gus and Jean Kennedy did 99 and 44/100% of the work.”
Jack says he understands [from whom?] “a bigger problem exists in that Disney is claiming that these tournaments he runs are sanctioned, which is not true.” [Jack knows that for a fact?] McEvoy can waive the fees of these tournaments, but only the E.C. can waive the USOTC fees (which it has refused to do) or exonerate Disney for falsely using the USTTA name (if indeed he’s done that).”
On Jan. 9th, Schiff responds, “If he doesn’t pay, we must stop approving his tournaments. It’s as simple as that.”
Also on the 9th, Bowie Martin responds:
“It is my personal feeling that Charlie Disney has over the past years put in a great deal of work and effort on behalf of the USTTA. I also feel that we need to keep the hard workers in the USTTA, and I feel the association would be much better for his continued participation.
I believe it would be a great gesture on behalf of the USTTA to forgive him this debt. Charlie has no doubt had some financial problems (which he may be too proud to admit) and I understand that the second club of his has had to be closed down [Bowie says elsewhere that the Hopkins, MN club closed Dec. 17, and Don Larson says that he and Charlie “lost over $40,000 on that venture”].
We need more clubs like Charlie’s, and we need more dedicated teachers and promoters. It’s a shame that we are at odds with him, even if he is at fault; let’s try to get him back into the USTTA swing [Danner agrees with Martin].”
On Jan. 22nd, Gus Kennedy, responding to McEvoy’s request that he contact Charlie, said he did. “Charlie is presently in a very “down” state concerning the USTTA. He is trying to stay solvent. He had to close one club and still owes $1,400/month on it for several more months. With expenses like this and with Don leaving [it’s hard for him].
Tom, Charlie has put thousands of dollars into the USTTA, as well as a lot of volunteer time to make the game grow. He also put the spark for the executive director position into several people’s minds. I strongly suggest your drop the issue since nothing is to be gained and so much could be lost.”
Carr is sympathetic to Disney, but says he doesn’t have all the facts—shows Rufford 14 questions he wants answers to. In reply to each, Rufford generally tells him to “Ask Gus” or “Ask Neal.” Most important question: Has Disney merely been running unsanctioned tournaments? Or has he been running unsanctioned tournaments and advertising them as sanctioned? Carr says he himself runs a number of unsanctioned tournaments a year (in which the caliber of play is generally poor). So maybe, he says, action ought to be taken against him.
On Jan. 31, McEvoy writes, “I no longer intend to pursue the matter.” So the ball’s in the E.C. court. Disciplinary Chair Scott suggests the E.C. adopt the following position: “Any player who participates in any unsanctioned tournament sponsored by Mr. Charles Disney, or Disney’s Club, will not be permitted to play in any USTTA-approved tournament for a nine-month period starting after the date of the unsanctioned tournament.” (Harrison wants to know how you could police that? How would you know who plays in an unsanctioned tournament?)
On Mar. 4, Carr sends a postcard to Dr. Scott saying: ”After reviewing the evidence, I agree that Don Larson and Charlie Disney should be subject to disciplinary action. I still feel we need Gus Kennedy’s evaluation. [But Gus has already given that, right?] I feel that disciplinary action should be taken against Sue Sargent for failure to reply to correspondence (Harrison, Robens, you & me) as she signed a statement to do so, [and for] conflict of interest, failure to meet membership E.C. requirements, and improper actions at an E.C. meeting.” [Is one supposed to ask Jack 14 questions on what specifically he’s talking about?].
Anyway, there’s closure with Disney.
