The first platform was built in Scarsdale, NY and was ready for play in late November, 1928.

Initially it was used for badminton and deck tennis but the discovery, soon afterwards, of the racquets and balls used in paddle tennis¹ lead to the creation of the game we know today.

Despite a number of experiments with modifying the physical dimensions of the court over the years the court configuration adopted by the Founders has stood the test of time, as did the one-serve rule and playing the ball off the wires.

For more details on the initial experiments with the game please see The Early Years 1928-1934.

Note 1: Paddle Tennis was developed by the Reverend Frank P. Beal as a child in Albion MI. Later in life when he had moved to New York City and was the Associate Minister of the Judson Memorial Church he introduced the game to New York City playgrounds in the early 1920s

Gary Horvath paid tribute to those that made it happen:

The quiet resurrection of the junior circuit has to be included in this list of events that will shape the game in the years ahead. Junior paddle has seen its rebirth as a result of renewed support for the APTA Junior Nationals, increased programming by teaching professionals, and the creation of the Viking Cup and Viking Junior Tour. This season, over 180 players participated in the Junior Nationals. Patty Hogan, Junior Nationals Tournament Director, was impressed both with the level of enthusiasm and the improvement in the level of play.

This season also marked the first year of the Viking Junior Tour. There have been four junior tournaments held so far this season with over 350 participants. Two more are definitely scheduled and two additional tournaments are tentatively scheduled for this season.

A year after entering the platform tennis industry, Viking sponsored the first Viking Cup. This is a series of 18 tournaments held throughout the country in November. The subtly named Child/Adult event wants to place the emphasis on the junior players. While it is possible for junior players to play with their parents, it is also possible for them to play with other adults. This past season, the events had 206 total participants – an increase from 75 the first year.

David Kjeldsen of Viking, the major sponsor of junior events, said, “I think the participation in junior paddle has doubled in the past three years. We have again reached the point where some of the juniors are starting to play multiple tournaments in a season.” Kjeldsen also agreed strongly with Hogan’s sentiment that the caliber of play has risen dramatically each year. Kjeldsen added, “All of the
juniors are fun to watch. Seeing Peter Hissey and Lauren Cash, two great juniors who can hit backhands out of the wires all day without missing, one knows the future of platform is in good hands.”

The importance of the junior game became more evident to me when I asked myself the question, “How many of the people who I play against learned to play platform tennis as a junior?” Most of my peers learned to play after they were out of college. Hats off to Patty Hogan, Viking, the professionals who run junior programs, the parents who are involved in various ways, and most importantly to the juniors who will ultimately introduce this great sport to the next generation.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 4, March 2003

On January 5, 2003, a fatal propane gas explosion occurred on a platform tennis court at the Eastham Residential Community in Grantham, New Hampshire.

A suspected gas leak caused the explosion that killed 64- year-old James Owen (husband and father of one) and injured three others.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine Vol. 4, Issue 4, March 2003

Another year for the charities goes off without a hitch thanks to the leadership of John Noble and Company. This November, 296 players competed in four events: The Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Men’s 45+, and Men’s 55+.

In the women’s open tournament, last season’s finalists Aery/Viant and Fulton/Prendergast were no-shows. Therefore, the draw was ripe for the picking. The biggest quarter-final upsets came when 5th seeded Kerri Delmonico and Shelly Morse upset the top-seeded team of Tonia Mangan and Bobo Delaney. They proceeded to defeat Jane McNitt and Leslie Hough (who defeated 3rd seeded Hilary Debbs and Patty Hogan) in a three-set semi-final match. In the other half of the draw, 2nd seeded Mary Doten and Julia Sierks held their ground to reach the finals. Kerri and Shelly won the finals (their first Charities Title) in a hard-fought match.

In the men’s draw, the top seeds proceeded to the semis with only a few minor upsets…that is if you ignore the fact that the 10th seeded team of Mike Stulac (Toronto) and Scott Bondurant (Chicago) defeated Cosimano/Stipa in the 16s, Goodspeed/Mansager (6-2,6-2) in the quarters, and Estes/Mackesy(4-6,6-0,7-6) in the semis…not to mention Dollard/Hallet(7-6, 6-7,7-6?) in the 32’s! On the other half of the draw, defending champs Chris Gambino and David Ohlmuller defeated Hough/Uihlein in the Semis and Kaufman/Milbank in the quarters to reach the finals. The 7-6, 6-4 final match-up was a battle with the defending champions prevailing.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 3, January, 2003

John Embree has been involved in sports, and more importantly – racquet sports, since he was a child. In college, John was a four-year letterman in both soccer and tennis. He was even voted MVP and senior athlete of the year.

