During October, local tournaments were held in six states at thirteen different clubs. The winners from each tournament—35 teams—arrived at Fox Meadow Tennis Club for the finals in November. Robin Fulton had conceived of the event and was the tournament chair.

Viking Athletics was the primary sponsor, and David Kjeldsen, CEO, spent the day at Fox Meadow supporting all the activities.

Carly Swain filed this report in the Mid-Winter edition of Platform Tennis News:

“The field was very strong on the ‘senior’ side, with many nationally ranked players in the draw, but it was the ‘juniors’ who were the stars. Twelve teams competed in the 12 and under category. The final four were Tim McAvoy/David Hissey, up against Phil/Tyler Gaffney. The final score was in favor of repeat winners, McAvoy/Hissey, 6-1, 6-1. The 15-and-under draw was the largest, with 15 teams and the “cliff-hanger” finals decided in a third set tiebreaker when Bob Considine/Anthony Nunziata prevailed over Patrick Nowlan Sr./Patrick Nowlan Jr. This match was a perfect example of both juniors staying calm and playing their best under extreme pressure. At match point, Anthony hit a winning forehand drive to clinch the title. The Nowlans were last year’s winners. The 18-and-under titIe went to Bill Saunders/Geoffrey Williams who defeated Jon/Ben Holskin, 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Geoffrey and Bill were last year’s finalists in the 15-and-under. Nick Swain, past junior national champion, and now a ‘senior’ at age 21, traveled the farthest to participate. He flew in from Oberlin, Ohio, to play with junior, Ann Louise Bigliani.”

Source: Platform Tennis News, Summer & Mid-Winter 1997

On a Sunday early in March, before a packed house of members and invited guests, the Fox Meadow Tennis Club in Scarsdale New York, affectionately known as the “Home of Platform Tennis,” presented a historical review of the sport.

Molly Ware, daughter of one of the founders of the game, Fessenden Blanchard, and her husband, John, narrated the photographic slide presentation. Also present was Do Deland, daughter of James Cogswell, also recognized as a founder of the game.

Of most interest to the Club’s members was the explanation of how the introduction of the game of platform tennis literally saved the Club from bankruptcy in 1932.

A question and answer session followed the slide presentation, with many of the Club members present adding their own recollections of the times when the game was begun and the Fox Meadow Tennis Club was the first club to have courts.

On display were many of the memorabilia of that earlier age, including the first racquets and balls, instruction books, and clothes worn when the game was born.

For those who had the opportunity to hear first hand about the creation of the sport from those who lived and breathed it from its beginnings, the afternoon was an extraordinary event that will not soon be forgotten.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Spring 1997

The Children’s Village Platform Tennis Tournament was co-founded by Fox Meadow Tennis Club member Sally D. Rogers, and had been run at Fox Meadow since the early 1980s.

The beneficiary was the Sanctuary program at Children’s Village, which provides a safe haven for young people between the ages of 12-17 who felt they could not go home, or had no home to go to.

Besides food, shelter, and clothing, the program was designed to stabilize young people in crisis and help them take control of their lives.

The tournament covered a significant part of the Sanctuary’s annual operating budget.

Sumner “Killy” Kilmarx, one of the very first national men’s doubles platform tennis champions, died on March 2, 1996, in Scarsdale, NY. He was 96. With his long-time paddle partner, Clifford Couch, he won the first national men’s tournament held at the Fox Meadow Tennis Club in 1935.

The 1935 final was one of the longer matches in National Men’s play, a 4-6 , 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 victory over later champion James Hynson and Charles O’Hearn, who defeated them in the 1937 National finals. But Kilmarx and Couch were victorious again in their return finals in 1939. Kilmarx was recognized by the unusual steadiness of his play and the debonair style of his attire on the court.

He was an honorary member of Fox Meadow for many years, having contributed to the development and the popularity of the early game.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Summer 1996

Twenty-seven club Chairmen from as far as Wyoming attended the program hosted by R.J. Reilly Platform Tennis Courts at Fox Meadow Tennis Club.

Platform Tennis News covered the day’s proceedings.

“Early in October, a dedicated and enthusiastic group of twenty-seven club chairmen came together from as far away as Wyoming and as close as the Fox Meadow Tennis Club, which donated its facilities for the event to its host, the R.J. Reilly Platform Tennis Courts.

They gathered to learn from one another and from expert discussion leaders about improving their programs. Kicking off the day’s activities, the attendees heard from Bob Callaway who pioneered a commercial paddle center in Norwalk, Connecticut almost two decades ago and Dick Reilly, an APTA honor award recipient and builder of courts, who sponsored the event.

Greg Moore and Buddy Scudder led a discussion group covering ‘How to Attract New Members/Players,’ “How to Keep Members Involved,’ ‘Upgrading Playing Skills,’ and the ‘Use of a Teaching Pro.’ Bob Callaway and Mike Gillespie spoke about ‘Clinics/Exhibitions,’ ‘League Play,’ and ‘Junior Play.’ ‘Club Tournaments,’ ‘Social Events,’ and ‘Making It Enjoyable’ were topics discussed in a round table led by Patti Hogan.

‘Maintaining and Updating Your Facility,’ ‘Warming Huts,’ and ‘Clothing and Equipment’ were featured interests in the group led by Dick Reilly. Notes taken by a designated recorder at each discussion group were compiled by Kathy Reilly and sent to all the participants for their use. Following the educational portion of the program, the club chairmen were partnered with one of 12 National Champions and other high-ranking players in a ‘Tournament with the Champions.’

Bertan Cikigil, tennis pro at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, was the tournament director and devised a format he called ‘The Equalizer’ to keep the action close (Note 1).

Champions and Club Chairpersons were rotated so that everyone had an opportunity to play with and against a variety of players. He also provided a Red Bull’s Eye contest in which a point was automatically won if the opponent’s legal shot hit the 3’x4′ target hung on the screen before it could be fended off.

Marcraft Recreation supported the event by providing new Force paddles for the winning prizes, and ARD (Advanced Recreation Design) provided its balls for the competition.”

Note 1: See the “Hot Off The Wire” column in the Platform Tennis News, Mid-Winter 1992 edition for more details.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Mid-Winter 1992