In a Sept. 10, 1977 letter I’d urged the powers-that-be to consider my son Scott for the U.S. Men’s Team to the Hong Kong Invitational. Harrison wrote me back saying he was impressed with both my boys’ rapid improvement, felt that maybe both would be on the U.S. Team to the Pyongyang World’s, but that the selection of 4th-man Galardi was probably a fait accompli. On Sept. 14, U.S. Team Capt. Houshang Bozorgzadeh wrote to the E.C. that he’d found out that the Men’s Team to Hong Kong would be Danny and Ricky Seemiller, Ray Guillen, and Dean Galardi. Houshang said he didn’t feel Dean gave 100% at Birmingham. Specifically, he criticized him for the following reasons:
Didn’t work diligently on his weaknesses and to correct his manner and attitude; lacked heart
Didn’t want to play against Hong Kong—they were too strong, it wasn’t worthwhile for him to try against them; showed anxiety
He defaulted from the Consolation’s—didn’t want to play anymore
Wasn’t in top physical condition; pretended to be sick or tired so as not to play in a match or practice
With a 1-4 record he gave only 20-30% of his ability
Since returning from the World’s he hasn’t participated in tournaments as have the younger players
He would like Dean replaced with one of these four players: in this order: Eric Boggan, Perry Schwartzberg, Scott Boggan, Rutledge Barry.
When Houshang returned from Hong Kong, he was again very critical of Galardi for the same reasons as before—with this added comment: “He managed to avoid the team most of the time, preferring to remain in the hotel room. During the China vs. Japan final, he didn’t show, said he was tired. Public Relations have a place on these trips, too; the opportunities for being a good ambassador do exist.”
Our players could be tested as ambassadors if, as Topics reader H.G. Farrell urges, the USTTA could get television to put on “a series of round robin matches (like the tennis matches) between top U.S. Table Tennis players. Better yet, why not start a Pro Tour? Richard Kelly, Jr. (TTT, Jan.-Feb. 1978, 11) would like to see “3 short tours, like an Eastern, Midwestern, and Western, probably of 6 to 8 weeks duration….Table tennis clubs in each state [in their region] would bid for a site on the tour by promising the biggest prize money tournament. Each tournament would be held on succeeding weeks so if the tour was going to go to 7 states the tour would be 7 weeks. Kelly goes into details about players committing themselves, and getting established sign-up and prize money, as well as free accommodations, in return for which the players would put on exhibitions and clinics as they moved from club to club. [Leagues and tours existing locally on a minimum scale have been at least moderately successful. But to do them regionally and for an uninterrupted time takes more than a paper-plan or a mere guiding hand. Such a Tour would need not only willing, available players but a full-time person, knowledgeable, dedicated, and paid properly, to make it work. Which is why such a Tour won’t happen.]
Larry Hodges, noting the new strength of our U.S. Teams, adult and junior, has ambitious hopes for us (TTT, Jan.-Feb., 1978, 13). “If a U.S. player made the finals of the World’s, and the USTTA successfully publicizes that fact, we would have a table tennis fever in this country.” We should create a Men’s, Women’s, and Junior team and send them “around the world.” Would cost money, yes? So, he says, “I’d like to make a serious suggestion. Everybody knows about the $.50 rating fee we pay at tournaments. Why not have a ‘U.S. Team fee’ of, say, $1.00 per person?” If the E.C. doesn’t “at least consider this, “they will have been grossly negligent in their duties.” Also, “to raise money, have the USTTA finance exhibition teams, such as the Seemillers, the Boggans, or Chan and Wuvanich. By charging admission fees, they could pay back the USTTA afterwards, and still make a profit.”
On Sept. 23, 1977, my Swedish friend Nisse Sandberg, Founder/President of the Angby Club that for years has enjoyed the patronage of Jordan’s King Hussein, sent a tournament invitation (including an entry blank) to our ex-International Chair Rufford Harrison inviting a U.S. Team of the Boggan brothers, Rutledge Barry, and me as Captain, along with another boy to be determined, to the Swedish Junior Open in Stockholm in the spring of ‘78. On Nov. 3rd, I wrote the following letter to the E.C.:
“…Since I have not heard one single voluntary word from anyone on the International Committee, the Selection Committee, or the E.C. on this Swedish Junior Open matter, I assume something so simple as ignorance or indifference prevails, and though this fact is depressing to me it is also I suppose understandable—after all, we are not in the habit of sending our juniors, especially such outstanding juniors as we now have, to play in tournaments abroad.
