June 21, 2003
Greeting table tennis fanatics ! !

Our June 14, 2003, Two Star table tennis tournament proved, yet again, that the power of many can reflect well upon a club's success. Our tireless organizers and volunteer board members helped make this tournament a uniquely successful venture. While we may have lacked national media exposure we did not lack topnotch talent. Our marquee player, Mr. Mark Hazinski, from South Bend, Indiana, a lanky 18 year old and 2609 rated player, taught any over 2000 or potential 2000 players why he's rated where he is. Mark is quiet and mild, though he's hardly timid; when he steps on the court the lessons he delivers makes a deep, lasting impression. ( You go "WOW", then realize that the only place you've ever seen a hit like that was on some VHS table tennis tape.) Hazinski is "The Prize" in any Four or Five Star tournament, yet, he and Mark Nordby, the stellar Illinois Championship Player, chose to grace our courts on a sunny day in June. Speak with Mark Nordby for any length of time, and you'll see why people naturally gravitate to him---he's unsurpassed in pleasantness and charm. (These "Two Marks" are valued players in any national table tennis tournament.)

That Mark Hazinski can play on the world scene was a foregone conclusion. (He possesses an ITTF current world ranking of # 408.) His spinny serves were both underscored and reinforced with subtle deceptiveness. Time and again his serves proved the undoing of potential foes. They also demonstrated how far each of us has to go in perfecting our own serves. While beating the likes of Werner Schlager, Ma Lin, Kim Taek Soo, Timo Boll or Vladimir Samsanov might take a couple of months; Hazinski's talent places him amongst the United States' highest world rated players: Yinghau Cheng, world rating 118; David Zhuang, world rating 153; Fei Wang, world rating 179; and Jim Butler, world rating 187.

In the Open Singles Mark Hazinski demolished Mark Nordby in a first place finale. In route to that match Nordby, in turn, though momentarily distracted by Parviz Mojaverian's persistent strong smashes, repaid his young-at-heart nemesis with a 3 games to 1 shellacking; Mojaverian settled for 3rd. ZB Mastylo, a qualitatively fine Olathe, Kansas, product, outlasted Jie Zhu, a Ballwin, MO. resident for 4th place. Mastylo, as we'll soon see, paced the all-around Kansas attack with exceedingly high place finishes in all 3 of his events. After furious attacks by these high ranked Kansas players, one wonders if a Kansas tornado could do more damage---such was their near total destruction ! ! ---One special note: Steve Cates, Harrison, AR.---was the "ONLY" player seeded fourth or lower who beat not only the # 3 seed but also the # 2 seed in his Open Singles round robin. That's quite astounding given the days talent.---

In the Under 2150 Mastylo bested Jie Zhu, with consistently good hits. Zhu, polite and mild-mannered, is someone you'd be proud to take home to your parents. Zhu, always smiling, made you feel like the first time you hit a home run--welling up with good cheer. If however, there is one thing that ZB Mastylo has---it is that he possesses "hallmark hitting." I can count on two hands the number of players I've seen who are as consistent as Zbginiew Mastylo, and four of those were at the June tournament ! ! Mastylo outlasts good loopers and rarely lets a ball escape without some part of his blade, hand or rubber striking it. Aaron Hendrickson, the son of legendary Guy Hendrickson, catapulted himself to prominence by getting by a strong Naperville, Illinois player, Adil Dhanani. Adil will become a 2000 rated player, not only because he's coached by Mark Nordby, but also by his show stopping zealousness! !

The Under 1900 event, yet again, showcased ZB Mastylo. Mastylo pummeled Aaron Hendrickson for first place…( see above about "hallmark hitting.") Don Beckstrom, a Wichita, KS, utility player, is molded by fire and forged to steely toughness. Don's soul is case hardened and coated with Teflon. Don transfers this 'non-stickiness" to his racquet by squarely or "UN-squarely" returning hits to the originator's home with great kinetic force. Don's smile is contagious. Talk to him for a minute and you'll smile the rest of the day. In the bout for 4th place, John Browning had to beat back Rob Sharp, another in a long line of Kansas participants. Rob, while a stingy point giver, loops like a cagey veteran. Everybody knows Rob floats like the Butterfly products he sells, but why does he also sting like a bee?"---- it's his compound eyes---he buzzes for a while, just aggravating you, then strikes like a lightning bolt---hitting you right in your soft spot ! ! wherever yours is ! !

