46^th World Table Tennis Championships

Osaka, Japan · April 23 - May 6, 2001

APRIL 30—SWAYTHLING CLUB DAY

By Tim Boggan, ITTF Media

April 30 was a very busy day for Swaythling Club members.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the World Championship Organizing Committee, Norihiko Oka of the Japan Table Tennis Federation for the Disabled, and Di Schoeler, President of the Swaythling Club International, 50 or so former stars of our Sport—World Champions and National Team members all —volunteered to play friendly one-on-one afternoon games with disabled players.

This competition, billed as a “Friendship Rally,” was held on 10 tables in the spacious Main Hall before hundreds of spectators, many of whom were amused by both the hand-waving parade and the play of these aging Internationalists who came not only from Japan but a dozen other countries as well.

Reportedly there are 3,000 disabled enthusiasts in Japan—all having eager hopes of Olympics-candidate Osaka being awarded Paralympic play in 2008. Here, after play, photos were taken of smiling, we-played-together participants in remembrance of this unique occasion.

Later in the afternoon, at the Righa Royal Convention Center, Swaythling Club members had their usual World Championship Meeting. Official Reports were presented, and, with former English International Stanley Proffits’ death and considerable bequeathment to the Club, the Stanley Proffit Award was established “to assist and encourage Youth in table tennis.”

Following the Meeting, an elaborate buffet dinner for perhaps 150 of the Club members and their guests was hosted by ITTF and Japanese TTA liaison Koji Kimura. After Mr. Kimura’s opening address, Mrs. Schoeler made appropriate remarks, and then everyone settled in to enjoy the fine food, drink, and fun talk. Entertainment was provided by some of the Club members themselves, a number of whom proved themselves to be very good singers. Solo artists receiving a big hand were Japan’s Kimiyo Matsuzaki, Scotland’s Bille Gibbs, and France’s Claude Bergeret.

A serious note arose near the conclusion of the evening, for the Club was holding its fifth International Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Of the 30 heretofore honored recipients of this prestigious ITTF award, 19 have passed away, and of the remaining 11 only three were able to attend this evening. Fortunately, the six new inductees, World Champions all—Japan’s Nobuhiko Hasegawa, and China’s Liang Geliang, Jiang Jialiang, Cao Yanhua, Guo Yuehua, and Zhang Xielin--were very much alive.

Only problem was to Awards presenter Tim Boggan, taking over for ITTF Hall of Fame Chair Jimmy McClure, who was abruptly forced to return home to his ailing wife, NONE of the inductees were present, or even sent emissaries, to accept this usually cherished award. Mr. Boggan felt there was some serious miscommunication on several sides—and from the dais bluntly expressed his displeasure.

However, you might say, All’s well that ends well, for at the May 2 ITTF Council Meeting, Award plaques were presented to Japanese and Chinese representatives by ITTF President Adham Sharara with the friendly admonition that there must not be any more disappointing absences at future Hall of Fame award ceremonies.

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