At any event, I mean to make the most of this opportunity (my boys deserve whatever protection or guidance I can give them in the table tennis or any other world) and naturally I hope all of you will support me in my effort to raise money for our trip.
I’m going to begin by assuming that I can use the International Junior Team money—I mean, what’s it there for if not a big tournament like this? But of course I will still need a good deal more money for our two-week stay. I’m sure, though, if I start now and work hard enough, I can raise it—the more so because everybody will agree that our National Champions have a very, very good chance of winning the tournament.
In the meantime, I’d appreciate not silence, total silence, but at least some moral support, especially from Sol and the E.C., in, say, the form of a short note of encouragement. Really, all things considered, don’t you think we deserve at least that?”
On Nov. 8, John Read writes me that Rufford Harrison wants John to send out availability forms and go through the normal selection process (including selecting a Captain). Of course, the Swedish Invitation was specific, and who would want to complicate it, since Eric, Rutledge, and Scott are 1-2-3 in the Junior ratings. Rufford tells Read (but not me) that on principle we can’t have a Swedish Club dictating to us who, for an International event, our Junior Team is going to be. Read says he’d like to help, but doesn’t know how (my Captaincy, he thinks, might be in question, but not the players—not unless new players emerge, which is unrealistic. After wise heads prevail, those originally invited, along with Jimmy Lane, will indeed attend the May 5-7, 1978 tournament. Ratings at this time for the four top U.S. Juniors are: Eric 2384; Scott 2307; Rutledge 2269; Jim Lane 2238; 1st Alternate: Mike Stern 2199. Others perhaps under consideration: Dean Doyle 2127; Todd Petersen 2090; Quang Bui 2084.*
Also on Nov. 8, Sue and Gene Sargent of Table Tennis Oklahoma (TTO) immediately send an apology for being unaware of the invitation and a donation for our trip. Eventually, among the great many I contacted, 165 will make donations totaling over $3,500.
At this Dec. 19 E.C. meeting, the obvious selection was passed 7-0-1 (with Bowie Martin, who’d sponsored the Butterfly Boys to Vegas, abstaining).
Just as we’re wanting to send players to Scandinavia, so are three Finnish players wanting to come to the U.S.—though for a more extended time. “They’d be willing to pay all expenses (journey, accommodations) themselves.” But they all need summer jobs “to be able to pay their expenses.” They’re elite-class players from the same Finland Club, and though they’re willing to work at almost any job, they’ve got to be able to practice table tennis once or twice a week, particularly since one of them is the #1-ranked Finnish player. Take them in, and in return a trip to Finland “could possibly be arranged for some American players.” Gus Kennedy as our International Chair would also get requests for help from Swedish International Roger Lagerfeldt and England’s Paul Fennon, both of whom want to come to the U.S. to coach.
There were a number of proposed By-laws which I’ll take up when I discuss the next E.C. Meeting. Meanwhile, I’ll close this chapter with the remaining main item of interest—who the E.C. will allow to run for E.C. office (“candidates can purchase non-profit mailing permits only; no company mailing may be included with these mailings”).
“Each candidate for office nominated by the Nominating Committee needs three E.C. votes to be placed on the ballot.
President:
Schiff—Approved 7-0-2 (SS, DJL). The E.C. notes that Schiff is opposed to running unopposed. [So why pass a law that severely restricts opposition?] And since Sol votes not to approve anyone, including himself, he’s obviously opposed even to participating in this nomination process.
Executive Vice-President:
Bochenski—Approved 7-1 (SS)-1 (GK for Carr)
Harrison—Approved 7-1 (SS)-1 (JCR for Harrison)
Vice-President:
Kennedy—Approved 7-1 (SS)-1 (GK for Carr)
Robens—Approved 6-3 (SS, SGT, GS for Shirley) [What happened here? Weren’t Shirley and the Sergeants friendly with Robens?]
