APTA focuses on helping weekend players and building regional support

APTA President Mike North’s remarks:

“At the Annual Meeting last year, I said that I thought that one of the APTA’s most important objectives should be to develop a program for the players who do not participate in major tournaments.

These may be players on the way up, on the way down, or people who love the game but do not have the ability to compete at the top level. We have not yet come up with the right name for this group. It is not ‘amateur’ because the distinction we are trying to make is not based on playing for money, but on the caliber of play. Neither is it truly ‘weekend players’ because many people play during the week. But the term ‘weekend player’ somehow comes closest to capturing the spirit that many of us want to retain.

The Western Platform Tennis Association (WPTA) under Dick Hornigold, George Black and, now, Dick Hall, has made great progress in developing programs for weekend players. Thus, we have tried to build on the experience of the WPTA in developing the APTA program. Here is what we have done:

Developed a schedule of Regional Tournaments leading to a Regional Championship. For men, the tournaments exclude the top players. For women, they continue their practice of distinguishing between A and B players with the B tournaments considered Regional Tournaments.

Created the Eastern Platform Tennis Association (EPTA) to provide a focal point for Regional Tournaments in the east. The role of the EPTA is to run the Regional Tournaments and to develop a program for broadening the base of interest in platform tennis in the east. Bill Dodd is the President of the EPTA.

Emphasized the importance of the Regions within the EPTA by creating the position of Regional Coordinator. George Black, who fills this position, has already done a good deal to improve the exchange of ideas among Regions and to make sure regional programs take shape. We want to get across to the players in each Region that the Regions are there to serve them. Anyone who takes the initiative and who has the interest can do a great deal to shape the development of platform tennis in his Region. Our objective is to bring the game back to the weekend player.”

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 3 No. 2

The year of the amateur

Cecil J. North, in his closing speech as APTA President, pinpointed the principal theme for the coming season:

“The APTA must provide more service to member clubs and amateur player-members and by so doing, enlarge the broad base of APTA membership.”

He announced that the Board had already taken steps to separate the “commercial” game from the “amateur” one for the next year, and they anticipated an even more clear-cut separation to come.

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2 No. 5 (July-August)

Richard M. Hornigold elected APTA President (1977-1978)

L. Gillespie Erskine, Jr. elected FMTC President (1977-1979)

Louis Gillespie (Gil) Erskine (1921-) was born in New York City and spent his early years in Larchmont, NY, and nearby Scarsdale. Following graduation from Salisbury School, he attended Princeton University. Erskine left after his sophomore year to become a glider pilot in World War II, stationed primarily in Rome. He received the Air Medal for his service.

Following the war, Erskine received a law degree from New York University, which, taking his war experience into account, accepted him as a student despite his not having graduated from college. He was happy to pass the Bar exam on the first try.

The last 25 years of Erskine’s business career were spent as president of Financial Institutions Retirement Fund, located in White Plains, NY. He retired in 1986, having growing the business very successfully.

The Fox Meadow Tennis Club has been an important part of Erskine’s life ever since his family joined when he was a teenager. Until recently, he has been active on both the tennis and paddle tennis courts.

Erskine assumed the presidency of the Club in 1977. During his term Phoebe Creamer became the first woman allowed to serve on the FMTC Board since Hopeton Atterbury’s presidency in the early 1900s. Women were not accepted for full membership in the Club until the prior term of John Ware. Creamer was opposed to women on the Board, but, having been elected herself, she proved to be an outstanding member according to Erskine.

Since Erskine’s retirement from the Board 36 years ago, his interest in sport has continued. He founded The Westchester Triathalon, a recognized sporting event; played tennis at the Club until recently, and now takes frequent energetic walks at the age of 94.

Source: Molly Ware interview with Gil, April 2015

Gil’s brother, W Birks Erskine, was killed in WWII and is on the Clubs Honor Roll for service to their country.

Singles back in town

On May 10 and 11, the Manhattan Platform Tennis Club hosted the Doug Russell Invitational Singles Championships. Doug Russell and Linda Wolf captured the titles.

APTA Singles would not restart until 1980, but this event put singles back on the map for the first time since 1937.

Tribuno Tribuno World Paddle Championships – It’s Irvine and Fitz Gibbon again in the Men’s; Hilton and Gengler again in the Women’s

Forest Hills held the event on April 1-2 in heavy rain. Maintenance men brushed puddles off the decks between games. The Women’s Final was a soaking wet scene on Saturday, April 2nd. The winning team was Hilary Hilton and Louise Gengler (6-2, 7-6, 7-6), title-holders for every Tribuno event of the year. The women contestants had made headlines by playing three out of five sets in the semis and finals: “Equal prize money, equal play,” stated the women.