The Under 1650 pitted Hong Liu, a St. Louis, MO., standout, against the high school prepster and Columbia, MO. two sport superstar, William Todd---golf is his other strong suit. Hong unleashes fury like the "Wrath of Khan." Hong annihilated both Adil Dhanani and Munkhbold Bayarsaitban, a Columbia, MO. prodigy. Munkhbold, or "Bold" as he's called, is in the refinement industry. Like high-octane gas, he's power unleashed. I rate this youngster at 110 % pure vertical power. Bold will entertain many crowds, primarily because he's only 14, but also because he's an excellent player.

Two of the top four Under 1400 finishers represented Springfield. Arie Wijata, from Emporia, KS. received Dorothy and Toto's first place slippers. Arie, another Kansas brethren, likes "First Prize" medallions. Arie, yanking away first place from Springfield's "Plainview Road" Paul Liu, bested Liu with timely spot hitting. Robin Durbin, a soon to be retired 47 year old, and William Lyons from San Lorenzo, California, fought each other like fist-a-cuff brawlers. Robin, when need be hit left handed, and Lyons, never a casual wallflower, failed to hit through Robin "Inspector Gadget's" long arms. Robin has placed in the past two tournaments he's entered.

Doug Purk, a heretofore unknown 941 rated St. Louis, MO., product gave it all he had and then some in the losers bracket of the Under 1150. Springfield’s very own Larry Taylor, uncomfortably shoved Purk, into the loser’s bracket. In a sizzling 7 game championship rematch Doug (barely) squeaked by Taylor in perhaps the longest match of the day; both of them combined for 126 points through 7 games ! ! Joe Fong from Springfield and Ryan Lynch from St. Louis provided the crowd with a pleasing repertoire of hit-counter hits in a duel for third, which was eventually won by Joe Fong. Fong, who originally opted out of the tournament, reconsidered when he found out the marquee players agreed to attend. Thankfully, Joe carried the torch for fellow Springfieldians with an excellent display of prodigious and near perfect hitting.

Parviz Mojaverian and Jie Zhu tanked it out for the Over 40 championship. Parviz is an extremely gifted player, and has nearly 300 points separating him from Zhu; nonetheless Zhu did not throw in the towel. Zhu demonstrated he could score points and score he did---yet in the final analysis it was Mojaverian who prevailed. Guy Hendrickson, Hutchinson, KS. and Jeff Johnston, a Smithville, MO., American Family insurance agent, had an agreeable match, though Johnston has an unkind serve. His unkind serve almost won him fourth place, yet it was that "Old Prairie Dog" and "Sea of Wheat Dweller" Guy Hendrickson, who prevailed.

The Over 50 matches saw Springfieldian Don Slentz and Lees Summit, MO., John Browning, mete out cruel and unusual punishment against one another. First, Don took fifty points from "that old lefty." Then, in the championship rematch Browning toppled Donny with a wicked forehand…a forehand which, if left unchecked, is certainly as devastating as any of Ian Flemings' James Bond "License to Kill" weapons….it definitely should be registered with the state. (A word to the wise, never serve to "old lefty's forehand.") Ted Murphy, a Nixa, MO., player and Paul Liu mixed it up for third place. On that day, Ted had a better combination and won out over our Taiwanese emigree but "100 % All-American Paul Liu."

Though we had but two entrants in the Women's Open it was entertaining to watch Springfield's Maria Giraldo and Jefferson City's Jie Downing swing and serve. Jie is an exquisite player. Maria must contend with the fact that practice makes perfect and I believe Jie gets in LOTS of practice with her accomplished husband---Steve Downing.

The Open Doubles saw Mark Hazinski and Mark Nordby weather the likes of Steve Downing and Monkhbold Bayarsaitban for First and Second Place. Dave Zapatka and Dale Boswell shaped themselves into Third over Don Slentz and Ted Murphy.

The Under 3000 Doubles pitted Creed Allen, Nixa, MO., and Zafar Khan, Springfield, MO., against Jeff Johnsen, Fair Grove, MO., and Larry Mayfield, Ozark, MO. Creed and Zafar have a devilishly hard time losing in any Under 3000 Doubles Match--they yet again won First place. In the quest for Third, Steve Cates and Tommy Reed of Harrison, Arkansas, beat back the talent of Wayne Houseman, Union MO., and Clarence Ray, Barnhart, MO.

There were a total of 62 players and they came from 7 separate states. Probably some of the most gifted players were the youngsters, Justen and Alex Yao and Munkhbold Bayarsaitban ! ! Their drive is what keeps the rest of us looking in the rear view mirror--it takes a lot of foot pedaling to keep them from passing us.
Congratulations to everyone who participated and to their families who supported them.

We look forward to seeing you and yours,
Sincerely, Bill Lewis