Senior Corner

July/August 2006
By Olga & Stan Kahan,

Co-Chairs, USATT Senior Committee

949-830-6699 (ph) • naf@berkeley.edu

On June 2, 2006, three prominent Californians, Dennis Davis, John Miller and Khoa Nguyen, were inducted into the California Table Tennis Hall of Fame at its banquet, chaired by its president, Y.C. Lee.  The banquet was held in Laguna Woods Village, Laguna Woods, where the Meiklejohn North American Seniors Tournament took place.

Since 1994, the CTTHOF has honored and inducted those residents of California who have achieved preeminence in the sport of table tennis as players and/or officials or contributors.

On the same occasion, the USATT Senior Committee awarded trophies to NSTTTA – the National Seniors Table Tennis Tournament Association Committee – for its members’ dedication, excellent teamwork and innovations in executing the Meiklejohn North American Seniors Tournament (formerly the Meiklejohn National Seniors) which has been running for seventeen consecutive years.

This table tennis event started in 1989, during the 25^th anniversary of Leisure World, Laguna Hills, CA.  The coordinator of the celebration approached the Laguna Hills TT Club for involvement in the anniversary event.  Harry Bloom, Paul Thompson and Julius Margolis responded positively to his request.  Harry’s wife, Alice, assisted in advertising and publicity affairs.  Julius Margolis asked Harold Kopper, from Southern California, to help them in organizing that local tournament.  “It is a wonderful idea,” responded Kopper.  “It is my pleasure to host such a tournament.”

Leisure World donated $1000 for expenses and trophies.  Ken Hoover brought a valuable oriental rug from Arizona for auction.  Other volunteers, among them Walt Wehrli, worked hard to make the tournament a success.  Ninety players took part in table tennis competitions.  In 1990, Julius Margolis became Tournament Director, and Bill Meiklejohn, who at that time, was actively involved in table tennis, contributed money and the local tournament was renamed the Meiklejohn National Seniors Table Tennis Tournament and it became open to the entire country.  It became an annual event.  Walt Wehrli was appointed the tournament treasurer, dealing with monetary affairs, trophies and the diner.  Herb Gilbert showed his expertise in setting up table tennis equipment and environmental issues.  With every year the number of events increased as did the number of players.

In 1994, Julius realized that “new blood was required,” and the L.W.T.T. Club’s president at that time, Carol Cartwright, suggested Olga Feingold, who became Margolis’ assistant and, starting in 1996, the tournament director for seven consecutive years.  The tournament grew steadily to 260 players with 32 events.  There also were innovations in age and rating events and scheduling.

After 2002, Olga decided that the baton should be passed to her assistant tournament director, Ray Kunze. Olga was elected the tournament committee chair.  The name of the tournament also was changed to the Meiklejohn North American Seniors and “some new blood” was added to the NSTTTA. (This non-profit table tennis organization was legally registered in 1999.)

Ray Kunze, the present tournament director, summarizing the tournament’s achievements, said, “The group responsible for putting on our Meiklejohn Tournament has changed over time; it is larger, perhaps, more organized and its members are certainly older and a bit more mellow. The average age of committee members is 78!  One soon learns that being a committee member is hard work.  Our meetings are usually noisy affairs with heated arguments and sometimes lots of laughter.  In the end, reason usually prevails.  I believe that overall we have put Bill Meiklejohn’s money to a good use and that we have produced an event of lasting value that we can all be proud of.”