The heavy rain necessitated postponement of the Men’s Final until Sunday. Herb Fitz Gibbon and Hank Irvine ran through Doug Russell and Gordon Gray, after a tight first set, with the loss of only four more games, ending their season with four straight Tribuno victories.

Media Guide and Program Booklet

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2 No 5 (July-August)

During one of the Tribuno Tour events, Hank Irvine hits a service volley while Herb Fitz Gibbon closes in on the center. This team dominated the Tribuno tournaments and won the Nationals in both 1977 and 1978

Inaugural Hudson River Invitational

The First Annual Hudson River Invitational, held in March, was an example of a new concept in club paddle competition, one that served as a model for other clubs interested in promoting tournament play.

The Sleepy Hollow Country Club hosted eight men’s teams from each of eight neighboring clubs. Utilizing over 20 courts in the Hudson River Valley, the 64-team draw played main draw, consolation, consolation reprieve and championship reprieve matches. This enabled each team to play a minimum of three matches. Each team got a single point for each match won in any of the four tournaments.

The dinner dance that followed the tournament featured the Dixie-land music of APTA Board member Bob Kingsbury and his band.

The day’s events were an enormous success and, according to Chairman Richard Lombard, helped a great deal to promote tournament play in the Hudson River Valley.

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2 No. 5

National Championships

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

International activities (IPTA)

Art Houlihan reported in the February edition of the APTA newsletter Paddle Talk:

The pied pipers of paddle have wandered to at least twelve countries outside of the U.S. Canada is, of course, the mainspring of non-U.S. activities with hundreds of players and a full spectrum of tournaments and activities centered around Toronto. Hopefully this year we will be able to provide a better opportunity for Canadian players to participate in U.S. events including our championships.

Ambassador Walter Stoessel brought paddle to Poland and Russia with courts at both embassies. The ever-present Reilly’s sent courts to France, which are now in Switzerland. Without being able to give proper credit, there are also courts in Austria, Bahamas, Bermuda, Germany, Great Britain, Indonesia and Italy.

The courts in Japan atop the American Club deserve some special recognition for ingenuity. The club is located in downtown Tokyo and is a magnificent facility with a wide range of leisure and athletic facilities. On the roof of one wing of the club are three courts, standard except for the screen covering the courts. The screen was presumably erected to keep the balls from flying into the adjacent yard, which, I believe, is the Russian ambassador’s residence. Since many Japanese buildings have golf driving ranges and archery ranges on the roof, paddle fits right in. The ground rules for playing the top wire are still a mystery.

In Europe the principal source of activity is at Bellfires B.Y. in Hapert, Netherlands, which is manufacturing courts and promoting the game throughout Europe. The two courts in the Hapert vicinity were the site of the Dutch Open Championships held November 12, 13, and 14. The Championships included tournaments for Women, Men and Mixed Teams. Transportation for U.S. teams was sponsored by Devoe Systems of New Jersey, which has long been associated with lighting for sports events and is entering both court and paddle production. The U.S. fielded teams in all categories including several ranked players. As facilities and experience accumulate, it is hoped to have several competitions in Europe each year. Closer to home, White Heron in Bermuda will again sponsor a tournament for the eight top ranked teams this season.

As a result of vastly improved media coverage (particular thanks to Fortune’s article “On Your Own Time” (December 1976), inquiries have been received from over twenty countries pertaining to starting the sport or installing facilities. Australia alone produced inquiries from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Victoria (Tasmania). As ripples emanate from each pebble we will have more to report on international paddle.

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2. No 3 (February)

New York University builds six courts

The courts overlooked New York University and Washington Square and was probably the best university platform tennis facility in the world, and certainly its most dynamic setting. Reilly erected the courts in two weeks in May and they sat 115 feet above ground, atop the Bobst Library. The total cost of the courts was $118,000.

The facility was open to students and faculty—173 students signed up for the first season—but not to the public. Mike Muzio, Chairman of Recreation and Intramural activities had plans for a series of clinics to teach the players and stimulate further interest. A keen supporter of the project was Professor Charles Bucher, Professor of Education. He had been an avid paddler for 25 years and had won the Senior Veterans Championship in 1976.

Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2 No. 3 (February)