[gvttc general] Brickell tournament review

[D Hunt]

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE BRICKELL TOURNAMENT...
Bob Brickell's first documented table tennis title came in 1941 when he won the Monroe County Junior title against Bill Hunt in five games. He went on to compete in eight decades, with his impact, example, and contributions as a teacher, organizer, leader, coach and role model exceeding his great talent as a player. 
Even though Bob usually reached the late rounds of most tournaments held in the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, it appears that he didn't win a men's title during those decades. Few did as Ben Morgan, Ted Mosher, and later, Don Coluzzi, Mike Ezzo, Ray Mack, and Jim Shoots dominated to the point where titles rarely went to other competitors. Once he achieved senior status, however, his talent, fitness, and love for the sport brought him many titles and high rankings. He simply got better with age. 
Having taught with Bob, one of his obvious and outstanding qualities was that he showed no favoritism for more talented athletes. He would have delighted in watching AJ and Uwe take on the highly rated open players, but no more than witnessing the finals of the 1300s or lower. Since he introduced legions of young players to the game, watching Dustin, the Kron siblings, and some new junior players would have been a definite high point. 
As a contributor, Brickell was in full-stride in the 50s and 60s. Between his running programs at the Maplewood Y, and the many young students he taught at the Britton Road School, there was no shortage of participants for our local tourneys, usually held at the Central and Arnett Ys, or later at our local GVTTC locations. The only "equal" of the Brickell Memorial just held (aside from the Easterns and Nationals held here), was the Western NY tourney held at Greece Olympia. That one attracted Sol Schiff (Mr. Table Tennis), and many top ranked Canadians. 
WHAT WAS DIFFERENT THEN......?
***Every match had an umpire, clearly calling scores. You could hear the scores being called from one side of the gym to the other.
***The "Detroiter A" tables had folding legs. We (the Brickell brothers, me, and others)...would carry the tables to a pickup truck for transport to tourneys, and up and down the stairs at our third-floor club on Joseph Avenue.
***Newspaper coverage was significant, and our league results were also in the paper.
***Kalina might have had to play four rounds to reach a women's final, but she would have won it easily. 
***Dustin would have been in good company as many Lithuanians frequented our tourneys - both men and women - and often won titles.
***Highly ranked Canadians showed up for our bigger tourneys, as did Buffalo's greatest, Jim Dixon.
***Today's modern serves were non-existent, and few points were decided without some kind of sustained rally.
***Choppers and hard bats were still in abundance. 
***The loop and modern inverted sponge were practically non-existent prior to the early 60s, so topspinners (using slower pips-out sponge) usually had to endure long rallies against choppers.
***Counter-hitting was common once sponge was introduced, and preceded the loop.

***Match results were hand-written on wall-mounted bracket sheets. Everything was done on paper. Tourney results would show up on a type-written newsletter mailed to members' homes.
***Round-robin tourneys were never used here...unfortunately.
***Ray Mack didn't arrive on the scene until 1969. That started our new and current era of table tennis.
THE BIG (HISTORICAL) QUESTIONS ASKED OF ME
1) Would AJ and our other top players have beaten the greatest players of the hardbat and post-hardbat era?
Answer: Table tennis of then and now were so different that they were practically two different sports, so such a question is rather meaningless. It's also unfair since we now have 24/7 coaching between video and club instruction, while champs of the past were stingy about divulging their secrets to success. AJ and Ray have both hown their talents using hardbats. We'll never know what Ben Morgan would have done using sponge. I assume that AJ would be considered our greatest player ever; Morgan our greatest of the hardbat era; Jim Shoots our most gifted; with (most important of all) Ray and Bob as our greatest champions/contributors/teachers and legends.
2) Did AJ REALLY lose that final match?
Answer: Both he and his opponent deserved to win, but with a no-call situation where there was so much in question? At the very least, an OFFICIALLY umpired match would have resulted in a let, allowing AJ to replay (match point, was it?) rather than lose the point. That's what would have happened "back then", when umpiring was considered an essential part of every match. AJ's conceding the the point was an act of sportsmanship, but he DID deserve a second chance at victory point.
3) Is Kalina our greatest woman player ever?
Answer: Perhaps so...even at her age. But who cares? Once her lower body game (balance, rotation, center of gravity, posture, lateral movement, etc.) gets polished, the upper half will follow in place. When that happens (as long as she stays both with it and motivated), never mind the women; she should rank among the greatest men. Obviously, Coach Ray did fabulous work with her.
*****CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES WHO WORKED SO HARD TO SET UP AND RUN THIS TOURNAMENT. AND SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED. BOB'S FAMILY IS VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL WHO WERE INVOLVED.



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