The APTA offered players an opportunity to use January and February as a 60-day trial period to test a two-serve option at different playing levels in various club events. Feedback via Platform Tennis News was requested.
The May-June issue of the magazine carried the results. There were 19 yes votes to change to two-serves, and 141 voting no, indicating strongly that the change was not favored.
Some of the reasons were:
.....it would ruin the game. We don't want it like tennis
.....leave the game alone, it is an amateur's game enjoyed as is
.....how about two returns?
Source: Platform Tennis News, November 1981 and May-June 1982
Back to TopJohn R. Moses playing at Fox Meadow Tennis Club
Moses was one of the earliest good “young” players of the game in the early 1940s and ‘50s.
He had been the #1 ranked junior tennis player in the nation and, at nineteen, he was the youngest person ever to be a finalist in the APTA National men’s doubles.
He won the APTA Men’s doubles title at the age of 23, again the youngest ever to attain that distinction. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.
At the time of his death after a long illness, John had retired to East Boothbay, Maine, in the same area where his family had summered for several generations.
Source: Platform Tennis News, January 1982
The Minutes highlights:
Financial situation impacted by loss of sponsorship and decline in dues due to poor enforcement of membership requirements at local tournaments. The loss for the year was $11,191
Six issues of Platform Tennis News (PTN) to be published with Passport Scotch to be offered logo identification if they continued sponsorship of PTN ($7,500). More regional results were requested
The current crisis in tournament play was discussed and ways to encourage broader participation beyond the "pro circuit". The Presidents' Cup was a key part of this and expanding the number of teams from 4 to 8 was proposed
Back to TopThe first annual Men's 70+ National Championship was played on March 28, 1982, in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Pictured (left to right) are the participants who came from Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, Washington, D.C. and New York: runners-up George Holloway and Walter Frese, winners Harry Gilbert and Bill "Smoky" Miller, John Morse, Fred Lammis, Ed Fogel, Robert Thoman, Stuart Glover, and Larry Levy.
The Men’s 60+ started in 1969, but, as these players grew older, their skills became less competitive against younger participants in this age group. However, these men still wanted to compete at a championship level and it was suggested that a National 70+ be held in conjunction with the New Jersey 55+ at the Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes. The event was contingent upon a draw of not fewer than eight teams.
The first event was held in 1982.
Source: Platform Tennis News, January 1982
In Denver, the “Mile High” city, platform tennis had found a new frontier and was slowly but steadily increasing in popularity. In addition to courts at two clubs and several private courts, more were being planned at a third. All of these facilities were within fifteen minutes of each other, making future tournaments more feasible. Sally Burbank of Englewood, Colorado, had given much of her time to teaching and promoting platform tennis, free of charge.
Source: Platform Tennis News, February 1982
The President’s Cup celebrated its birthday in New Jersey where this unique event was born five years earlier. A squad of big belters from Region I eventually took over the party and waltzed off with the trophy for the second year in a row. The annual inter-regional matchup was staged at the six-court layout of the Brookside Racquet and Swim Club in Allendale, NJ.
Shearson/American Express put up funds for both the Nationals and the President’s Cup. Part of the money was to cover travel expenses for the Allendale competitors.
As a further touch, just as an early spring sun banished the drizzle about 10 a.m., players blossomed forth wearing new, royal blue Shearson/American Express lined warm-up jackets.
Source:Platform Tennis News, April 1982
The reigning men's and women's champions not only retained their National Championship titles, but did it for the third successive time. A total of 101 teams competed in the two open events that were centered, for the third year, at the Montclair Golf Club, West Orange, New Jersey. Shearson/American Express sponsored the March 13 and 14 event as well as the President’s Cup Competition.
In a notable achievement, Chuck Baird and George Schmid won three Senior events, the 50+, 55+, and 60+ Championships, the only time this has been done.
Platform Tennis News April 1982 - PTN carried the stories behind the results.
Source: Platform Tennis News, April 1982
Vittert donated balls, paddles and carry-all bags for the Juniors and the event was considered a great success.
Source: March 25, 1982 letter from APTA Executive Secretary, Diane Rinaldi, to Georgann Galik, Ass[...]
Back to TopNewly elected president Steve Baird with paddle partner Rich Maier, Region I player Lloyd Ucko and APTA treasurer John Richart
Baird's comments on becoming APTA President:
People everywhere are recognizing that the overall success of a platform tennis program is linked directly to how well those in charge organize the event and promote the social part of the weekend.
I think that paddle appears to be finding its niche after a brief period when we may
have lost sight of the game's strengths. I'm very optimistic about the next several years because I can see definite signs that we've begun to return to many of the traditions that sparked the tremendous growth of about fifteen to twenty percent per year during the 1968-1978 period.
One significant trend is the continued interest in League play throughout the country. Competition for a spot on the club team is stronger than at anytime in the past three years. The northern New Jersey leagues for men and women are probably the best examples of how to organ[...]
A platform tennis enthusiast and owner of Peters Creek Paddle Club in Library, PA, F. Jay Smith had given a great deal of study to the subject of the platform tennis serve. The APTA Board decided that his thoughts and his proposal for change merited consideration, and solicited feedback through Platform Tennis News.
Smith’s analysis suggested that the service box be lengthened a minimum of 6 inches and perhaps as much as 9-12 inches. He argued that the current size of 12' x 8' was too confining and, since it was possibly arrived at arbitrarily, it should be subject to change.
Of the more than 2,500 copies of the newsletter mailed to the membership, seven were returned to the APTA Office: five in favor of lengthening the service box, and two opposed. Based on such an underwhelming response to the proposal, the Board determined that there was not enough interest to warrant further [...]
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