Fessenden Blanchard publishes Paddle Tennis

Blanchard’s book covered the origins and history of Playground Paddle Tennis and Platform Paddle Tennis. It also chronicled the court configurations, rules governing each game, playing strategies and tournament champions. Blanchard continued to be a prolific writer about the game and was its most ardent promoter. Scarsdale Inquirer, December 22, 1944

Founding of Rye Invitational

National Championships

As in 1943 and 1944, the Women’s and Mixed National Championships were not played because of wartime travel difficulties. The Greenwich team of Sutter (Greenwich Country Club) and Maguire (The Field Club) captured their second Men’s (their first was in 1941). Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

Oscar F. Moore elected APTA President (1946-1948)

Moore was President through some important growth years and was credited with developing the mixed Scrambles or Jamboree event. This format gave the game much of its social overtones and proved to be very popular. Few people had given so much of their time and energy, or been more identified with or dedicated to platform tennis.

National Championships – American Lawn Tennis had coverage

The Women’s National Championship was not played, but the Mixed was reinstated. The Mixed was won by the Fox Meadow team of Lamar Fearing and Maizie Moore and marked the only time Maizie had beaten her sister Madge in a National Championship. In a repeat of the 1945 final, the Greenwich team of Sutter and Maguire captured their second straight Men’s title, and third overall, with a five set win over the Fox Meadow team of Couch and O’Hearn, after being two sets down. Commenting on the match in his 1959 book, Blanchard observed: "O'Hearn was marvelous, mixed up his game. Couch tired himself out slamming overheads ineffectively without resorting to drop shot (drop volley) variations, though his forehand was fine and fast dropping. Sutter and Maguire were steady and kept lobbing." Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

National Championship participation increases with end of WW II

During World War II, the growth of platform tennis naturally slowed down. For several years, the men's doubles were the only tournaments played. By 1946, things picked up, and some tournaments draws were the “largest ever.” The Women’s event was not reinstated until 1949.

Let rule adopted for ball over the backstop

As play improved, balls were occasionally bounced over the 12-foot wiring, ending a rally and making it necessary to chase the ball for some distance. This was corrected when the APTA adopted a rule regarding balls bouncing over the backstop: "A ball which lands in court of play and bounces up and over side or back walls should be considered a 'let ball' and the point replayed."

Interest in the game from north of the border

The APTA had an inquiry from Department of Agriculture, in Quebec, Canada. “Having been in charge of this district for the Province of Quebec Lawn Tennis Association,” said the letter, “I am convinced that paddle tennis will be popular but the older members are skeptic about the whole thing.” Blanchard recalled how similar this was to Fox Meadow’s initial take on the game. Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes

APTA Annual Meeting Minutes 1945

National Championships

As in 1946 the Women’s was again not played. The Fox Meadow team of Moses and Grout overcame the 1942 and 1944 champions Hyde and Wiley from Hartford, CT. The New Jersey husband and wife team Elwood and Sarah Cooke easily won the Mixed over a Fox Meadow team. Source: Fessenden S. Blanchard, Platform Paddle Tennis, 1959 Historical Factoid: At the time Moses was 23 and became the youngest player in the history of the game to win a National championship; he was the recipient of the APTA Honor Award in 1976.