Symposium at Fox Meadow on improving platform tennis programs

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

Lineal Group Grand Prix Series heats up platform tennis scene

The first two of the four tournament series were in Philadelphia, PA, and Greenwich, CT, and aroused lots of interest. Platform Tennis News carried the story.

“For a new idea, the four-tournament, prize money Lineal Group Grand Prix series seems to have caught on awfully fast. The first two tournaments, Philadelphia and Greenwich Invitationals, aroused lots of interest and sparked extremely competitive draws. Even more importantly, the game of platform received added exposure and publicity to both the general sports public and paddle aficionados at various clubs in the tournament areas. Posters were plastered everywhere, flyers were distributed, ads were placed in local newspapers. Top men’s players put on exhibitions on both Friday nights before the weekend draws; and top women players did likewise with youth clinics on Saturday.

In fact, the Greenwich exhibition featured Detroit’s top twosome of Jeff ‘Dr. Detroit’ Hodges and Scott Mansager, who flew in for the event, combined with reigning No. 1 Scott Staniar and one of last year’s Nationals finalists, Mike Gillespie. Those four not only put on a brisk exhibition of how the game is played for an appreciative audience, but then stayed out on the courts to rally with all the local fans who brought their rackets with them.

On Saturday, almost 50 youngsters enjoyed watching No. 1 Gerri Viant combine with top stars Patti Hogan, Sue Aery and Robin Fulton in some sterling match play. Then the four ranking players put the kids through some exercises and strategy sessions that they’ll likely use to come back and topple those top players in years to come.”

Source: Platform Tennis News, Mid-Winter 1992

National Championship ecology program

Among the volunteers at the National Championships was Joseph Quintillan, outfitted with a special red cap donated by McDaniel Ford. He rounded up used balls for recycling. Quintillan was a finalist in the 1997 Boys 18 and under, and won the event in 1999.

Nationals raise money for charities

When the Long Island Platform Tennis Association (LIPTA) undertook responsibility to conduct the Men’s and Women’s National Championships in March, it decided to designate the Children’s House and the Interfaith Nutrition Network as co-beneficiaries of the net proceeds of the fund-raising efforts for the event.

These two recipients were chosen because of the involvement by two of LIPTA’s Directors with the organizations. Alfred Devendorf presented the case for the Children’s House, and Gloria Grafer represented the INN.

Initially, there was great skepticism among the Tournament Committee as to whether a worthwhile sum could be expected to be raised, because the previous championships, in Chicago and Philadelphia, had not made a profit.

Once the charities were named, the fundraising and volunteering of services moved ahead quickly. Sport clothing with the logo of the championship was sold to raise funds; local club teams placed advertisements in the program, and four major sponsors, Norstar Bank, Mobil Corporation, EAB and Hallen Construction were signed. The success of the event allowed a donation of $11,000 to be made to each named charity

Source: Platform Tennis News, Summer 1992

Madeline Childress “Madge” Beck ( -1991)

When Fox Meadow celebrated its hundredth anniversary in 1983, they almost ran out of numbers in recording Madeline “Madge” Beck’s accomplishments on a national ranking level. Madge Beck counted among her accolades the women’s singles crown in 1936, and the mixed doubles titles in 1939, 1953, 1954 and 1956.

But it was in Women’s doubles where she left her greatest legacy, winning the national championship for five consecutive years (1938-42), then again in 1949, then another streak of four (1951-1954), and again in 1959 and 1960.

Fox Meadow also cheered its famous women’s player with a quiz question:

What individual went the greatest span of years between winning National Championship honors?

Madge Beck holds that honor with a 22-year span between her first and last women’s doubles titles.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Mid-Winter 1991

Charlotte Lee (1914 -1991)

Kathy Reilly in the R. J. Reilly, Ic. publication Behind the Screens, as quoted in PTN, Winter 1991 said:

“If paddle had a Hall of Fame, Charlotte Lee would be a charter member. Charlotte Lee first picked up a paddle at age 42 in 1957, and since then has won sixteen National titles, been a runner up seven times, and has won an almost uncountable number of club and state championships in both mixed and women’s play.”

The winter edition of PTN carried the full tribute by Kathy Reilly, as well as a number of other remembrances, among which was one from Richard J. Reilly, Jr.:

“If ever there has been an angel to guide and inspire a sports following morally, physically, and spiritually, it has to be Charlotte Lee.”

Charlotte Lee was the recipient of the APTA Honor Award in 1966.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Winter 1991

Rich Maier and Mike Gillespie capture International Cup Platform Tennis title

Arge Platform was formed by Alfred Schuter and two of his friends to build courts and promote the game in Austria. They also ran tournaments at Ramsau in the Austrian Alps.