Recording Secretary:
Anderson—Approved 5-3 (SS, DJL, JCR for Harrison)
Sergeant, Sue—Approved 7-1 (SS)-1 (SGT)
Additional candidates (The E.C. can add candidates to office by a majority vote)
GK: Add Lyle Theim to the ballot as a candidate for Vice-President. Passed 8-1 (DJL)
SGT: Add D-J Lee to the ballot as a candidate for Vice-President. Passed 6-2 (SS. GK for Carr)-1 (DJL)
JCR (for Harrison): Add Dan Robbins to the ballot as a candidate for Recording Secretary. Passed—8-0-1 (SGT)
MRA: Moved that the nominations be closed. Passed 9-0.”
SELECTED NOTES
*John Newcombe (N.Y. Post, Dec. 7, 1977) writes that,
“because of the International Olympic Committee ban,” China looks for another
way to be competitive and influential in the world of sports. IMG has “held
talks with Chu Tse of the All-China Sports Federation” with the aim of bringing
“Chinese sports teams to all parts of the world.” At the moment China is “very
interested in sending tennis, basketball, badminton, and table tennis teams to
Australia, and basketball and track and field teams to America.”
**In retaining me as Topics Editor, the E.C. negotiated a number of restrictions I was asked to observe, some of which I’ve already mentioned. Among them was this one: “Derogatory statements shall have the written approval of the Executive Committee.” [How “derogatory” is “derogatory”?] I’ll show how this proviso affected, or infected, me in a moment. But, first, let’s hear from Stan Wolf (TTT, Mar.-Apr., 1978, 17) whom I let speak without consulting the E.C.”
“…Topics—what a publication. I left Caesars in December and received Topics this month [Mar.]. Is Topics to cover a two-month period or not? And what about poetry—it still appears in Topics.” [Who could resist being playful? Here’s Wolf’s Topics submission—Peter Wolf’s—“Ode To A Table Tennis Ball,” the Shakesperian-structured (ababcdcdefefgg-rimed) sonnet I juxtaposed next to Stan’s article and risk reproducing here.]
Ode To A Table Tennis
Ball
By Peter Wolf
Your skin is as white as newly fallen snow,
Hollow and light, and graceful, swift and small,
The fast red Sriver rubber makes you go—
Not cat-gut, like the heavy tennis ball.
If only you remembered and could speak
Of rallies fierce and smashing kill shots wild,
When your swift image was a singeing streak,
Which animals made out of players mild:
A driving loop like grasshopper alive;
Not high but smashed, a super kicking lob;
A kill to end; a block; a counter-drive…
“It touched the edge—I lose, you lucky slob!”
Only the light and subtle ping-pong ball
Could pierce the armor of the Chinese Wall.
Of course, I also responded to Stan in an Editor’s Note: “Has Stan forgotten that he read I went to press Jan. 19th? Ordinarily he would have received the Jan-Feb. issue in Feb. at exactly the time he would expect to receive it. But has he forgotten that Long Island was snowed in? Maybe he should have written the Post Office, the Weather Bureau, a publication that he likes to write letters to even more than he does this one? And what’s he got against pros and poetry? [He also makes “Ha! Ha!” fun of that fellow who says, ‘Let’s Have a Pro Tour.’] C’mon, Stan, you gotta be kidding—don’t cry ‘Wolf’ at Topics.”
This E.C.’s no-derogatory-statements proviso forced me not only to have a costly, unprecedented two different run-offs of the Jan.-Feb., 1977 Topics, but to have to ask the E.C. for a favor. Here’s the explanatory letter I wrote to Board members:
“…Rushed as I was, as I always am, to meet my Topics deadline, I wrote my story on the 1977 Vegas Closed as I would normally write it, as truthfully as I could, reflecting particularly the point of view of the player who wants the U.S. Championship to be a prestigious event. I wrote this article in part instinctively, unconsciously—consciously aware that at times I was being critical, but not, I thought, unfairly so. It seemed to me, as always, that it was my responsibility to let the reader know what I conscientiously thought of the tournament—after all, had not many a reader over the years come up to me and said he appreciated me telling it like it was.
