CHAPTER NINETEEN

 

            1978: March/April Tournaments.

           

            Dennis Barish didn’t defend his ‘77 Men’s Championship at the Apr. 8-9 $500 Concord Spring Open, but “Ray Hollywood” was there again and this time Guillen didn’t lose his racket and so didn’t default his Men’s final. Bill Ukapatayasakul (aka Bill U) was runner-up to Ray. Had the Women’s Singles been best 2 of 3, Sharon Luke would have beaten Tina Smilkstein, 24-22 in the 3^rd. But it was best 3 of 5, and Sharon, losing the last two games at 8, had nothing more to give. A’s: Tony Koyama over Masaaki Tajima in 5. A Doubles: Ken Lee/Al Martz (all the way from Salt Lake City) over Koyama/Mike Greene, 19 in the 5^th. B’s: Lee, deuce in the 4^th, over Percy Pang [name for a teenage heartthrob?] C’s: Bill Poy over Jim Bjoensson. D’s: Mark Chan over Ron Tam. C/D Doubles: Bobby Keel and Andy Hutzel (Mather AFB) over Nick Louie and Tam. E Singles: Tam, -18, 18, 20, 18, over Allen McDermott who a quarter-century later enjoyed playing with a hard bat (does he in ’78 too?). E Doubles: Bob Homer, Jr./Tam over Brian Swartz/Troy McCallum. Senior’s: Azmy Ibrahim over Bernie Bukiet. U-17’s: Lee over Koyama, 19 in the 5^th.

            No April Fools’joke to say that Franf-Josef Huermann dominated play at the Apr. 1 Arizona Closed in Phoenix. Open Singles: Huermann over Paul Groenig, -21, 13, 20, 17, then over 3-time Arizona Closed Champ Mark DaVee who’d downed Bill Guerin in 5. Maricopa County Singles: Huermann over Groenig. Open Doubles: Huermann/Groenig in 5 over doubles specialists Bill Guerin and John Harrington who a week earlier in the Miami Closed—that’s Miami, AZ—came runner-up in Championship Singles to Randy Nedrow. Women’s: Tybie Sommer over Thomasina (Tommie) Burke. Mixed Doubles: Huermann/Sommer over Nedrow/Jean Barrington. A’s: John Merkel, 14, over Tony Martin. B’s: Don McDonald over Peter Kwong. B Doubles: Baker/Kwong over Groenig/McDonald. C’s: Wendell Newton over Burke. Esquire’s: John Porter over Carl Weinberger. Senior’s: Bernhard Schiele over Weinberger. U-17: Merkel over Chav Pham, 24-22 in the 4^th. U-15. Merkel over Bobby Ryberg.

            Tom Wintrich reports on the $12,500 Manzano Open (88 entries), held Apr. 21-23 in Albuquerque, under the direction of Gene and Sue Sargent and Norma LeBlanc. Championship Singles: Franz Huermann ($250) over Ray Guillen, 21, 22, 19, who’d advanced in 5 over Todd Petersen. (John Dawson scored a big upset over Quang Bui when Quang “kept trying to loop off John’s Phantom as if it were inverted rubber.”)  Open Doubles: Huermann/Bohdan Dawidowicz over Bill U/Al Martz. (Dennis Gresham/Wintrich upset the #2 seeds Guillen/Tony Koyama.) Women’s: Liz Gresham over LeBlanc, 25-23 in the 4^th. Mixed Doubles: Gresham/Gresham over Dawidowicz/Burke.

            A’s (64 entries): John Merkel, 21, -22, 10, 20 over Tony Martin who’d made a remarkable comeback against Kasia Dawidowicz after being down 2-0 and 20-15 in the 3rd! Tom doesn’t tell us, but it appears Kasia didn’t play in the Women’s or the Mixed, so after that debacle of a loss in the A’s she reserved all her energy for juke-box dancing at the post-tournament beer and pizza party? A Doubles: Martz/Davis over Scott Ryan/Drake. U-1800’s: Martin over Paul Cracraft, deuce in the 3^rd, then over Keith Kalny. U-1600’s:Dawson over Robert Compton. U-1400’s: Baker over Nemitz, 18 in the 5^th. Consolation Singles: Cracraft over Ruben Guillen in 5. Hard Rubber: Huermann over Dennis Gresham. Senior’s: Paul Longmire over Mac Horn. Youth: Petersen over Koyama, deuce in the 4^th (the organizers had loaned the would-be #1 seed Dean Galardi $40 to make the trip but he didn’t show).

            Joe Cummings covers the Apr. 8-9 Southwest Open, held in Waco, TX under the Directorship of Dr. Grady Gordon, “a first class gentlemen…The fine reputation of this tournament is due largely to him.” The Men’s Singles final between Gary Fagan and Bruce Smith “turned out to be an away-from-the-table forehand to forehand spinning match,” won by Gary in 5. Though Swaminathan Bhaskar downed Cummings in 5 for 3^rd place, he almost didn’t make it to the round robin semi’s. Houston’s Jack “Buddy” Melamed, after upsetting Larry Kesler in the 8th’s, forced Bhaskar into the 5^th. “Buddy’s well-placed blocks and pick-hitting” were taking their toll, but at the end “Buddy’s forehand hit, which had been spectacular, finally let him down. He missed four big forehands in a row that eventually allowed Bhaskar to take the match.”

