John Lau Retires from University Club of San Francisco

US Squash gathers to congratulate John Lau:

 (l-r) Former US Squash chair of the board Andre Naniche (1995-97), 

Mark Jones, Lau and former US Squash chair of the board Alan Fox (1993-95)

Last month John Lau retired as head squash professional at the University Club of San Francisco. He had been a pro at the club for thirty-two years.

More than 130 people came to the third floor of the University Club on June 24 to bid fond farewell to Lau and his family, including Lau’s wife Evy, their two daughters Emily and Rebecca and Lau’s brother Steve.

More than a dozen people spoke about Lau’s impact on their lives and the Pacific Coast squash community. They included Dick Crawford, Lau’s legendary coach at Cal Berkeley in the 1970s; Busani Xaba, Lau’s assistant pro and now successor at the club; Lauren Patrizio Xaba, the executive director of SquashDrive, the Bay Area’s urban squash program. The evening was organized by Craig McAllister, with help from Jack Bickel, Mike Townsend and others.

Lau was presented with a special recognition plaque from US Squash; poems about his earlier hairstyle; a scrapbook of memorable photographs and notes; a street sign that signaled the club was renaming the alley behind the club “Lau’s Lane;” and the dedication of court B in his name. Outside the John R. Lau Squash Doubles Court is a portrait of Lau commissioned by Mike Townsend.

A San Francisco native who is now sixty-four years-old, Lau recently recovered from a battle with acute myeloid leukemia after being diagnosed in July 2013. An avid bicyclist, Lau regularly has rode around Lake Tahoe, a seventy-two mile trip. 

John was down 2-0 in the finals to defending champion Derrick Niederman  - a match he had lost 3-0 to in the finals the previous year and eventually won the match 18-17 in the fifth.

 In 1998 he captured the 40+ at the National Doubles in Denver, on the left wall partnering with Buffalo's multiple-champion Gordon Anderson. As the pro at the University Club, Lau directed three Lapham Grants and many, many dozens of NorCal, California and Pacific Coast championships.

Year	Winners
1971	Donald E. Leggat & Charles C. Wright
1972	G. Diehl Mateer Jr. & William J. Tully
1973	James Bentley & William J. Bewley
1974	Donald E. Leggat & Charles C. Wright
1975	Donald E. Leggat & Charles C. Wright
1976	Donald E. Leggat & Charles C. Wright
1977	Thomas B. Jones & John A. Swann
1978	Edward C. Simmons, III & Melvin K. Sokolow
1979	Edward C. Simmons, III & Melvin K. Sokolow
1980	Helmut Meertz & Christian Spahr
1981	Edward C. Simmons, III & Melvin K. Sokolow
1982	Edward C. Simmons, III & Melvin K. Sokolow
1983	Andrew B. Pastor & Peter J. Hall
1984	Andrew B. Pastor & Peter J. Hall
1985	Andrew B. Pastor & Peter J. Hall
1986	Andrew B. Pastor & Peter J. Hall
1987	George Maguire & Alexander B. Martin
1988	George Maguire & Alexander B. Martin
1989	Thomas M. Poor & Alexander B. Martin
1990	Scott W. Ryan & Maurice Heckscher, II
1991	Charlie P. Jacobs & Leonard A. Bernheimer
1992	Scott W. Ryan & Gordon D.H. Anderson
1993	Scott W. Ryan & Gordon D.H. Anderson
1994	Paul D. Assaiante & Gordon D.H. Anderson
1995	Michael J. Pierce & J. Andrew Mateer
1996	Michael J. Pierce & J. Andrew Mateer
1997	Michael J. Pierce & J. Andrew Mateer
1998	John R. Lau & Gordon D.H. Anderson
1999	C. Victor Harding & Sean P. McDonough
2000	Peter D. DeRose & Alan B. Hunt
2001	Gregg D. Finn & Richard A. Sheppard
2002	Gregg D. Finn & Richard A. Sheppard
2003	Michael R. Costigan & Alan B. Hunt
2004	Michael R. Costigan & Alan B. Hunt
2005	Edmund R. Chilton & Andrew W. E. Slater
2006	John M.Conway & William J. Villari
2007	Douglas J. Lifford & Christian F. Spahr
2008	John C. C. McAtee & Thomas A. Clayton
2009	John C. C. McAtee & Thomas A. Clayton
2010	Eric J. Vlcek & Thomas W. Harrity
2011	Mike Puertas & Jeff K. Mulligan
2012	Scott Dulmage & Rich Thomson
2013	Shane Coleman & Michael Puertas