The first platform tennis tournament for cash – Mercedes-Benz Platform Tennis Classic

K&M
Left to Right: Unknown, Dave Jennings, Chauncey (Chum) Steele, Squires (with Mercedes logo sweater), Mangan, Kingsbury, Mercedes-Benz representative

Held in Mid-November at Amelia Island Plantation, FL, the tournament consisted of eight of the top nine nationally-ranked teams. The winning team of Mangan and Kingsbury received $2,000, while the runners-up, Steele and Jennings, earned $500.

Highlights of the tournament were shown on the CBS show Sports Spectacular on Sunday February 23, 1975

Even though most of the players on the tour had full-time jobs outside of platform tennis, with the majority of them working in the finance industry, the prize money added another enticement to the game.