            Other Results: Men’s Doubles: Smith/Fagan over Bhaskar/Kesler. Women’s: Marilyn Johnston over Cindy Garza. Women’s Doubles: Johnston/Jane Allison over LeBlanc/Sargent in 5. Mixed Doubles: Smith/LeBlanc over Cummings/Garza, 18 in the 5^th. A’s: David Babcock over Kesler who’d escaped Scott Ryan, 19 in the 5^th. A Doubles: Steve Arnold/Kenny Pitts over Irl Copley/Ryan, after Irl and Scott had advanced over Melamed/Melamed in 5. B’s: Alan Puls over Pitts in 5, then over Terry Ziegler. C’s: Gary Garner over Rodriguez. D’s: Chuong Tao Ngo over J.C. Tenay, 17 in the 5^th. Consolation’s: C. Serna over Dave McMillen. Esquire’s: Gordon over Rich Puls. Senior’s: Gordon over Melamed who’d eliminated Puls, 24-22 in the 4^th. Senior Doubles: Gordon/Puls over Melamed/David Harville, deuce in the 4^th. U-17’s: Gary Melamed over Ngo. U-15’s: Melamed over Russell. Junior Doubles: Melamed/Rapp over Fromme/Ngo.

            1978 marks the 7^th anniversary of the Halex/Sportcraft/Stiga-sponsored ACU-I Intercollegiate Championships, held this year at the University of Houston, Apr, 16-19. Play took place under the aegis of ACU-I Recreation Committeeman Richard Gage and the direction of Raul Rebillard/Daisy Miller with a Public Relations assist from New York’s Tony Furman. Pan Ramsey, doing the write-up for Topics (May-June, 1978, 10), says, “Four beautiful STIGA EXPERT tables were used on a rather slippery wooden floor. The lighting was exceptionally good, and a participants’ lounge was provided with TV, coffee and punch.” As usual, there were 15 men and 15 women players representing regions round the country, plus 16^th additions as a perk to the host university.

            First event was the Mixed Doubles, which Pam (was she at this tournament?) wrongly reported as being won by Mike Veillette and Michelle McKinstry. But, never mind, in the next Topics Niloufer Patel, who’d paired with Geoff Graham for the win over Mike and Michelle, straightened that out.

            Women’s Singles (like the Men’s) saw the 16 players divided as usual into two Groups. In the “A” Group, Jean Varker finished 1^st, but 2^nd-Place finisher McKinstry, with a win over Muriel Stern, also advanced to the cross-over semi’s. In the “B” Group, Pace University penholder Catherine Howe upset Defending Champion Sheila O’Dougherty. In the deciding 3^rd game, although Howe was up 19-16, Sheila, spinning, rallied to tie it up. “But then at deuce she blew an all-important kill shot, hit it into the net, and Catherine took the ad and eventually the match. As Catherine walked away from the table she said she was satisfied with her win and was ready to go home.” And maybe she did just that, for we hear nary a word more about her. We know only that the winner in Group B was Sheila. In the final, Varker, down 2-0, was up 19-16 in the 3^rd. But Sheila, as she did in the first two games, “played an overpowering final five points and took the game, the match, and again the title.”

            In the Men’s Singles “A” Group round-robin, “Larry Goldfarb and Ray Guillen, each holding a 6-0 record, met to determine 1^st and 2nd.” Unfortunately, said Pam, “Larry had “lost a contact lens on our plane flight from Pittsburgh to Houston [yep, San Diego’s Pam was there in Houston alright—had been in Pittsburgh visiting Danny Seemiller?]. So Larry “had to wear his glasses during play.” Nevertheless, playing aggressively, Goldfarb had Guillen down 6-1 in the first game—but, though “Ray’s mobility was limited because of the slippery floor,” he rallied to deuce, only to lose the game by serving into the net. The next game, however, was all Ray’s.

            “In the 3^rd, Larry was up 5-3 when Ray suddenly called out DURING the point that Goldfarb had moved the table. Larry was distracted by Ray’s outburst and missed his shot. A controversy resulted and play was stopped….Umpire Geoff Graham finally called the point a let, and play resumed.” Though up 18-17, Larry seemed to tire, lost that game and the match, and so Ray and Larry finished 1-2 respectively in the Group.

            Group B saw undefeated Swaminathan Bhaskar await the outcome of a match between semi-retired players Veillette and Bruce Plotnick, each with a 4-1 record “Veillette had lost a crucial match to Bhaskar, and Bruce the same to Joe Tanzer.” Bruce lost to Mike, 16, and 19, so, though he went on to beat Bhaskar, it didn’t change anything—Swami finished 1^st, Mike 2^nd.

            In the one cross-over semi’s, Ray overpowered Mike to win in 4. The other semi’s, however, was very intense, especially when Goldfarb took the 4^th at deuce to force Bhaskar into the 5^th. But then the Swami owned the match. Though not the final, for he fell to Guillen in straight games. As for Larry, he still had two finals to go...important battles to win, back home at school. ”Ray commented that Larry had done a great job between studying and playing in this competition.”

