Al McKeown

 

Looking back, I remember that it was difficult to catch Al McKeown in one of his moments unless it was he who decided to share it with you.

This moment that came for me was quite an occasion given Al’s preceding reputation  - a reputation as being a flashy player resplendent in his dress whites. 

I first met Al when the Vietnam war was in full rage. I was a student at nearby Lewis and Clark at the time when I first met him and I must say, Al made a favorable impression on me because he was the only player who played with the exotic Grays metal-shafted squash racquet. At the time, we all used the ubiquitous and affordable hardball racquet at the time - the bamboo Bancroft Super Winner (which set me back $7.95 on a student budget). “Boy”, I said to myself, "He must be a player a cut above me!" 

While at Lewis and Clark, I was playing #1 on the squash team.  One weekend evening, he and his team made the journey to play our team at our campus. Al represented Portland's Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC) and was paired to play me for a league match. I don't remember the score; so he probably kicked my buttinsky.

A year later Al and I faced off again. But this time we met in the C finals of the Oregon State Championship - a match of greater importance compared to the league match of our previous encounter. And the match was played on his home court at the MAC.

Based on our previous encounter, I guessed that he didn’t lose much sleep the night before as he prepared for our 2nd meeting. I remember it being a close and competitive match - managing to get to the 5th game tied at 13-13. 

During the ensuing rally, I rolled my ankle chasing after the ball, which required tending to. It took me about 5 minutes to wrap the ankle using my tried and true circle 8 tape job and I returned to the court to gamely finish the match. Al chose to play set 5. And despite the injured ankle, I miraculously won! To this day, I am certain that after seeing my anguished face, he let down - my re-entrance into the court may have gotten the best of his psyche and his drive to win the match fully lost the momentum and stalled.  I won 5 straight points! Final score 18-13, LC student.

 

Years later, when I picked up the racquet again and joined the MAC, it came as an unanticipated surprise to see that the club pro was none other than Al himself!

As a teaching pro, Al had useful skills to work players hard while giving lessons. I discovered that this version of Al was miles beyond the previous version of Al. But what didn't change was the same cocky Al whom I first met.

I signed up for my first lesson with him, and boy did I got my money's worth......and change!

Much to his delight, he thoroughly ran me ragged.

Since he learned the game from Yusef Khan - a player from the legendary lineage, Al’s game was classic - a long-rally player, pushing his competitor to the brink, and winning his fair share as a product of his fitness.  I remember once while sparring with him, I hit a loose reverse corner and he suddenly stopped play and asked me why I hit that shot. Not offering any explanation, I presumed that the preferred shot was just to hit it deep. 

Remember, this was hardball.

Al was a natural athlete who, in the late 60’s, was a starter for Oregon State's baseball team playing 2nd base. He was a proud Beaver. We at the MAC had nothing but the highest respect for him as a player. But as a mentor, I wondered why he wasn't just a little more nurturing. Alas, it just wasn't his way. 

One time I was up 2-0 playing Mark Alger, (yes, that Mark Alger -   the same Mark Alger who in February 1981, playing in Detroit, became the National Singles Champion - the first squasher from west of the Mississippi to win the title!). I managed to win two games from him. (He was probably having a bad day.) Predictably, I ended up losing 3-2. Al, being Al, strode past me and remarked with one of his infamous caustic joking quips. That was just Al’s way of saying, “You got your butt kicked; so what are you going to do about it?”.  Thanks a lot, Al.

 

One of many memorable moments with my squash friends.....

(As for me, I possess a share of my own memories of Al.  But one stands out. - JL)

On a less serious and winning note:

The setting was the University Club in San Francisco. The tournament was the 1992 Pacific Coast Championship. The match was the finals between the club's pro, John Lau and his partner Paul Gessling versus myself with my partner-in-crime, Tony Catalan Jr.

As I recall, it was a close match the entire way - a match that had many exciting exchanges during the long rallies. When playing out the tie-breaker in the 5th, I hit this terrible poor excuse of a shot - a dying framer that does this Texas leaguer to the front wall for a winner with no chance of return. by either John or Paul. To me, it was an unworthy finish for Tony’s first  PC Doubles Championship win. (Gary - a less serious note for you, but not for me! LOL - JL)

Tony would go on to win 5 more Pacific Coast Championships with Kevin Jernigan to total 6 wins in his career. Kevin, himself, would win 6 as well. His 6th title was earned with fellow UClub member, Eric Wohlgemuth. To this day, Tony and Kevin hold the team record for having the most Pacific Coast doubles titles.

 

Another tale; but this is not a squash story......It was during the Oregon State Championships that was played in October 1988.  It's a story that has lived on and on for me and for baseball fans - especially Dodger fans.

Covey, Johnson, and yours truly and who knows who else - maybe McFarlane, were watching the opening game of the World Series on the telly after more than a few beers. Our bodies were spent from playing, but our minds and appetite for this diamond history and its makings were keen. As I recall, the game was in the last innings when we tuned in.

As announcer Vin Scully paused during his play-by-play, trying to sort out some delay in the game, the manager of the Dodgers, Tommy Lasorda, puts the injured Kirk Gibson into the game as a pinch hitter. When the count was at 2 out, 3-2, Gibson turns on a fastball and launches one into the right field bleachers, limping joyously during his home run trot, for what Covey and I consider to be one of the most euphoric moments in World Series history! 

Starting with this majestic homer, the underdog Dodgers go on to upset the favored Athletics in 5 games.

Initially, for this once baseball player, I considered squash as just an effective off-season training work-out. As it has turned out, it gave me so much more. It gave me a shared activity with my wife, Ann, and friends to last a lifetime.

 

Gary Johnson

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