PRO-Keds Classic – Irvine and Fitz Gibbon take the $10,000 prize money. Squires creates a promotional and instructional video from the event

Robert E. Schott, vice president, Uniroyal, Inc., Consumer Products Division, left, presents $10,000 prize money to Hank Irvine and Herb Fitz Gibbon, as Dick Squires offers his congratulations.

The final of the PRO- Keds Classic outside the Burlington House in Manhattan. Herb Fitz Gibbon and Hank Irvine (foreground), Chum Steele and Keith Jennings. The match was won by Fitz Gibbon & Irvine

Bob Callaway explains the rudiments of the game to enthusiastic youngsters

A future star player?

The PRO-Keds Classic, held in New York City, was one of the game’s greatest marketing ideas. The event was the brainchild of Dick Squires, and was co-sponsored by Uniroyal and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

A court was erected in midtown Manhattan, at the site of the fifty-story Burlington House, on 54th Street and Avenue of the Americas. The area in front of the skyscraper was offered rent free, in exchange for $5,000 worth of PRO-Keds sneakers for the New York City Urban League underprivileged children.

An integral part of the tournament was the junior program. Ninety-six children were chosen from the city’s boroughs to participate in lunchtime clinics on the court, given by Bob Callaway. General Sportcraft contributed paddles for the kids and Burlington Industries provided socks and lunch. And, of course there were free sneakers for the children from Uniroyal, who also provided a fund of $10,000 to underwrite a program of continuing instruction in platform tennis to the children. Sneakers and platform tennis equipment are also being given to children in New York Urban League’s foundling homes.

Robert E. Schott , V. P. Marketing for Uniroyal, commented “We have a deep faith in New York City and it future. We also believe in the broad appeal of platform tennis and feel it should he played and enjoyed by everyone. Hopefully, the PRO-Keds Classic will prove to be the spring-board to what will ultimately be a full-fledged paddle program in our parks.”

Despite unseasonably cold weather, the crowds became enthralled by the game. Play aired nationally over two successive weekends. In the finals, Hank Irvine and Herb Fitz Gibbon topped Chum Steele and Keith Jennings earning $5,000 each in prize money.

Paddle World Vol. 2 No. 1 Winter 76/77 carried the story.