            “The Men’s final was broadcast on “Live at Five” (Channel 13 News), along with a short demonstration of Guillen lobbing to Bhaskar. After the awards banquet, plaques were awarded to the winners, runner-ups, and their schools.”

            Both the spring Oklahoma tournaments—the Mar. 18-19 Wildcat Open at Cashion, and the Apr. 29 (State?) Closed at Oklahoma City—had many of the same event winners. In the Open Singles, Bruce Smith won over Bhaskar at Cashion, and when Bhaskar didn’t play at the Closed, Smith won over Russ Finley. Larry Kesler finished 3^rd in both, losing 16 in the 5^th to Finley. Ever-improving Marilyn Johnston has graduated from winning the U-17 Girls over Karin Thompson to taking the Women’s from her, while partnering her for wins in Women’s Doubles.  
            In Men’s Doubles, it was Smith/Bhaskar and Smith again with Gary Fagan. The U-17 Boys was dominated by Kirk Golbach who at the Closed proved he was also good enough to win the A’s over Senior Champ Cliff Smith. Best in U-15’s was either Bobby Russell or Kyle Sanchez, Closed B winner over Novice Champ Reza Mirotsuhdeh. In Men’s Singles, Irl Copley won at Cashion over Jose Marin; Parvis Hadjialiloo at Oklahoma City over Mark McDonald. At Cashion James Rautis took the A’s from Doug Copley without much of a tussle, but Davoo Thorsen was like a wildcat in clawing the B’s from Bassett, deuce in the 3^rd, then from Price in 3 after taking the 1^st 22-20.  

            Results of the Mar. 31-Apr. 1-2 $600 Wisner Open: Championship Singles: Bob Dawidowicz over John Stillions who defeated Houshang Bozorgzadeh. Women’s: Sheila O’Dougherty over Ethelanne Risch. Open Doubles: Todd Petersen/John Soderberg over Bozorgzadeh/Stillions. A’s: Gary Kerkow in 5 over Scott Butler who escaped Roland Rittmaster, deuce in the 3rd. B’s: Roy Allen over Ken Bull, 18 in the 5^th. C’s: Tom Walsh over F. Ward. D’s: M. Zdan over D. Martin. Boys U-17: Petersen over Stillions. Girls U-17: Debbie Johnson over Denise Heerman. U-17 Doubles: Petersen/Stillions over Peter/Bernie Braun. U-13/U-11: Butler over Daylin Risch.

            Winners at the Iowa Open in Sloan, Mar. 17-18: Men’s: Bozorgzadeh over Petersen. (Houshang gets around so much that Harvard’s tapped him—the t.t. company, not the university—to join their Advisory Board.) A’s: Stillions over Shojiro Nakamura. A Doubles: Bozorgzadeh/Stillions over Petersen/Butler. Women’s: Risch over Rosanne Santos. Mixed Doubles: Don Ehrisman/Risch over Petersen/Irene Engelmann. B’s: Lionel Harris over Rod Cowles who just squeaked by Ehrisman, 22, -22, 19. B Doubles: Dyer/Nickel vs. Petersen/O’Neal (and the winner was…?). C’s: Bobby Banjo over Jim Orr. Senior’s: Walsh over Harris. Senior Novice: Daylin over Kermit Risch. U-17: Guy Freudenberg over Kevin Bailey. U-15: Bobby Eckhart over Doyle Risch. U-13/U-11: Butler over Daylin Risch. U-9: Jeff Bride over Eckhart. U-17 Doubles: Petersen/Stillions over Butler/D. Risch.

            U.S. Team Captain/Coach Bozorgzadeh is obviously trying to encourage young Stillions to be good, for he’s driven him over to Milwaukee to play in the Apr. 22 Badger State Open—and here’s gratitude for you: Johnny beats Houshang in 5 to win the Open Singles. Other Results: A’s: Brandon Olson (who’d rallied from down 2-0 and at deuce in the 4^th to beat Ted Stomma in the Open) over Norm Schless. A Doubles: Joe Mayer/Stomma over Wayne Wasielewski/Ron Lusk. B’s: Cheryl Dadian over Terry Lonergan. C’s: David Medley over Myron “Mike” Edgerton. D’s: Art Carey over Bert Bultje. F’s: Frank Slama over Brian Kinder. Handicap: Stillions over Pete Stomma. Consolation’s: Walter Drobka over Brian Kinder. Senior’s: Bozorgzadeh over Stomma, 19, -20, 5. U-17’s: Stillions over Olson, -20, 19, 12. U-15’s: Marino Marcich over Pete Stomma.

            Winners at the Mar. 18th Western Michigan Open in Grand Rapids: Open Singles: Mike Moriarty over Jim Doney. Open Doubles: Doney/John Huizinga over Stewart Ansteth/Mark Holowchak. (Mark, a USTTA Associate Coach, will now handle all requests the USTTA receives for coaching literature). A’s: Doney over Tom McEvoy. B’s: Holowchak over Gunter Pawlowski. C’s: Dave Fortney over Larry Ryel. C Doubles: Lee Bahlman/Peters over Doney/Bill Carter. D’s: Bill Fortney over Carter. Novice: Butch Vandervliet over Andy Phillips. Beginner’s: John Eckhardt over William Milner. Handicap: Eckhardt over Richard Glands, 52-50. Senior’s: Ward Wood over “Dandy” Dan Hayes. U-17’s: Doney over Torsten Pawlowski.

