Charles F. Baird (1922-2009)

Hall of Fame inductee, Chuck Baird died peacefully on December 26, 2009 at the age of 87, after a long bout with Alzheimers. A true ambassador of platform tennis, he was an active participant in both the play and the promotion of the game. He was consistently highly ranked in the years that he competed on the “open” circuit and in the Nationals. Although never a winner of the open Nationals, he and his partner, Roger Lankenau, went as far as the quarter-finals. Upon entering the Senior ranks, his first Championship win was in the 50+ Nationals in 1973. What followed thereafter was a record-breaking streak of Senior National Championships, totaling 23 wins in the 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+ and 70+ categories. He was also a finalist 15 times in these Senior events. In 1982, he and his partner George Schmid achieved a milestone never accomplished before or since, winning three events, in the 50+, 55+, and 60+ Nationals in the same year.

Aside from these accomplishments on the court, Chuck actively promoted the game by playing exhibitions and instructing, and while on assignment in Toronto as Chairman of Inco, he was an active leader in successfully promoting the game in Canada. He also served on the APTA Board as the Director of Senior activities.

In recognition of his outstanding record and his contributions to the game, Chuck was inducted into the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992.

Source: Robert A. Brown, Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 11, Issue 3, January, 2010