FMTC hosted the event (its 41st National Championship) commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of platform tennis.

The highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of sterling silver trays by APTA President Dick Hornigold to members of the “first families” of platform tennis, Mrs. Fessenden Blanchard and Do Cogswell Deland.

In the Men’s, Herb Fitz Gibbon and Hank Irvine won their second straight title as did Hilary Hilton and Louise Gengler in the Women’s. Paddle Talk covered the event

Clark Graebner (Russell’s partner in the Men’s final) and Louise Gengler (Hilton’s partner in the Women’s) won the mixed over Russell and Hilton.

In the Senior’s, Bob Brown won his first of many Senior titles with George Reynolds over the winners of the past two years, Baird and Lankenau.

Source: Paddle Talk Vol. 3 No. 5 (April-May)

In the Men’s, Herb Fitz Gibbon and Hank Irvine won the first of their two titles over Gordon Gray and Doug Russell.

Hilary Hilton was back in the Women’s winners circle with a new partner Louise Gengler (her previous partner had returned to California), and with Doug Russell in the Mixed (the first of five titles).

In the Seniors, Baird and Lankenau won both the 45+ and 50+, and Dick Hebard won his final title in the 60+ with George Lowman.

The lucky one’s have seats at the 1977 Nationals at FMTC. Rear: Martin Bowen, Vail Traina, Lois Hebard, Bette Otto, Mike North, Hank Otto. Middle: Molly Ware, Al Traina, Judy and Ron Durning (following man in cap), Bob Rau. Front: John Ware

John R. Moses was an exceptional tennis player, earning a number one ranking in Interscholastic doubles, and a number five ranking in singles. He was captain of the Yale tennis team, and was a finalist in the National Men’s at nineteen in 1943.

Four years later, at age twenty-three, he won his first title, and a second followed ten years later, in 1957. John also won the Mixed in 1955.

His record could well have been extended, but he moved to Kansas City where there were no courts. Blanchard thought that, at his best, Moses had few equals with quick hands and remarkable court coverage. (Fox Meadow Tennis Club).

Susan Beck Wasch inherited her mother’s racquet genes and grew up playing both tennis and paddle. She had played Junior Wightman Cup tennis for two years when a serious illness interrupted her racquet career, and there was thought that she might not play again.

Instead, she took up paddle and overcame the odds to win the National Women’s with her mother in 1959.

At the age of twenty-four, she was the youngest woman to win at the time. She won again in 1960, 1962 and 1965, and added a Mixed title in 1972. (Fox Meadow Tennis Club).

In 1976, for the first time, stringent qualifying criteria were applied to entrants to limit the Men’s draw to a manageable number. The event could be followed on television as PBS, courtesy of Tribuno, filmed it. Commentary was by Billy Talbert and Dick Squires

The gang’s all here to watch as Chip and Steve Baird, receiving, win the 1976 Nationals. Note the cameraman with his overview from the cat bird’s seat!

By 11:30 on Sunday the ticket allocation of 2000 had been sold. Most spectators found seats in the stands on three sides of the Court 1 and others climbed tress or hung from the roof and pipes of the clubhouse.

In the Men’s, the Baird brothers defeated defending champions Jennings and Steele in four sets that included a dramatic ending when Steve passed out for a moment. This was the first of ten Men’s titles for Steve Baird.

Wendy Chase and Linda Wolf defeated B.J. DeBree and Fay Gambee for the Women’s title. DeBree then teamed with Herb Fitz Gibbon to win their second straight Mixed title.

Paddle Talk carried the full Men’s And Women’s draws.

In the Senior events, Chuck Baird and Roger Lankenau lost their bid for a hat-trick in the 45+, losing to Don Miller and Dick Squires, but did capture the 50+ championship, making it five in a row for Chuck.

In the Men’s, the previous year’s finalists Jennings and Steele, emerged as the champions over two-time winners Kingsbury and Mangan.

In the Women’s, the California duo of Hilary Hilton and Annabel Lang, who excelled in paddle tennis, were imported to break the dominance of the East Coast and did just that.

In the Senior events, Chuck Baird and Ned Swanberg won their fourth straight 50+ title, establishing an unrivaled record. Baird and Lankenau won their second straight 45+ and Do Deland, daughter of the co-founder of the game Jimmy Cogswell, won the Women’s 50+ with Deborah McIlwaine.