            Bob Beatty tells us that the Mar. 25th Detroit Spring Open got to take advantage of the arrival in the U.S. of  several-time World Doubles Champion Maria Alexandru. “After winning the European Women’s Doubles Championship with Liana Mikut in Germany, she’d had a one-day stopover in her home town of Bucharest, then came to Michigan as the guest of Stef and Caroline Florescu. Maria played for real in the tournament and left the Cobo Hall exhibition play to Bob Ashley and Mark Kennedy who were in town with the Harlem Globetrotters.

            Results: Open: 1. Insook Bhushan 2-1 (over Alexandru, -13, -15, 19, 19, 16; over Ricky Seemiller, 18, 12, 22). 2. Mike Bush, 2-1 (over Insook’s Feint, and Maria’s Toni Hold, both in 4). 3. Alexandru, 1-2 (over Ricky Seemiller). 4. Ricky Seemiller, 1-2 (over Bush). Senior’s: Chuck Burns over Ashley. U-17: Mike Budi over Jim Doney, U-15: Doney over Torsten Pawlowski.

            A’s: Se Kwan Oh over Steve Claflin who’d eliminated Ali Oveissi, 19 in the 5^th. B’s: Bruce Abrams over Budi, 19 in the 5^th, then over Kennedy who’d advanced by Dave Strang, -20, 8, 22, 12. B Doubles: Budi/Mark Delmar over Ashley/Kennedy, 15, 15, -20, -19, 19. C’s: Stu Caplin over Shekhar Bhushan who’d stopped T. Pawlowski, -21, 19, -18, 21, 10. D’s: Terry Durance, 29-27 in the 5^th, over Bob Cloutier, after Bob had eliminated Darryl Ozias from down 2-0), 19 in the 5^th. D Doubles: Stewart Ansteth./Coutier over Bob and Greg Quinn. E’s: Mark Casey over Charles Dunscombe in 5, then over Stan Talifero. Novice: Richard Glands over Casey. Novice Doubles: Paul Gazo/John Malisz over G. Quinn/Casey. Beginner’s: Johnny Diehr over John Bayer.

            At the Apr. 15 Woodland Open, the Grand Rapids Club played host to Alexandru who the week before had won the Eastern Open. Tom McEvoy said, “Maria impressed everyone with her courteous behavior and excellent play.” Connie and Dell Sweeris didn’t enter the tournament, but obliged late afternoon players and spectators with exhibition matches against Maria. Bill Hornyak who didn’t enter either, “came up to help out with the tournament and is looking better than ever after his heart operation.”

            Results: Alexandru over Jim Lazarus, -18, -16, 16, 9, 12. (Would that we had an analysis of that turnaround.) Open Doubles: Doney/McEvoy over Bruce McGee/Edgerton. A’s: Doney over McEvoy. B’s: Max Salisbury over Holowchak. C’s: Fred Lubben over Dave Fortney. C Doubles: Doney/Carter over Holowchak/Ansteth, 20, 21. D’s: Bob Beatty over Ralph Shamberg. Novice: Mohamed Ben-Zahra over Bill Carter. Beginner’s: Joe Hollemans over Phil Preston. Handicap: Lubben over John Missad, 51-49. Senior’s: Lubben over Salisbury. U-17: Doney over Bahlman.

            On the Mar. 11-12 weekend in Dayton, Insook Bhushan won the Open in 5 over Rick Seemiller. 3^rd-Place went to Randy Seemiller over Bob Powell. Open Doubles: Ricky/Randy Seemiller over Se Kwan Oh/Alan Nissen. Mixed Doubles: John Spencer/Bhushan over Randy Eller/Denise Horn. A’s: Tim O’Grosky over Spencer. Tim, who’s been absent from tournament play for a while, back in 1970 was the #2 U.S. Junior and a member of the Ohio Team (Tim’s mentor D-J Lee, John Tannehill, and John Spencer) that won the USOTC’s. A Doubles: Powell/Spencer over Greg Collins/Randy Eller. B’s: Bill Walk over Holowchak. B Doubles: Fred Halbig/Lloyd Walty over Andy Gad/Max Salisbury. C’s: Gad over Halbig, 19 in the 3^rd. D’s: Halbig over Walk. Esquire’s: Salisbury over Voldis Daskevics. Senior’s: Spencer over Bill Walk. Young Adults: Powell over Jeff Williams in 5. U-17’s: Williams over Mike Walk. U-15’s: Williams over Kerry O’Brien who advanced over Mike Walk, 19 in the 3^rd. U-13’s: Jeff Miller over Dan Walk.

