Hall of Fame inductee, Chuck Baird died peacefully on December 26, 2009 at the age of 87, after a long bout with Alzheimers. A true ambassador of platform tennis, he was an active participant in both the play and the promotion of the game. He was consistently highly ranked in the years that he competed on the "open" circuit and in the Nationals. Although never a winner of the open Nationals, he and his partner, Roger Lankenau, went as far as the quarter-finals. Upon entering the Senior ranks, his first Championship win was in the 50+ Nationals in 1973. What followed thereafter was a record-breaking streak of Senior National Championships, totaling 23 wins in the 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+ and 70+ categories. He was also a finalist 15 times in these Senior events. In 1982, he and his partner George Schmid achieved a milestone never accomplished before or since, winning three events, in the 5[...]
Early each summer, David Dodge and Jason Gray sit down to discuss how they are going to out-do their previous year's Premier Cup tournament competition. Dodge is the owner and founder of Premier Platform Tennis Courts. Gray is the Director of Racquet Sports at the Four Bridges Country Club in Cincinnati but moonlights as the consummate promoter of all things platform tennis.
Over the past several seasons, many cities have been host to the Premier Cup - a $5,000 invitation-only, elite paddle tournament. Who gets to play? The top eight men's teams in the country are invited. If anyone cannot participate, the #9 team will be invited, and so on.
The 2010 Cup was set up a little different than those of past seasons. This year, the event took place in southern "virgin" paddle territory - Richmond, Virginia.
To kick off the three-day festivities, the American Platform Tennis As[...]
Courtia Worth put together a paddle morning, mid-day lunch and shotgun golf tournament on Monday, October 4th at the Hartford Golf Club in Hartford Golf Club in Hartford, CT. Among the many reasons to attend were the opportunities for raffle trips, an open bar and delightful dinner and finally an opportunity to celebrate the life of Hall-of-Famer, Winnie Hatch.
Players from five states assembled at the five paddle courts for three hours of casual play as many of Winnie's former partners and friends kicked off the 2010-2011 season. Sprinkled amongst the twenty plus players were former champions; Sig Buckmeyer, George Lynch, Jack Westerfield, Bob Brown, Bill Childs, Ted and Nanny Hoehn, Sharon and Herb Hummers and Rich Lombard.
Several of the Hartford seniors mixed in with the outing players including one 70+ player who strapped on his oxygen tank and proceeded to race around the cou[...]
In the more than 80 years that our sport has been in existence, there have been rule manuals, magazines and instruction books, but not a comprehensive history detailing its evolution. Along similar lines, the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame Foundation has been a force for honoring the history of Platform Tennis without the benefit of having a building to call home.
That's where Tina Kelly, APTA board member and author, came in with a project to serve both needs through one book — the creation of Passing Shots. This beautifully rendered coffee table book highlights platform tennis over the years. Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation.
"The actual idea came from the Hall of Fame Foundation — Bob Brown, Rich Lombard, and their committee," Kelly said. "Their concept was to do this book to raise money for the building effor[...]
The initial rental term between Centercourt Athletic Club (CAC) and the Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation (PTMHOFF) had been for two years and was up for renewal in 2010. During the negotiations for the renewal it became clear that CAC had seen considerable growth in membership and the once "unused" space allocated for the Museum and Hall of Fame now was required for club activities. As a result the lease was not extended.
This was a considerable set back for the PTMHOFF as, in addition to rental payments, a significant amount of work had been done to develop the plan for the space and associated displays.
It was time for the PTMHOFF to regroup and rethink how to realize their dream.
Source: PTMHOFF Minutes, November 2010
Every year, normally around the second week of August, the buzz around the Cincinnati area is about the upcoming ATP Masters Series, showcasing the best tennis professionals in the world. This year there was a special event that made the week even more unique: Jason Gray and Four Bridges Country Club organized a charity event that benefitted the Bryan Brothers Foundation and included a performance by the Bryans' band.
The event took place on Monday, August 16th, in conjunction with the opening night of the tennis tournament. The Bryans, the top seed, had a bye in the first round and did not have to play. Through the efforts of Four Bridges members Pierre Dommestrup, Phil Huff, and others, support was obtained from presenting sponsor Beacon Orthopedic and contributing sponsors Ciney Tech, Katz, Tener, Brant, & Hild, Bethart Printing, and Ace Authentic.
Leading up to this event, the [...]
"The 2010-11 season has quickly come upon us. This year the PPTA will continue to offer top level instruction videos, clinics and platform tips. The organization this past year added many new PPTA instructors. If you are looking to improve your game there are local PPTA pros in your area. To find your local Professional go to
Whenever there's a national tournament to be played, you can usually count on Bobo Delaney's name somewhere in the winner's circle. This year, she took National titles for the Women's 40+, 50+ and Open Mixed.
Despite tying the record for five Mixed Nationals titles and a lifetime of winning that began with her first Junior Nationals in 1976, Delaney said she still gets nervous when she walks into the wires for tournament play.
"You definitely still get nervous. Some days are better than others. I've competed my whole life in other sports, and I used to get more nervous when I was younger. There's the pressure to win, then the pressure of being a Mangan, with the family being good in the sport," she said. "I've gotten better at controlling that. The nerves are still there, but by playing a lot and competing, you just get better at managing it -controlling it. There's always pressure[...]
Growth is a good thing, but requires management. So, after careful consideration and planning, the Professional Platform Tennis Association President, Nate Parsons, has announced that effective August 1, the PPTA has hired Missy D'Alise as Member Services Administrator.
D'Alise, a PPTA pro from Hinsdale, Illinois, has been a long-time friend to the PPTA, helping out with the organization's needs behind the scenes whenever possible, Parsons said.
"Some of the changes that we'll be making next year, including [Missy's] role, are all based on the fact that the PPTA has seen growth by a factor of 30 to 40 pros this year. Administration is a huge job," Parsons said. "Missy is one who's a PPTA pro, helped in the area, has a good background, so I approached her as becoming a director of everything as far as the PPTA home office is concerned."
D'Alise will tend to member services, as we[...]
Family and Sports Go Hand in HandFor a man with many accomplishments, Scott Estes, Sr., is remarkably humble about his feats. He hopes to defend his Men's 65+ Nationals title this year, with partner Doug Barrow, and his Men's 60+ Nationals title with Lloyd Ucko. "First of all, to win a title is great, but defending a title is even more rewarding. Secondly, you know what made last year's 60+ Nationals special? It was Lloyd's first national title" From a man with 15 Senior National titles out of 29 finals, remembering what it was like to be a first-time winner must be a distant memory.
For the past four years, the APTA Men's 45+155+165+ Nationals were played in Estes' hometown of Chatham, New Jersey. And for those years, Estes has been the tournament director as well as a competitor. This year, the tournament will be held in Cincinnati. "A year off from running the tournament? I'm looki[...]
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