In the early 70s, John went on various professional tennis tours, included in this was his participation in the 1976 Australian Open. John’s enthusiasm for tennis was recognized by the USTA when they hired him in 1980. John soon after developed and implemented the new USTA League Program. Today, John’s baby has 400,000 annual participants.

Wilson saw John’s potential and hired him soon after. He worked his way up to become the V.P. and G.M. for Wilson Racquet Sports. One day in 1994, Wilson’s President asked John if he knew of any new business ventures the company could get involved with. Citing service and quality-related problems from platform tennis’ primary manufacturer, Marcraft, John got Wilson involved in the paddle market with the plan to utilize their existing sales reps. Wilson’s initial paddles were the first full-graphite composites made. The paddles were superior to the previous paddles; however, the abundance of power coming from the paddles caused Wilson to switch from graphite to EVA foam in 1997. John chose to get involved in the ball market because the existing Vittert balls were too lively. Wilson bought out Vittert and softened the balls. With lack of consumer support and a small market not large enough to be divided, Wilson sold off the ball market to Viking in 2001.

John’s future commitment to platform tennis is as strong today as it was ten years ago. Aside from paddles, Wilson’s “Surround The Athlete” philosophy includes offering shoes, gloves, hats, bags, grips, etc. “I will continue to support platform tennis as long as I am at Wilson,” John stated. He added, “I am certainly committed to the future. This sport is less than 1/1,000 of Wilson’s racquet business; however, it is something I am passionate about.” As a result, Wilson’s paddle business has increased 20% per year since 1999. Wilson endorses the Performance Paddle Camps, Connecticut Classic, and Chicago Charities Events. As a player, John won the 1995 Illinois States and 1999 45+ Charities Open. John has been ranked nationally in the APTA’s top-ten list several times.

David Kjeldsen: There he was, the world’s biggest couch potato, out on the platform tennis court for the first time playing mixed doubles on a Friday night. Paddle in one hand, cigar in his mouth, a beer in the other hand. Who would have thought that thirteen years later David Kjeldsen would be the largest supplier of balls and paddles in the world?

Friday night platform outings got David’s interest piqued. He started playing platform every Saturday in his club’s morning round robins and then in a league. Through it all, he was using up balls as if they were free. At $15 per sleeve he knew there had to be a better way! He called Hedstrom Corporation, the manufacturer of the Vittert ball, and asked if he could purchase balls by the case. Sure enough, they shipped him an order. When his platform partner heard about his purchase, he asked if he wouldn’t mind getting him and his wife a few cases. When David phoned Hedstrom to order more balls, they informed him that he was now eligible for discount pricing. Shortly thereafter, David ordered a paddle for a friend. Marcraft, without hesitation, supplied David dealer pricing. By 1990, David was officially in the platform tennis business.

In February 1996, David formed Viking Athletics, Ltd., with the sole mission of supplying the highest quality platform tennis equipment available. David claims that at the 2002 APTA National Championships, over 80% of the players used Viking paddles.

Six years ago David introduced the Viking ball and in 2001 he monopolized the market when he bought out Wilson’s ball business. David doesn’t believe that his top accomplishment is his ball monopoly. He proudly recalls one weekend where he reached the finals of an APTA-sanctioned Men’s National Ranking Tournament. If you must know where and when, he’ll be happy to personally give you the details.

Today, Viking is involved in every aspect of the game, from manufacturing balls and paddles, to silk-screening and embroidering hats, shirts, team uniforms, etc., for tournaments, to custom imprinting balls and supplying free tournament draw sheets. Viking supplies everything but the refreshments…and David takes solace in the fact that his headquarters is in an old brewery.

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 3, January, 2003

Westchester native Bob Considine teamed up with famed Chicago web designer Geoffrey Johnson (Lands End, JCrew) in late 2001 to create what was to become the hottest platform tennis web site of 2002 – paddlepro.com.

Considine originally intended for the web site to simply be a value-added service to the men and women he taught paddle to; however, the Westchester Platform Tennis Association saw the in-progress site and requested to have their league/tournament information included. The Sound Shore Invitational soon after became the first tournament to register 100% of player entries through the web via credit card.

Shortly after the WPTL signed on, members began requests for an online paddle store to purchase items such as balls, paddles, trophies, and team logo-printed clothing. “We will continue to expand the website as long as it is positively adopted by the paddle community and people wish to financially support it through the online store,” Considine explained. He added, “In other words, if people continue to support paddlepro, we will continue to improve it.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 2, November, 2002

As the result of a very successful fund raising effort in connection with its conducting of the National Championships of platform tennis for men and women last March, the Long Island Platform Tennis Association was able to distribute $24,000 to three local charities.