            Two Indiana Closed tournaments, the Southern Indiana in Mar., the State Championship in Apr., both played at the New Albany Club, produced predictable winners. Mar. Results: Men’s: Richard Hicks over son Ricky. Open Doubles: Jeff/Kris Pangburn over John Allen/Charlie Buckley. Women’s: Cindy Marcum over Norma Hicks. Mixed Doubles: Hicks/Hicks over Jerry/Cindy Marcum. A’s: Allen over Sam Shannon in 5. B’s: Allen over Jerry Marcum, 19 in the 4^th. B Doubles: Robinson/Boyle over Mielke/Don Roberts. C’s: Greg Waldbieser over Gordon Abbott. Novice: Les Childs over Mark Buehler, 19 in the 4^th. Consolation’s: Mike Boyle over Jeff Pangborn. Esquire’s: Jack Pangborn over  Shannon, 19 in the 5^th. Senior’s: Jack Pangburn over Don Welden, def. U-21’s/U-17’s: Ricky Hicks over Allen. U-15’s: David Kiely over Aaron Friedman. U-13’s: Jeff over Tim Kruer.

            Indiana State Champions for 1978 were: Men’s Richard Hicks over Harry Deschamps. Best match: Hicks, Jr. over Jim Yates in 5. Open Doubles: Hicks/Hicks over Yates/Yates. Women’s: Marcum over Connie Warren who’d eliminated Carol Mead in 5. Mixed Doubles: Hicks/Hicks over Marcum/Marcum. A’s: Dave Russell over Salisbury. B’s: Waldbieser over Kiely, 19 in the 5^th. B Doubles: Waldbieser/Russell over Allen/Buckley. C’s: Bob Yates over Waldbieser, 17 in the 5^th. Unrated: Butch Neeld over Russell. Consolation’s: Allen over Al Grambo. Esquire’s: Salisbury over Festus Mead, Senior’s: Deschamps over Mead. U-21 thriller: Allen over Jim Yates, -15, -8, 23, 23, 18. U-17’s: Tim Yates over Hicks (from down 2-0 and at deuce in the 3^rd).

            Winners at the Apr. 8-9 Great Plains Open in St. Charles, MO: Men’s: Jim Schnorf over John Stillions who was forced into the 5^th by both John Messerly and Leonard McNeece. Men’s Doubles: Schnorf/McNeece over Stillions/Scott Butler. Women’s: Grace Ide over Jean Varker. Mixed Doubles: Stillions/Varker over McNeece/Ide. Men’s A’s: Stillions over Eric Seiler. Women’s A’s: Barbara Donahue over Linda Ludwigsen. A Doubles: Shannon/Clendenin over McNeece/Ide, 23-21 in the 3^rd. B’s: Butler over Fred Halbig. C’s: John Allen over Steve Downing. D’s: Ray Griffin over Ricky Jones. Consolation’s: Seiler over Roland Rittmaster. Hard Rubber: Kris Pangburn over Schnorf.

            Esquire’s: Sam Shannon over H.J. Hofacker. Senior’s: Tom Clendenin (St. Charles Closed Senior and Hard Bat winner, and Men’s runner-up to Steve Swindle) over Scott Grafton. Boys U-17: Downing over John Allen. (Did St. Charles’s best Junior, George Brown, participate?) U-17 Doubles: Stillions/Butler over Danny Brokaw/Danny Easley. Boys U-15: Butler over St. Charles Closed U-15 (Brokaw) and U-13 (Easley) Champions. Girls U-15: Kelly Hitt over Riyo Yoshikawa (runner-up in the Closed 15’s to Kim Gutherz).

            Results of the Mar. 25^th Kingsport Spring Open: Open Singles: Wing Man Tam over Steve Hitchner. Open Doubles: Hitchner/Jim McQueen over Wolfe/Mills who prevailed over Tam/Wilson Bryan, deuce in the 3^rd. A’s: Bryan, 23, 18, 19, over Tam who went 5 with Wayne Bailey. B’s: Bailey over Oren Yates. C’s: Bailey over Doug Richards. D’s: Jean Poston over Norman Compton. Consolation’s: Jim (“Doctor Feint”) Flannagan over Bailey. Junior’s: Scott Leamon over David Agnez.    

            Power Poon, writing on his Apr. 22-23 $2,000 Louisiana Open (TTT, May-June, 1978, 18), thanks the 107 players who set a record in attendance, his suburban Baker Municipal Auditorium liaison, and Allen Barth and John Quick who did most of the umpiring. He’s proud of the tournament coverage he got from Rick West of the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. More than half a page about Saturday activities, then another half-page about Sunday’s, including interviews with Danny Seemiller and Charles Butler, whom West called “America’s top black player” (but of course he hadn’t interviewed “The Chief” yet…and never will?). Power said these were “the most explicit and informative articles concerning table tennis that I have ever read in any newspaper.”

            Rick was certainly informative regarding Butler who two years ago moved to Pittsburgh to hone his game with the Seemillers. During this time Charles also got table tennis performer-experience doing half-time shows with the Harlem Globetrotters. No way, he says, can he get a contract from a major manufacturer unless he’s in the Top Five in the country. “Right now,” says Rick, Charles “works the graveyard shift, 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily at an electronics manufacturing plant to stay in Pittsburgh and train. He arises after noon each day, does some five miles of roadwork, lots of isometrics, and plays table tennis into the night.”

