OK, let’s get this out first without ceremony.....The Canadian Team trounced the visiting US team in all four flights in the 92nd playing of the Lapham Grant in Vancouver, BC over the April 26-28, 2013 weekend (Lapham Trophy-Singles, Grant Trophy-Doubles, Lawrence-Wilkens Trophy-Legends, Crawford Cup-Ladies). Hampered by last minute withdrawals by a handful of key players, Captain Alex Dean had to rearrange the playing order of his team to squeeze out as many wins as possible with the greatly diminished lineup.
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| Lapham Trophy |
The United States was represented well with players from the Bay Area: Eric Pearson, Alex Dean (Captain) Kevin Orphan, John Lau, John Stewart, Jim Marver, Eoin O’Neil, Bill O’Leary, Frank Schmidt, and Sarah West. The Canadians had Dale Lucas.
Alas, the only American highlight of the weekend was during Saturday evening's Black Tie Dinner Dance with their enthusiastic performance of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” overpowering the Canadian’s singing of “O, Canada.”
Nothing more needs to be said. Actually, that's not true.
One notable match stands out in my mind. Sarah West and Katherine Rowan from Portland, down 2-0 having already switched sides, switched sides again (!) and managed to win in a memorable five games.
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| Grant Trophy |
One notable match stands out in my mind. Sarah West and Katherine Rowan from Portland, down 2-0 having already switched sides, switched sides again (!) and managed to win in a memorable five games.
(My highlight of the weekend was playing doubles with a player who became the US National Singles Champ in 1981. My first match with Mark Alger was in 1975 in the semi-finals competing in my first ever Pacific Coast Singles Squash Championships hosted at the Multnoman Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon. I was then a 19 year old undergrad matriculating at UC Berkeley and he was a 16 year old up and comer from Tacoma, Washington. Great match, with me beating Mark in a close 4 games. A lot of years between then and now, but during our doubles match, Mark still demonstrated prodigious skills as we defeated our Canadian counterparts in 3 games. Once a great squash player, always a great squash player! -JL)
So it was up to the US team to win the most important part of the weekend......at the bar!
And by all accounts, we succeeded.....
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| Lawrence-Wilkens Trophy |
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In my weakened state I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Alex for his efforts organizing this weekend's teams and activities. What I do remember of it is memorable and will be for a long time to come but the less I remember about the result the better - you can't have everything I suppose (though we try).
Preston, you were missed but I hope all is well with the family at home and you got your priorities right. You'll be happy to know, and let the record show, that I held up my end for the doubles with 2 wins partnering Gilly and hope to have earned to chance to play in Philly next year (; where we can fix our order and ensure a solid lead before the carbo loading begins in earnest just before the Canadians land.
A special thanks from me to Gerry, Palmer and Liam who were the catalyst for me getting on the team - a discussion that began on the Minturn court in Colorado earlier this year where we also began our training.
I hope everyone got home safely and has started their detox program now. I am going to start a website with some great detox routines for anyone that's interested. The first one being to get a yoga mat, lie on your back, put dark side of the moon on the stereo on auto-repeat, with preferably a saline drip and pure marijuana (if you are in Colorado) at your disposal, then lay still for 3 cycles of the album. Repeat tomorrow twice, then Wednesday once... thus coming down gradually.
Have a good week.
Best, Chris
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| Crawford Trophy |
Excellent re-cap and pep talk for next year Chris! Thanks for all the hard work of the organizers!
Best, Peter
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Here Here for Al, Gerry, and Sarah … and let the record show … Chris I had nothing to do with you getting the look to the Lapham.. I did on the other hand take part responsibility to your hangover for the weekend.. good to meet all of you and have some laughs..
Cheers, LC
As a first timer, I want to extend a true thanks to all involved. Amazingly fun weekend.
Alec
PS: anybody know where I can get a new liver?
A Sok
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Great Job guys!!! Deano, Jerry and Sarah you all did a fantastic job on putting the team together and adapted to various situations that arose with a smile!!!
A thoroughly enjoyable weekend.
Great to catch up with mates and probably will be following Willy Walkers advice and get on his detox program today.
Hope to see all of you at the Kiva club sometime soon and next year!!
I'll have a new wheel by then so I can move again.
Cheers, Scotty
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A big thanks to Alex from the Washingtonians (where pot is legal too Chris, and closer)
Next time I'll try to think of any song that doesn't have "assholes on a hook" in its lyrics BEFORE going to bed. I'll sleep better.
The Lapham Grant is supposed to be half high level competition on the court, and half debauchery. The Canucks had the huge edge on the court, we on the other hand stacked the draw in the debauchery category. Sure Canadians may protest the loss, claiming that Frank Schmidt gives Team USA an unfair advantage, but the'll get over it someday.
It was such a great pleasure seeing faces I haven't seen in decades and getting to know many of you for the first time.
What a blast!
Cheers, Mark
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Team USA,
Great times this weekend. Was an honor to be on the team and I hope to play many more. General consensus around Vancouver from night club owners, hotel proprietors, cab drivers and such was of total US domination in the "bon vivance" category. A spirited group of travel companions, to say the least. Great work and great fun. Looking forward to see you all further on down the trail.
Cheers, Eric
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| US Team |
To all concerned,
it was a marvelous weekend it was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this great event. the Canadians were great hosts and USA captains were brilliant.
Cheers, Eoin
PS and sharing a room with Scotty was classic!
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The honor of playing with each and everyone of those of you, on both teams, will forever be foremost in my memory of the coolest, and most wonderful events in my life. Thanks to the Captains, the Criminals, the Bartenders, the Scorekeepers, the Doorkeepers, the Cab-callers, Austin the Bus Driver, Fraseview GC, Vancouver, Canada, my old friends, my new friends……all of whom and all of which culminated in yet another epic Lapham Grant memory for us all. Long Live Lapham Grant!
John Stewart
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A big thank you to Alex, Gerry and Sara for the hard work that goes into this event. Special Thank you to Mike Leckie for making a wonderful L-G experience in Vancouver. Hopefully we all will recover from the defeat and consumption issues.
Frank Schmidt
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Found: one black strapless bra retrieved from the bowl of the grant trophy this morning - 36DD. Owner can claim at the play control desk.
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Susan Rose drives rental car over tree at Granville Island - serious consideration for Finkelman (The Finkelman Award is "presented annually to the one who dares to contribute more than the bare requirements at the Lapham-Grant weekend." The award is named after Eric Finkelman, a Vanderbilt law student who broke some bones in 1982 while mooning from a school bus. Usually the award is given for hijinks or outrageous behavior.)
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