Then the snowstorm came—and as I looked out each day from my window while the snow stopped everything and the 6,000 copies stayed at the printer’s, I began to see the Vegas article in a different way. It suddenly seemed to me that, though I had absolutely no intention of doing so, I had violated our understanding. And I didn’t want to do that—because, since you’d been very fair with me, I wanted to be very fair with you.
True, I had at the last minute, looked for my Censor. But because of the weather Fred Danner couldn’t come to proof the issue, and I said, o.k., there was “nothing controversial” in it. Which I then saw was just not true. For when I asked myself if Caesars Palace would like the write-up I had to admit they wouldn’t. That it would not be compatible with the “image” they wanted. And would not in fact be compatible with the “image” the new E.C. wanted. I then also remembered Sol’s words to me that he didn’t want me to sign the contract and then “go ahead, just like before, and do whatever you want to do.”
Also, I’d been talking to an unhappy Bill Hodge and I believed the things he told me about Caesars—that, while they had a commitment to run the tournament, they would not have run it in the Sports Pavilion were it not for the fact that they’d decided to dismantle their permanent bleachers. I was afraid that perhaps there’d be continuing trouble getting the Sports Pavilion—and the possibility of another Vegas hotel sponsoring the tournament. So I didn’t want Caesars to have an “out” that my official write-up was anything but “appreciative.”
At any event when the snowstorm cleared I had to make a decision. Although I wanted to be truthful with our readers, particularly the good players who all thought the tournament quite lacking, I didn’t want to “betray” you, didn’t want to violate the agreement we had.
So, rightly or wrongly, I modified the write-up, sort of sinned by omission, as they say, made a private compromise with myself—$393 worth—and I felt better by having my printer rerun the issue.
Your understanding I hope I have. The favor I want is this: for the USTTA to issue Tobay Printers a check for $393—and for the next 5 issues of my contract take out, say, $400 at $80 an issue from my salary. I admit I have to pay for my mistake, but I’d like you to help me because, despite my lifelong desire for the individual truth of self-expression, I am trying to prove to you that I’m willing to uphold our agreement.”
[Bowie Martin, who took over from Danner as the liaison E.C. official with Topics, pronounced this issue “GREAT.” He offers business-like suggestions to me regarding Topics and working with Jack Carr, and diplomatically praises us both. “Tim’s letters and comments have more depth and understanding than I can ever remember and are more rational and not just emotional. Jack’s comments are certainly being presented in a positive manner.” [Heyyy, don’t go away, Bowie. I don’t like those Topics restrictions, and I’m not sure I always want to be so scrupulous…so docile.]
***I received the following Jan. 5, 1978 letter from Quang Bui’s father, Lam, former President of the Table Tennis Federation of South Vietnam, and as a high-up Army official—Chief of the Enemy Deception Section, Special Operation Group—the author of five political and military books:
“First of all, I would like to extend to you and your wife and your family my congratulation about your outstanding sons on table tennis field. I am very sorry I could not come to Las Vegas to meet you and some American friends. I always pray your sons and my sons become outstanding players in the world, because you and I, we are the same in the past and may be the same of the education system toward the children. I admire you very much
I have been practicing for my sons as of they were 9 and 11. Quang is 14 years old now. He has been practicing since he was 9. I do hope he will share a good result with your sons in the near future.
I received your bulletin #1 from Dr. Scott yesterday night, so I would send to you my letter this morning. I would ask you let Mr. John Read [USTTA Selection Chair] that he would send directly any information to my son the following address [Quang’s address follows].
As you know [see Vol. VIII, p. 277], we are refugees, we escaped from Vietnam and took along only the spirit of freedom. We left everything behind us in South VN. We present here with our deepest thanks and appreciation for the Americans help—including you and your family. We will never forget those who have help my family.
On this occation, I would suggest you sending me frequently those information related to the Swedish Open Junior Championships and I hope you keep your mind to help my son, Quang Bui with your best effort then he is able to go to Sweden with your son.
Once again, thank you very much your help.
Sincerely yours,
Lam Ngoc Bui”
[With such a father in his corner, it’ll be no surprise to readers that Quang will indeed accomplish much in the world of table tennis.]