            Butler came to Baton Rouge knowing he couldn’t make expenses, but he wanted the tournament competition, especially against Seemiller. Because he’d experienced what he called a “concentration collapse” during competition he was happy to see former junior-high teacher Alan Long who’d taught him the Game during their years in Texas, and then, after Charles had gotten pretty good, had played doubles with him in Southwest tournaments. Butler had Long, who now lives in New Orleans, “hypnotize him with hopes of better performances to come.” But, though Charles is greatly determined, it was for the moment pretty much the same old, same old.  

            Results: Open Singles: 1. Danny Seemiller, 3-0. 2. Rick Seemiller, 2-1. 3. Charles Butler, 1-2. 4. Jerry Thrasher, 0-3. Seemiller, to no one’s surprise, didn’t lose a game in this semifinal round robin. His win was worth $500, but he also did o.k. hawking his t. t. wares. Rick said, “A slow-buying public turned into a crowd around Seemiller’s array of merchandise immediately after he disposed of his first opponent in a matter of minutes at center court. Admirers couldn’t wait to relieve him of racquets, tennis shoes, and tote bags, most with oriental markings. He also sells an old American standby, the T-shirt, with the message extolling table tennis as ‘The Other Indoor Sport.’”

            Tournament Director Poon, in calling our attention to a quarter’s match, makes much of Glenn Piper (rated 1720) and his “specialty, the “Loop and Kill.” Why? Because he took a 21-19 game from Danny Seemiller! “Piper was so happy, he raised both his hands in victory to a standing ovation from the audience.” Power is impressed with Seemiller’s reaction: “he did not kick the table, did not crush the ball, did not shout to anyone…but kept his cool.” Well, Power, Danny’s an excitable player, but did you really expect him to be passionate about the loss of this game? This player he beat 8, 10, and 14.

            Other Results: Open Doubles: Seemiller/Seemiller ($200) over Butler/Thrasher. Women’s: Nancy Hill ($100) and her excellent block game using the Seemiller grip over Olga Soltesz. Mixed Doubles: Thrasher/Newgarden over Clay Dunn/Leslie Harris. Men’s Singles: Swami Bhaskar ($100) over Quick who was 23, -17, 19 pressed by Larry Thoman. Bhaskar, the #1 seed, wasn’t there when the event started and for the 10 late minutes before he arrived Poon thought about defaulting him and redoing the draw, but (as the Houston-based Swami had assured Power he was coming) he didn’t want to do that.

            A’s: Larry Thoman, 16 in the 5^th, over Soltesz who’d eliminated Harville, 19 in the 3^rd. A Doubles: David Harville/Power Poon over Thoman/Dunn. B’s: Dunn over Al Barth, 19 in the 3^rd, then over Al Weaver. C’s: David Kagan over Buddy Hutson in 5. D’s: Leonardo Pacheco over Kritakara, 19 in the 4^th. Novice: Ed Poon over Rich Humphrey. Consolation’s: Pacheco over Keith Friley. Senior’s: Harville over Power Poon. U-17’s: Rick Stanley over Justin McDonald, 17 in the 5^th. U-15’s: Stanley over McDonald who’d eliminated Ed Poon, 19 in the 3^rd. U-13’s: Ed Poon over John Stanley.

            Winners at the Suncoast Open, held Mar. 18-19 in Largo, FL: Championship Singles: Greg Gingold over Jerry Thrasher. Women’s: Olga Soltesz over Nancy Newgarden. Championship Doubles: Thrasher/Alan Averill over Marv Leff/Wayne Daunt, 18 in the 5^th. A’s: Ron Rigo over Conrad Fisher. B’s: Steve Federico over Larry Gold. B Doubles: Gerry Maglio/Anton Hauser over Averill/Lenny Chew, 25-23 in the 4^th.  C’s: Wally Putnam over Hauser, 19 in the 4^th. D’s: Ashock Nirody over Frank Bush. Novice: Pat Winebarger over Phil Lorenz, 17 in the 5^th. Consolation’s: Ed Baker over Eric Bon. Senior’s: Leff over Hauser who, down 2-0, survived Maglio. Junior’s: Roger DeBrot over Kitt Jeerapaet.

            Larry Buell (TTT, May-June, 1978, 20) reports on the Apr. 1-2 Georgia Closed. In the 3-man, 5-team Georgia Cup competition, Thomas Nunes and George Cooper must at first have thought their third, James McLain, was playing an April Fool’s joke on them. But when it became clear he wasn’t going to show, they no longer became the favorites and dropped out of contention. 1. Augusta (Pete May, Herb Beckham, Leighton Johnson). 2. Atlanta TTC (Cyril Lederman, Wendell Dillon, James Altenback, Bill Farrar).

            Men’s Singles: Nunes over Beckham, then over May, both in 5. Buell says of the Georgia State Champion: “For a man on his strict playing regimen (no practice, little exercise, lots of smiling) it’s no wonder he gives his opponents such trouble—they never see him until tournament time! His secret weapon (though he’s been winning so consistently at tournaments that I don’t know how much longer he can keep it under wraps) is simply to get the ball back on the table. No matter what style the opposition adopts against him, Thomas merely overwhelms them with consistency. Men’s Doubles: Nunes/Cooper over Dillon/Lederman, 19 in the 4^th, then over Beckham/May. Women’s: Tracy Beckham over Sarah Hillsman. Mixed Doubles: May/Cathy Beckham over Herb/Tracy Beckham in 5. A’s: Steve Mills over Johnson. Senior’s: Beckham over Dillon, then over Lederman, both in 5. U-17 winner: Cecil Brooks. U-15 winner: Bobby Price. U-17 Doubles: Brooks/Tony Broom over Price/Terry Harrison. Jim McQueen points out that there’s an “Augusta Boys’ Club contingent” that his friend Pete “The Night Hunter” May  “chauffeurs over the countryside by the dozen in his new sexy van.” (Uh, “sexy”?...No, I’ll not go there.)