In 1990, Rich Maier and Mike Gillespie were invited to play in a Ramsau event and a second tournament in Vienna, where a new court had been built. Rich and Mike were asked to do several exhibitions, and to teach at the Sporting University in Graz. There they taught a group of young men who hope to be the future platform tennis pros in Austria. One of the most exciting promotional events was an exhibition by the two top Austrian wheelchair tennis champions who were invited to play paddle with Mike and Rich. This was surely a first for platform tennis!

During the final awards ceremony, the International Cup was presented to Mike and Rich, along with their prize money, in hefty stacks of single U.S. dollar bills. Everyone toasted the new “mit den Weltmeistern” (world champions) with numerous shots of Schnapps. The top Austrian team would use its prize – plane tickets – to come to America in March 1991 to compete in the APTA Nationals in Philadelphia.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Mid Winter 1990, p 13

Platform Tennis and Tinsel Town

The Harrison Ford box office hit Presumed Innocent featured platform tennis paraphernalia.

Platform Tennis News draws imitation

The Orange Lawn Tennis Club published a mock version of Platform Tennis News and PTN’s editor Brian Zevnik made a case for covering the human-interest side of the game.

“They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In this case, it’s not just flattering. It’s funny. The Orange Lawn Tennis Club produced a mock PTN last year and sent me a copy. I wish all of my PTN copy were as ingenious and humorous as theirs. Of course, they also had a fake lingerie ad, which would certainly spice up these pages. But alas and alack, this is a family publication!

Anyway, I’m reprinting their lead story below. It’s amusing, and I’m sure even funnier for the club members who know the ‘participants’ well. The point is, we can always use such literary help here at the APTA’s ‘real’ publication. That’s why I’m always drumming up business for us – writers, contributors, idea people, even complainers. I’ll reiterate once again. We want to cover the human-interest side of platform tennis, not just the numbers and scores. Anyone out there listening?”

Davis/Peck Break Two-Year Undefeated String

After an amazing two-year stint, Bern Davis/Richard Peck of Orange Lawn Tennis Club were finally defeated in a match that will go down in the APTA history books. The combination of Davis’ big spin serves and Peck’s exceptional corner play almost prevailed, over the steady play of Jack/Bob Kleinert of Indian Trail Club. It was in the second set that Davis/Peck appeared to just pull away by taking a commanding 5-2 lead, after winning the first set 6-1. However, at the change of ends, something unforeseen happened. Davis noticed a string hanging from the back of Peck’s impeccably tailored sports outfit, whereupon he reached over to rid Peck of the unsightly thread and pulled at the bottom of Peck’s jacket. Ten minutes later, when Davis was still pulling at what appeared to be an endless thread, Kleinert/Kleinert opted to invoke the “Delay of Game” rule and called the match. Later, after Davis/Peck recovered from their defeat and had an opportunity to recapture the events of the match, they discovered that the unsightly thread was not a thread at all, but a 500 yard container of Richard Peck’s newest sample of Moo Shu Dental Floss. Needless to say, this agonizing defeat left Davis/Peck hungry for more action in the upcoming 1990 season. Peck has promised to leave his floss at home.

Source: Platform Tennis News, Fall 1990

Charity and the game

The Children’s Village (Dobbs Ferry, NY) Tournament, held annually at Fox Meadow, was now in its ninth year and the results had been fabulous. From $900 the first year to over $10,000 the previous year, money was donated to this worthy cause through a slew of sponsors, silent auctions, direct donations and the open hearts and wallets of the women’s platform tennis community.

Much of the credit for this best run/ most fun tourney went to Fox Meadow member Barbara Rau and her able colleagues Barb Lippe, Yvonne Robinson and Delsa Wilson.

There was an anonymous “Super Angel” who kicked in big bucks every year. Home Insurance Co. also received an angel designation, while Family Circle Magazine was a benefactor, and People’s Westchester Savings Bank and Hedstrom Corp. were Patrons. As noted in the Winter 1990 issue of PTN, “The list of donors and friends runs the length of the baseline. What it all adds up to is a platform tennis tournament that not only helps players’ games, but helps needy kids as well.”

The article added one other observation: “There’s some food for thought here. Platform can be a vehicle for lots of competitive action and warm friendships. But as these individuals have proven, its strength can be translated far beyond the bounds of the court itself. Next time you’re involved in organizing an event, at any level from club to county to region, think good will. Is there a way to tie platform to a community charity or organization? It benefits us all.”

Source: Platform Tennis News, Winter 1990