The beneficiaries were the Family and Children’s Association, the Interfaith Nutrition Network, and Rotacare. Each received an $8,000 share of the contribution.

“A large portion of the contributions came from the individual members of LIPTA who participate in the sport during the fall and winter seasons,” indicated General Chairman Charles Vasoll. Several corporate sponsors enlisted by Director of Finance, Duane Hayden, also helped make the event a financial success. Leading that list was the AON Corporation. Other corporate sponsors deserving of mention were The Island Financial Group, First American Title Insurance Company of New York, National Land Tenure Company LLC, and Graphic Technology, Inc.

Viking Athletics Ltd. also made a significant contribution. Viking CEO, David Kjeldsen reduced costs by donating team uniforms for President’s Cup players and providing all balls for the events.

“As it was when it was previously held on Long Island in 1992, the event was a success socially, athletically, and financially,” Vasoll stated. He concluded, “We just hope that another decade won’t have to pass until LIPTA can sponsor the competition again.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4, Issue 1, September, 2002

She says that she’s 5′ tall wearing new shoes on a good day. Stating that “size doesn’t always matter,” Patty Hogan is a six-time National Champion who has proven year after year that mental prowess is more important in platform tennis than physical size.

Born 42 years ago in New Providence, New Jersey, Patty’s early platform tennis mentors included Hank Irvine and Wendy Chase. Today, Patty is the mentor for hundreds of adults and juniors across the country. The achievements I’m most proud of are the 17 Junior National Champions I have taught to play our sport,” Patty said. She added, “I am also extremely thankful to the Beacon Hill Club for giving me the freedom and flexibility I need to do my job to the best of my ability.”

Over the years, Patty has had record-breaking seasons with many of the best women to play the game. “My best season was the winter of 98′-99′ when I played with my friend and long-time partner, Cindy Prendergast.” Patty concluded, That season, we went undefeated straight through our last match in the Nationals.” No other women’s team in recent history has repeated this feat.

Arguably the best current player in women’s platform tennis, Patty is as much a contributor as a taker. Her other numerous undertakings include: Beacon Hill -Director of Racquet Sports, Junior Nationals Chairperson, PTM Instructional Staff Supervisor, PPTA Testing Professional, Viking Cup Event Coordinator, and Player’s Committee Representative for the APTA.

Patty is planning on playing the 02′-03′ season with Hilary Debbs. In the meantime, she is working her way toward becoming a scratch golfer. Patty exclaimed, “I just shot my first 80! It’s not the same as a National Championship, but it sure feels good too.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 4 Issue 1, September 2002

On March 17, 2002, Sue Aery (and partner, Gerri Viant) shocked the spectators at the National Championships. No, it wasn’t the service let cord that dropped in for a match point ace. Nor was it the tight third set victory After all. Sue and Gerri had won seven of the previous eleven Women’s Open National Titles, including three in a row. The surprise came to the crowd when Sue picked up the microphone and announced her retirement from platform tennis.

Sue and Gerri had accomplished more than they ever could have imagined thirteen years earlier. Just when 400 exuberant fans were expecting Sue’s modest victory speech, her tearful eyes and trembling voice proclaimed a different message, “As of now, I am announcing my retirement from platform tennis to pursue a career in chiropractic therapy.”

Sue’s mother. Peg, said, “Sue has had extensive chiropractic therapy over her athletic career and she feels that she could not have achieved what she has without it.” Peg concluded, “I think that it’s great. Sue wants to be able to give back to people the help she has personally received from chiropractic care.”

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 3, Issue 5, May, 2002

On November 17, 2001, the Viking Cup was hosted by the Montclair Golf Club and utilized the courts of Montclair, Essex Fells Country Club, Fellsbrook Club, and Essex County Country Club. On a beautiful Sunday morning, 37 adult/junior teams, representing the best in Canada and the US, assembled at Montclair. Well over 100 teams competed in the various play down-sites, which is a testament to the current health of junior paddle. All preliminary matches were run in a flighted round robin tournament with the top two finishers going on to the semis. The level of play among all of the teams was impressive to watch and made many of us feel we were watching the future stars of our sport display their precociously high level of proficiency.

18 & Under Finals
Anthony Nunziata and Bob Considine def. Diego Rodriguez and Doug White 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

15 & Under Finals
Ari and Rayni Borinsky def. Darren Schwandt and Scott Falatek 6-3, 6-1

12 & Under Finals
Eric and John D’Elia def. Jay and Henry Schwab 6-0, 6-4

Source: Platform Tennis Magazine, Vol. 3 Issue 4, February, 2002