            Dominating the Apr. 15-16 Atlanta Teams was Orlando’s Steve and Ron Rigo father/son duo. Defensive-minded Steve (“Drive all night and chop all day”) lost only one match, but it was Ron, undefeated, who drew Larry Buell’s undiluted praise. “He maintained a temperate attitude and an uncanny composure during his pressure matches that rivaled his whiplash loop and shining counters.” Results: Championship Division: Final: T.G. Lee Foods (Steve/Ron Rigo) over Pittman Park (Thomas Nunes, George Cooper, Cecil Brooks), 3-1. Pittman Park had defeated the strong Triangle pair of Fred King and Jim McQueen. Class A: USC (William Bryan, Wing Man Tam) over Phred (Ross Brown, Clint Steffan.), 3-1. Class B: Ball Busters (Don Holden, Keith and Gus Armes) over Kendle Twins (Greg and Randy Kendle), 3-0.

            Winners at Philadelphia’s Apr. 1-2 Quaker City Open: Open Singles: Mike Bush over George Brathwaite, after Georghe had -16, -20, 21, 18, 14 tenaciously knocked out Roger Sverdlik. A’s: Hank McCoullum over Mike Lardon, 19 in the 4^th. B’s: Don Feltenberger over Howie Bush, 18 in the 5^th. D’s: William Huang over Feltenberger, 19 in the 3^rd. E’s: H. Bush over Sean O’Neill, -20, 20, 11. F’s: H. Bush over Mark Schnorr. N Singles: Jeff Ellis over Bob Ertel. X Singles: Don Piper over Joe Tarantino. Y Singles: Todd Ingram over Gary Moors. Handicap: H. Bush over Schnorr. Handicap Doubles: Ellis/Jeff Sabrowsky over Moors/Campbell. Senior’s: Jay Friedlin over Seymour Shenkman. U-17’s: O’Neill over Schnorr. U-15’s: O’Neill over Jeff Pedicini.

            The 1978 New Jersey State Closed, held Apr. 22-23 at Westfield, produced the following State Champions: Championship Singles: Mike Stern over Paul Rubas. Championship Doubles: Don Garlanger/Gene Wonderlin over Elmer Wengert/Ray Wu. Women: Edie Nitchie over Ai-wen Wu. Mixed Doubles: Stern/Ai-ju Wu over Jeff Steif/Nitchie. A’s: Rubas over I. Ishikawa, 19 in the 4^th. B’s: John Sisti over Neil Ackerman. B Doubles: Sisti/R. Wu over Jerry Boyle/Wonderlin. C’s: Wonderlin over Peter Yutco. D’s: Bob Barns over Dan Seres. E’s: George Nahass over Jeff Pedicini. F’s: William Ford over Ai-wen Wu. Novice: J. Wang over John Aiyegbo.

            Esquire’s: Ed Gutman over John Kilpatrick. Senior’s: Weingart over Wu. Senior Doubles: Jim Releford/Wu over Wengert/Kilpatrick, 20, 19. Boys U-17’s: Stern over Pedicini, 18, 19, 20. Girls U-17: A-J Wu in a great rally over A-W Wu, -6, 19, 26. U-17 Doubles: Stern/Pedicini over Brian Eisner/Dave Kilpatrick. U-15’s: Pedicini, 18 in the 3^rd, over G. Dutta-Choudhury who advanced over A-W Wu, 19 in the 3^rd. U-13’s: Richard Spear over David Branch.

            A  Mar. 2^nd Release from Fred Danner, along with a Bulletin (Vol. 2, No. 1) from the National Junior T.T. Foundation tells us the Suffolk County, Long Island High School Championships were held at the Shoreham-Wading River High under the direction of Kevin Mann. Play among the 168 participants from 35 different schools took place on 25 tables, and produced the following winners: High School Boys: Eric Baurle (John Glenn) over Cliff Carroll (East Islip), 16, 15, 8.  High School Girls: Chris Gilman (Shoreham-Wading River) over Arlene Riley (Centereach), 25, -17, -16, 22, 12. 3^rd Place: Judy Klinge (Shoreham). Open Doubles: Jim Pope (Shoreham-Wading River)-Gilman over James Cheng/Ben Ham (Stony Brook), 16, 15, 17.

