New sneaker endorsed by APTA

The APTA endorsed the Swift River “Reflex” court shoe following tests by a Board-appointed players committee. The Swift River “Reflex” court shoe was made in New Hampshire. The sneakers had bottoms made of a gum-colored compound of high-abrasion rubber to assure maximum mobility in any weather, as well as resistance to abrasion.

Hi-bounce or Low-bounce ball?

Many players liked a more bouncy ball, especially when it became very cold. To accommodate them, Vittert made both a lo-bounce (V-30) and a hi-bounce ball. The APTA had approved the V-30 for all National ranking tournaments and the hi-bounce ball only for singles. The January edition of Platform Tennis explained the APTA position and provided guidance for using the V-30 ball in cold. When it’s really cold, the standard V-30 needs a respectable warm-up, or it will just dribble when you expect a bounce. Nevertheless, cold is part of life on the platform. So, what do you do about ball selection? Well, the “book on bounces” says: • For virtually all doubles tournaments or matches, use the standard, low-bouncing V-30. • Always warm up with two balls. When you start to play, put the second ball in the warming hut, a warm car, a ball-warmer, or perhaps a down jacket -- but ne[...]

Women participate in men’s singles

Very few women were entering singles tournaments. In order to encourage more to play Mark Bliss, a promoter of singles from the Apple Club in New York, suggested allowing women to participate in men’s tournaments. Following this, Robin Rich Fulton and Linda Wolf played in a couple of the men’s warm-up tournaments before the National Singles championship.

Manufacturers Hanover Rye Invitational

Herb Fitz Gibbon and Hank Irvine, seeded #2, defeated the top-seeded, 1980 National champions, Steve Baird and Rich Maier, at the Westchester Country Club in Harrison, NY. Frigid weather caused the match to be reduced to two out of three sets by mutual agreement, and Herb and Hank prevailed with a score of 6-4, 6-4.

Age eligibility for tournaments

The APTA had been fielding many requests on age eligibility. A preliminary ruling of a cutoff date of May 1 was repealed in favor of leaving the established calendar year "as is" for the balance of the season. For example, if one attained age 45 in a given calendar year, one was eligible to play in any 45 tournaments during that year.

National Championships

In the Men's, Steve Baird and Rich Maier won their second title (the third for Baird who had won in 1976 with his brother Chip). Yvonne Hackenberg and Hilary Hilton won their second title (the fifth for Hilton and the third for Hackenberg). Hilary Hilton and Doug Russell completed their hat-trick in the Mixed and their fourth overall. Doug Russell captured his second straight Singles and the Boy's 18 and under was won by the future 1994 National Champions Art Williams and Pete Gruenberg. Robin Rich Fulton won the Women's Singles1 Chuck Baird won his third straight Mens 55+ with his third different partner, Roger Lankenau. Note 1: There is some controversy as to how many National Women's Singles were played after the APTA had sanctioned a Men's event beginning in 1980. Women were participating in men's singles events because they had difficulty getting enough team[...]

The pros and cons of aluminum decks

Although R.J. Reilly introduced the aluminum deck in the early 1970s, many of the courts built prior to the 1980s had wood decks. These decks were relatively inexpensive to install, yet became difficult to maintain as active play and the elements took their toll. Aluminum decking not only extended the life of a platform tennis court, but builders now had the ability to install heaters beneath the courts that would warm the decks and eliminate thin layers of snow or ice that would prohibit play. Aluminum decking revolutionized the court-building industry, yet it had an unforeseen impact on the accessibility of courts outside the more privileged country club scene. Wooden courts around the country that had been decommissioned, particularly in communities, municipalities, and schools, were simply not replaced because, though aluminum courts are less expensive to maintain, they were much [...]

APTA increases amateur tournaments

During the 1980s and 1990s, the APTA sanctioned a record number of events each year around the country, including junior and senior age group tournaments. Major events usually occurred over several days and often included an elegant cocktail party or dinner dance where the social component attracted more league players and filled up draws nationwide.

First Executive Director of the APTA, Gloria Dillenbeck, resigns and Diane Rinaldi takes up the position

Emphasis starts to shifts to social roots of the game

In addition to APTA sanctioned events, local and regional tournaments, which often supported a charity, and social get-togethers at the clubs became increasingly popular. Playing for recognition, rather than for money, was the order of the next dozen years until the Lineal Group stepped in briefly in the early 1990s to underwrite a series of events called the Lineal Group Grand Prix.