The Redoubtable Tom Dashiell

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Players shouldn't judge their careers based only by the foes they have vanquished or by the titles they have claimed.  They should be judged by the friendships that were created and the experiences they have had.   That's the true lasting legacy.

The following is such a memory from my friend and foe during the hardball era, Tom Dashiell, during the time when we were both competing earnestly in tournaments across the U.S.

As a rival competitor, he schooled me more about the gladiatorial and pugilistic aspects of the game than any other player that I have encountered.

In 1978, Tom played in the U.S. National Singles Champioships held in Portland, Oregon.  Reaching the round of 16, he prevailed over Jon Foster in 5, after losing the first 2 games.  He eventually lost to the great Mexican player Mario Sanchez in the quarters. A few weeks later, he got as far as the semis of the Mexican Nationals in Mexico City, losing to Sharif Khan in 3. He won the Pacific Coast Championships at the University Club by beating Paul Gessling in 3 in the Finals.  Later that season, he defeated Jon Foster yet again at Venice and in the finals he beat Arif Sarfraz.

It was by far Tom's best year as a squash competitor.  In 1978, for his efforts. Tom was ranked #7 in the country.

John

******

     John,

I’m looking for photos during the time I was actively playing. I have one of me and Hashim Khan after we played an exhibition at the University Club in 1978 in front of a rather large audience. I was barely......barely able to beat him in 4 games. I was at the height of my game while he was in his late 60's. 

Every point he won was a drop shot........every......single......point. And I knew it. So I was crowding the front court but still could not read him. His shots were like feathers. Just died. And then he’d give me this big genuine smile. I’ll never forget it. 

A wonderful man. Just delightful.

It was the highlight of my squash experience save only my playing his son Sharif in the semifinals of the Mexican Nationals in Mexico City in 1978. He beat me 3-0 - (10), (11), and (10), or something like that despite my having the "runs" during the match. Unbeknowst to me at the time, he took me seriously and simply blasted me off the court. Upon reflection, I take solace in the fact that those were pretty respectable scores against the best hard ball player ever. He beat Gordon Anderson in the final. Gordie took out Mario Sanchez in the semis in front of Mario’s home crowd. 

One other interesting point. The University Club had it's first UC Doubles championship in 1975. My partner was Bob Mueller. Yes, THE Bob Mueller. He was an accomplished athlete and a good A singles player. We made it a routine to play weekly at the OC. He and his wife Anne had become very close friends with me and my late wife Jenny. He played right wall. Bob was extremely competitive. 

Anyway, we got to the finals. Our opponents were Murray Smith and Charlie Hoeveler. Charlie was/is one of the greatest senior tennis players in history. And he was an accomplished squash player, especially in Doubles. I’m sure you know this. 

Being a southpaw, his tactic of playing me by hitting his formidable forehand down the left wall against my backhand and of volleying every shot with a vicious reverse corner was troublesome to say the least. He was also as competitive as Alex Eichmann. Actually more so. (IMO, that's saying a lot!) He’d do anything to win. 

In any event, the match was watched at the new UC Doubles court by a packed gallery with many of Charlie’s friends there. I took the match somewhat personally because Charlie had intimated that he could easily be a formidable squash player if he weren’t so involved with tennis. So I felt as though I was literally playing for the reputation of the top NorCal squash players. 

We went to overtime in the 5th and during the overtime Charlie got a bit vocal and demonstrative at the adverse (for him) turn of events. He was flying across the court going after every ball. Quite a performance. In spite of the distracting blow- up, Bob and I pulled it out. 

Charlie and I have been friends ever since. He often refers to that match wistfully. He never again entered a serious squash tournament (at least not in NorCal). It was his swan song. Meantime he won maybe 20-40 National and World Senior Tennis Championships. 

So Bob Mueller and I had the distinction of winning the first UC Doubles Championship. (The UC plaque incorrectly states that we were runner ups; so I’d like to have that corrected.) 

I’ve been following Bob’s illustrious career for many years, and most recently through his Special Counsel stint. He clearly did not want to get involved with the messy politics surrounding his report, but he, as always, answered the call of his country by taking on the Special Counsel position and doing an amazing job. Bob Mueller is truly the most impressive man I’ve ever known. 

                            

All this was a bit before your ascension to the throne; so I thought I’d share it with you. To play against Hashim in an exhibition, against Sharif in the Mexican Nationals when he was the world’s best, and with Bob Mueller in the first UC Doubles, were the best moments of my squash career. 

Tom