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 baseli[...]
Bob Brown, an ex-President of the APTA, was named Chair of a revitalized committee tasked with evaluating balls and rackets to see that they met standard specifications.
The Mid-Winter edition of Platform Tennis News gave the background to this new initiative:
“One problem has surfaced: Rackets with holes larger than the mandated 3/8-inch diameter. Some come that way accidentally from the manufacturer. Rumor is that some players have made them wider at home. Bigger holes afford an illegal competitive advantage, giving more spin and better control to the user. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWABLE. If you bought one by accident (just get a 3/ 8 inch dowel to check), take it back to the person you bought it from and get another. Nobody should use illegal rackets at any time, whether it's a pick-up match or the National finals. If a racket is found illegal at an APTA sponsored event, it will be di[...]
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, e[...]
Rich Maier and Mike Gillespie capture International Cup Platform Tennis title
Back to TopPlatform Tennis News, Mid Winter 1990, p 13
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. [...]
Back to TopCharlotte Lee (1914-1990), an outstanding champion despite only starting to play the game in her early forties.
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
The following lament had been heard all too often, this time emanating from Weezie Lambert in Princeton:
“The ‘official’ ball is a round puff which self destructs after one set or less, growing shaggy and virtually falling apart. Who has a new variation? Where is the competition? Everyone in league play is fed up with spending more per ball, knowing it may be lopsided to start. Wish I had a solution. Does someone out there?”
Both manufacturers and the APTA had been working on the problem. The association had contracted with the United States Testing Company to assess a sample of balls from three different manufactures to see if they met the specifications published in Appendix A of the Official Rules of Platform Tennis.
One of the three balls tested was the then approved Vittert V-30 ball, which was found to conform to the APTA standards and tolerances. The other two ba[...]
Pete Mathews posed the global warming question based on his observations over time, and questioned ball specifications His comments appeared in the Spring 1991 edition of Platform Tennis News.
“Has ‘Global Warming’ really begun to affect the climate? I'm no expert, but I've noticed one thing for sure. Paddle seems to be played under much warmer conditions than I seem to remember in years past. How many photographs in PTN do you see where the pictured players are in either shorts or short sleeves? Furthermore, with the Nationals played later and later in March, the likelihood for warm conditions is greatly heightened for what is the culmination of our season and the supreme test of the game as played today.
Well here's the real issue for discussion. The current V-30 ball produced by Vittert (and the only ball sanctioned for tournament play) has evolved a good bit over the past[...]
Advanced Recreation Design (ARD) introduced a new platform tennis ball to the sport during the 1991-1992 season, after a significant amount of research and development. Carly Swain explained the journey:
“One of the main points concerns the APTA specifications for approved baIls. Those specs include such factors as weight, diameter and rebound or bounce, with acceptable tolerances dictated for each measure. But the specifications do not take into account other factors, such as durability, playability, and color retention. Nor do they address the question of quality control in terms of how many balls are tested to meet the specifications.
(Note: The APTA's rules and equipment committee had struggled with the tactical aspects of inspecting balls for some time. There were questions about how many balls to test, how to acquire the balls and where they come from, and who paid for the[...]
G.A.I. Partners had acquired Hedstrom, the manufacturer of the Vittert ball, and the new corporate leader was a platform tennis enthusiast. The new owners had given Hedstrom the funds to provide the innovative leadership the game has requested to enhance ball performance. They hired new technical talent, implemented new manufacturing methods, and started a statistical process control and continuous improvement program. The main thrust of Vittert's efforts was on improving the physical aspects, as the balls had been lopsided, were losing their flocking, and worst of all, wearing out very quickly.
Besides the composition of the ball itself, there were other contributing factors. Court surfaces had become more “severe,” as new methods were introduced to keep them rough. Screens, especially the newer and tighter ones, took a toll. Plus players were learning to use more “English” o[...]
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