January 23, 2003

Greetings table tennis fanatics ! !

Springfield's Ozarks Table Tennis Club demonstrated yet again that it can dramatically affect the outcome of any Midwest table tennis tournament. With fine talent from several states, three Springfield players managed to not only show or place but to win in each event entered.

Our collective hats need to first go off to our premier player---Dale Boswell. Dale, yet again, proved his tournament savvy by, and get this, winning not only the vaunted Under-1750 event but also by winning the highly prestigious Under-2000. Dale Boswell s name will surely go down in Springfield table tennis history not only as the man of the hour but as the man of the past 2 decades. Dale's INCREDIBLE run through the Oklahoma State Sooner s Winter games----(with zero matches lost mind you)---is the thing only top 100 nationally ranked players are supposed to accomplish. Yet---DALE---did it ! !

In each key event Dale stopped---dead in their tracks---extraordinary looper after extraordinary looper from a first place finish. With a steady barrage of counter hits and chop blocks Dale kept himself in every game. Dale must've been saying to himself, I'll take that 1st place trophy thank you very kindly. With some zealous screams and thundering claps (from a fan unmentioned) Dale steadily progressed in dismantling every player in the five states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. If someone could tap into Dale's secret--they'd be famous. In fact what Dale does is what every champion does--they never give up nor ever say die.

Paul Liu also performed REMARKABLY well. Paul not only won 3rd place in the Under-1500 but he received 2nd place in Under-1250. Though Paul might appear to belong to an Over The Hill Gang he hung tough when hanging tough was needed. Paul bested several players more highly ranked before finally succumbing to younger, though not necessarily more talented players. With these hard to get wins Paul showed he can out penholder a lot of shakehands. I for one am a believer in Paul's grittiness and determination and in his Chinese work ethic philosophy. Congratulations Paul on your successful trip to Sooner Land ! !

Robin Durbin. Robin, though coming to our club less than a year ago, is already standing tall, both physically at 6'3" and figuratively in his game. Robin has been playing for several years and has won a couple of non-sanctioned tournaments. Though Robin has a kid-size serve, these serves seen to elude slamming. I haven't figured it out yet---and apparently few others do either. Robin finessed his way into winning 3rd place in the Under-1250.

Others performing that day were Bill Lewis in the Open, Under 2000 and Under-1625.

Lewis had 5 matches won and 5 matches lost. Lewis was 2 and 2 in the Open, 0 and 2 in the Under-2000 and 3 and 1 in the Under-1625. Joe Fong, Steve Sullam and Yemi Agbaje also played but were eliminated from contention. Joe gave it all he had in the Under 1250 but fell a little bit short to several Midwesterners. Both Steve and Yemi s games are coming along, and, with a couple of more tournaments should become more competitive.

In other news, our club has had a recent influx of new or newer players, most notably, Dan Young, David Cook, Huey Long, Kory Bowman, Billy Wynn, Bryan Knapp, William Starnes, Clyde Majerus, Mark Smith, Craig Street, Tony Hilburn, Ted Murphy, Justin Tally, Craig Scott, Gene Gilmore, Brian Payne, Steve Sullam, Alex Galloway, Joey Nash, W.D.Blackman, Glenn White and David Lundstrom. These individuals come to us from various disciplines. The regulars are most thankful at having to try to figure out each one of their strategies.

There is a tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska, in early February and one in Red Oak, Iowa also. If you have a desire to participate in these tournaments please let me know and I will forward you a copy of the Entry Form.

Until next time and with more news from the Ozarks Table Tennis Club this is Bill Lewis wishing you successful outings in table tennis.

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