Squash in Portland? A definite Yes!

All

A highlight of club life that I really miss is not having communion with my friends.  I miss sharing the stories.

Here’s one sent from my friend Dave Tepper.

John

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John -

While doing a little "spring cleaning" a few months ago, I went thru a box of odds and ends and found this AT Cross pen with the USSRA logo mounted on the clip. 

I had not seen or used the pen in a least 25 years and forgotten all about it. Faintly engraved on the side of the clip is "USSRA Nationals 1979." That was the year the Nationals were held in Portland - the first time they were held on the West Coast. The pen was a gift to all participants.

I am pretty sure I played on a NorCal team in the team tournament to participate in the overall event, but I cannot remember anything about who the team played, who I played, or how we did. That is a little odd, because I do remember the team tournaments we played in at the Nationals in Philadelphia and Chicago pretty well. 

(During the hardball era, the National Team Championships were held on the same weekend and at the same city as the National Singles Championships. It was a tremendous party! - John)

About the only thing I do remember is that Tom Dashiell played in the Open Singles and had a really good win over Jonathan Foster in the round of 16 (I think). In between one of the games, I told Tom to play Foster's forehand instead of his backhand and that seemed to turn the match in Tom's favor.

At least that is what I think happened!

(Indeed…..a great win!  Foster outclassed me one year in the Finals of the 35+ Hardball Championships, winning 3-1.......a lefty All-American while at Penn, he was on the Hardball Pro Tour for a few years. From 1993-1995, playing left wall, he was the US Doubles Champion with his partner Morris Clothier. - John)

Hope all is well with you and yours. 

Best regards.

David Tepper

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