Death of Earle Gatchell (1891-1962)

Hall of Fame inductee Earle Gatchell was one of the leading pioneers and proponents of the game. Gatchell was a great supporter of junior players and the trophy for the Boys Junior Championships which started in 1964 was named after him. [Also see APTA 1963 Annual Meeting Minutes]

Richard J. Reilly, Jr. starts building courts

Dick Reilly had started building courts in 1965 and, by 1967, had built over sixty around the country. An enthusiastic player, Reilly developed many improvements in court construction that greatly enhanced durability and playability. In the early 1970s, he pioneered the aluminum deck, which has become the standard. Among the many improvements he made to court construction are: • The use of thirty-foot, kiln-dried deck members, joining under the net, making the playing surface as technically perfect as is possible. • A two-toned, green and red deck surface on which the white lines were two inches in width. This aided the players' vision and promoted greater accuracy in a fast-paced rally. • Hinged snow-boards which facilitated rapid clearing of the court. • Quartz-iodine lighting for night play. • The use of one-inch, hexangular, galvanized mesh with a gau[...]

Rev Frank Beal, inventor of playground paddle tennis, dies

Durrell’s “Official Guide to Platform Tennis” published

The book was authorized by the APTA and the dust-jacket explained the book’s goals: “This book has been prepared to answer every conceivable question about platform tennis. It tells the story of the origin and development of the game, describes the strategy and tactics of play, how to go about constructing a platform, where to purchase paddles, balls, and net, the official rules, and how to run a tournament. It also explains the activities of the American Platform Tennis Association, and lists its past officials, as well as the records of every major tournament ever played under the auspices of the Association.” One of the useful tips from the chapter on "How to Run a Tournament" "The Chairman can host the semi-finals for luncheon at his home, thus allowing the finalists a chance for a shower and change of clothes. Bull shots (vodka and beef broth) are traditional on this [...]

West Pennsylvania Platform Tennis Association (WPPTA)

The WPPTA was formed in 1967 by five private clubs: The Edgeworth Club, Allegheny Country Club, Fox Chapel Racquet Club, Fox Chapel Golf Club, and the Rolling Rock Club. The purpose of the organization was to promote paddle to other clubs and organizations and to sponsor the Western Penn. Open tournaments, the first of which was held in 1968. Within four years women's., mixed, and junior tournaments had been added to the schedule. Source: Paddle Talk, Vol. 2, No. 1

US Ambassador to Poland, Walter Stoessel, imports Platform Tennis to Warsaw

Ambassador Walter Stoessel, a keen player and lover of the game, introduced the game to Warsaw when he was appointed US Ambassador there in 1968. They had been initiated in the game at the Chevy Chase Club in Washington, D.C. and while they were far from expert they loved the game and thought it would be ideal in the long Polish winters. Using plans Supplied by APTA, they built a wooden court at the American Embassy in Warsaw. It worked, although it was quite a hybrid. The wood was obtained locally, the wire came from West Germany, and the lights were regular Warsaw street lights. The game caught on rapidly and was played enthusiastically by members of the American community in Warsaw and their friends in the foreign community. In 1970 he sent a letter to Paul Molloy, APTA President, enclosing a picture taken on February 20, 1970 before the inaugural game on the Warsaw Emba[...]

APTA reviews key rules- Foot-fault and ball hit out of court

The foot-fault revision was unofficially known as the “Kimberly Rule,” after Kim Kimberly who took a running leap at the ball, ignoring the baseline and violating most rules, however modified. He was fun to watch though! The First APTA newsletter carried a discussion on foot-faults and the let rule if a ball was bounced out of the court. "Foot-Faults At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee, the foot fault rule was discussed ad infinitum due to the flagrant violation of it by numerous players who are beating their serve to the net. To reiterate, the APTA foot-fault rule is a direct copy of' the USLTA rule: The server shall throughout the delivery of' the serve: A. Not change his position by walking or running. B. Not touch, with either foot, any area other than that behind the baseline within the imaginary extension of' the center mark or sideline. Section A w[...]

APTA policy on use of racquets and balls

The APTA Paddle Newsletter reported on the policy that stated that only officially approved rackets and balls would be sanctioned for play at APTA Tournaments. The only rackets approved for play at the time were manufactured by the Dalton Company, Marcraft and Craig & Simplex Co. Official balls used at APTA Tournaments were those produced by the Barr Rubber Company. The APTA told manufacturers, interested in getting their equipment approved, to contact the APTA concerning submission requirements. Source: First edition of The APTA Paddle Newsletter