Thornton “Gub” Gerrish (1913-1984)

Gub Gerrish had served on the APTA Board in the mid-70s and had been the group’s official photographer for many years. A man of tremendous energy, enthusiasm and personal magnetism, Gub was an avid spectator, distinguished photographer and reporter at hundreds of paddle events.

He was a true gentleman who epitomized the spirit of paddle–competition, sportsmanship and camaraderie. A permanent trophy in honor of Gub has become part of the annual Rye tournament, with the trophy being presented to the winners of the senior event.

Source: Platform Tennis News, February 1984

Busy APTA tournament schedule and large turnouts

In less than three month’s play during the 1983-84 season, 50 APTA tournaments were staged. Mixed, 45s, Bs, and men’s and women’s ranking events were all seeing larger draws and the return of post-play parties.

FMTC celebrates its 100th Anniversary and hosts National Senior Men’s 45+

The club hosted the Men’s 45+ Nationals, chaired by Bob Brown, and awards were presented to 38 FMTC members who had won National Championships.

The fact that entries had to be 45 years old or over seemed to give the gallery more empathy for the players, especially in the tense finals, won by Dick Squires and Bill Mimnaugh after tiebreakers in each of the three sets. Although it was disappointing not to have Fox Meadow finalists, many spectators felt the match was one of the most exciting ones they’d ever watched.

As former APTA President Cecil J. (Mike) North, Jr. of Bedford Golf and Tennis Club wrote in the program for an earlier Nationals:

“As platform tennis attracts greater numbers of players, expands geographically, and becomes increasingly money-oriented, I think it is important to remember why people played it in the first place: because it is informal, because it is fun. Fox Meadow is a reminder of these qualities.”

Source: Diana Reische, Fox Meadow Tennis Club – The First Hundred Years, 1983

Moscow withstands Polish paddle invasion

In May, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow hosted the 9th annual Eastern Hemisphere Platform Tennis Championships between U.S. Embassies Warsaw and Moscow. The competition began in 1975 and had become a fixture in the spring plans of both Embassies. The results of the previous eight meetings showed Moscow with seven wins against a lone victory by Embassy Warsaw in 1981.

Fox Meadow – Club of Champions

Of the 211 APTA Championship tournaments held for adults through 1982, Fox Meadow players had won 79.

The game expands to Denver

In Denver, the “Mile High” city, platform tennis had found a new frontier and was slowly but steadily increasing in popularity. In addition to courts at two clubs and several private courts, more were being planned at a third. All of these facilities were within fifteen minutes of each other, making future tournaments more feasible. Sally Burbank of Englewood, Colorado, had given much of her time to teaching and promoting platform tennis, free of charge.

Source: Platform Tennis News, February 1982

Fifty years of platform tennis celebrated in narrated slide show

Produced as an aid to promoting the game, the slide show “Platform Tennis 50 Years and On” was produced by Rich Lombard’s company, Cal Industries, with financial support from the Fessenden S. Blanchard Memorial Fund, the APTA, and John and Molly Ware (Blanchard’s daughter and son-in-law).

The March 27, 1979 Minutes of the APTA BOD Meeting covered the background:
“Mr. Brown reported on a meeting held in New York City with John Ware, Mr. Kingsbury, Mrs. Dillenbeck and himself at which the suggestion was made to produce a slide show depicting the fifty years of platform tennis. Mr. Ware was asked to oversee the production, Vicky Cosstick would script it, and Thornton Gerrish would film.

The total cost of production is estimated at $2,500. and Mr. Brown announced that the Blanchard Memorial Fund would contribute $1,000 of this total. The APTA would have to make up the difference, unless we solicited funds.

Messrs. Carlisle and Lombard stated that a professional job could not be completed for less than $5,000 or $6,000. Mr. Lombard was asked to meet with the committee members to clarify procedure and delineate costs and then report to the Board.

The January 1980 edition of PTN carried this description:

“As you plan your platform events for the winter, don’t forget the APTA’s brand new slide show. It’s professional and informative, and well worth using as a center-piece for a mid-season donnybrook in the warming hut. The 15-minute show describes the history of the sport and explains its basics. It consists of a Kodak tray of 35 mm. slides, accompanied by a taped track (complete with audible and inaudible pulses to advance the slides automatically). Also in the package: a script, and notes on how to use the program.”

Junior program

Hank Irvine and three associates responded actively to the needs of the Junior Development program. Irvine, the pro at the Short Hills Club, Short Hills, NJ, went on the road with Steve Nycum, Mark Allen, and Tom Smith, and put on exhibitions and clinics at the municipal center in Princeton; the Pleasant Valley Paddle Club, West Orange, NJ; Wilson Park, Summit, NJ; and the Brookside Racquet Club in Allendale, NJ.

The chairman of the APTA’s junior program, William Dodd commented:

“Hank deserves an awful lot of credit. He took the ball and organized the whole thing. He really wants to give something back to the game, and he knows that the juniors are its future. This way, they’re going to be getting ready for intercollegiate play later on.”

Proposed new FTC regulations pose threat to sports associations

The APTA’s freedom to set standards for platform tennis equipment could have been in trouble as a result of a regulation, proposed by the Federal Trade Commission, that would have affected all sports associations in the country. The FTC argued that having sports associations set standards was a violation of the anti-trust laws. The Chamber of Commerce discussed the issue in their Washington Report (“Does Arnold Palmer Need Golf Lessons from the FTC”)

The U.S. Golf Association objected strenuously, even on national TV, with Arnold Palmer as their spokesman and the APTA Board planned to join the protest. The proposal generated so much opposition that it was dropped.

Source: Platform Tennis News (October), APTA Executive Committee Minutes August 22 and 23, 1979

Passport Scotch continues support

Passport Scotch continued its support in the 1979-1980 season. The sponsorship provided $20,000 for prizes as sole sponsor of the APTA men’s and women’s National Championships. At the same time, Passport underwrote the publication of the new member newsletter, Platform Tennis News.

PASSPORT SCOTCH TO AWARD JACKETS TO TOP TEAMS

This February, look for a new crop of colorful Passport Scotch warm-up jackets on the backs of the top national and regional players. The ten top national men’s teams will receive jackets during that month. So will the first ten teams in each of the five APTA regions. The awards will be made on the basis of standings reported to the APTA by January 30, 1980. Another set of Passport Scotch jackets will be given out in April, based on March 31 standings. The president of each region will decide how to allocate this second batch of windbreakers, to avoid duplicating the first awards.

Source: Platform Tennis News (October), Minutes of APTA Executive Committee, August 22 and 23, 1979