            Junior High Boys: Marco Popovich (Commack) over current Long Island Junior Champion Brad Lardon (Elwood), 11, 18, -14, -20, 19. 3^rd Place: Austin Jacobson (West Hollow). Junior High Girls: Lorraine Moss (Center Moriches) over Danita Pachomski (Brentwood North), 18, -17, 18. 3^rd Place: Elizabeth McMillan (Old Field). Junior High Doubles: Lardon/Popovich over Steve Blank/George Margolin (Finley)            

            The Release (written by Danner?) says, “The tournament was the first Suffolk table tennis school event to receive official sanction from the Section XI Council since back in the 1940’s. Teachers from 15 schools helped to promote and run the tournament….The National Jr. T.T. Foundation, the Finley T.T. Club, and the LITTA supported this activity by providing some of the tables, barriers, awards, and technical assistance for the control desk and the TV production.” Network Productions produced a two-hour program of the matches, and it was shown Mar. 4 on Suffolk Cablevision, Channel 6. Video tapes “are available for viewing at the Huntington Public Library.”
            Winners at the Mar. 11-12 Interboro Open in Brooklyn: Open Singles: Scott Boggan in 5 over George Brathwaite who’d eliminated Ali Oveissi, 19 in the 4^th. (Bill Sharpe defeated Eric Boggan, 20, 18, 19.) Jairie Resek has praise for both Scott and George. Scott, she says, is the “most exciting U.S. player today.” And “ageless George, even when he loses, looks good. As Satchel Paige once said, ‘If you didn’t know how old you were, how old would you be?’” Women’s: Carol Davidson over her sister Hodiah, def.

            Under 2150: Mike Lardon over Sharpe. U-2000: Stu Kroll over Julian Millan. U-1900: Sid Jacobs over Phil Shaw. Under 1800: Hodiah Davidson over Carol Davidson, in (see the Women’s event) a balancing default. Under 1700: Alex Nakhimovsky over Jeff Pedicini. U-1600: Brad Lardon over Gabriel Ford. U-1500: Anthony Leung over John Griffin, def. U-1400: Griffin over Yip Kam Chim. U-1300: Francisco Hall over Mike Egner who’d eliminated Peter Wolf, 15, -19, 19. Under 1200: Hall over Teddy Sileo. U-1100: Bob Siegel over Jim Brenner who’d eliminated Rama Gvildys, 19 in the 3^rd. U-1000: Siegel over Egner.

            Larry Hodges, in reporting on the $750 Capital Open, played Mar. 4-5 in Largo, MD, says, “The New Carrollton Club donated most of the profits from this tournament to the National Junior Team fund.” Since this intake “was made possible by the workers working for free,” let’s give them all, if not a trophy, a nod of appreciation here. “Jim Mossberg, acting as director, referee, and all-around everything man, with help from John Rohrer, Ron and Mercy Snyder, Donna Newell, Ron Harding, Jim Verta, Elaine Hodges, Carol Shapiro, Bob Chaimson, Tom Golab, John Hewes, and Walt Naleszkiewicz, ran a smooth and on-time tournament.”

            Larry focuses his article on the Open Singles, but before we take up those matches I want to give you the Results of the other events: Women’s: Donna Newell over Daphne Gray, 20, -11, 19. Men’s A’s: Joe Rokop and Bill Sharpe didn’t play the final, split the prize money. Women’s A’s: Gray over Virginia Backaitis. B’s: Igor Fraiman over Aram Avanessi, -21, 13, 11, -21, 20, then over Benfield Munroe. C’s: Ken Silverstein over Hodges. D’s: Bruce Hvasta over Lester Moskowitz, then over Mike Shapiro. E’s: Mort Greenberg over Shapiro. F’s: Dave Mlavsky over Golab, 19, -20, 18. G’s: Eddie Gray over Aaron Pallas. H’s: D. Gray over E. Gray. Novice: John Ohman over Ken Mitchell. Hard Rubber: Pat O’Neill over Charles Butler, 23-21 in the 3^rd, then over Roger Sverdlik. Open Consolation: Jim McQueen over Clyde Vincent. Handicap: Todd Blaeuer over Bobby Brown. Senior’s: Herb Horton over Yaroslav “Bob” Kaminsky. Boys U-17: Sean O’Neill over Phil Shaw. Girls U-17: Virginia Backaitis, 19 in the 3^rd, over Esperanza Vincent who advanced over Andrea Backaitis, 19 in the 3^rd. Junior Consolation: Paul Jolovitz over Jerry Leslie, 18 in the 4^th.

            The Open quarter’s matches saw Roger Sverdlik, down 2-1, win in 5 from Dave Sakai; Scott Boggan (“who’d had to go 19 in the 5^th with underrated Igor “Gary” Fraiman in the 8^th’s in what many said was the most exciting match of the tournament) downed Charles Butler three straight”; Joe Rokop, after barely beating Larry Hodges, 19 in the 5^th, came back from a 2-0 deficit to upset 2^nd-seed Ricky Seemiller; and “Eric Boggan got revenge for his loss at the USOTC’s, downing Randy Seemiller in 4.” In the one semi’s, Roger, “playing extremely well, 3-0 psyched out Eric.” In the other semi’s, “Scott, who was having trouble with his hitting, with his looping—with everything—still managed to down Rokop in 5.” At the moment, Sverdlik’s on a high—he’s the leading player in a promotion called Table Tennis Enterprises, Ltd. that also features Dave Philip and the Boggan brothers. In the final here, Sverdlik, “still super-hot, defeated Scott three straight.” Larry says, “If Roger could play like this consistently, I think he would be on the U.S. World Team.”