Hard Bat and Veterans News from England

[Neil S Highams]

I thought this article (lifted from the ETTA Web Site) may be of interest to
some of you. I expect that Scott Gordon will give a more detailed account
later.

HARD MAN HENRY SETS PACE

Veteran table tennis ace Henry Buist can justifiably claim to be one of the
best hard bat players in the world after a hat trick of wins over that other
star hard bat player from America Marty Reisman.

The 66 year old Kent player followed his win at the World Championships in
Manchester two years ago by beating the flamboyant 70 year old in the
Manchester Atlantic Challenge international between USA and England. Then 48
hours later he did it again to win the hard bat title at the Manchester
Veterans Championships at the Manchester Leisure Sports Centre.

But it was former national champion Denis Neale who showed that he can still
put on the style that won him six senior national titles when he won three
matches to pave the way for a 5-2 win over the Americans.

Mancheseter's Jeff Ingber continued his comeback beating Scott Gordon before
Buist had the crowd cheering on an English victory when he beat Reisman
8, -21, 18.

The championships that followed saw Cheshire's Phil Biggs beat Terry Guymer
in the Over 40's final and Henry Buist just ease home against Fred Lockwood
in the Over 60's singles

Picking up the Women's Over 40 title was Merseyside's Brenda Buoey who beat
Teresa Devaney. Brenda also picked up a winner's medal in the team event
with Sue Burgess whilst Terry Guymer and Alec Johns picked up the Men's Over
40's team title.

There was a surprise in the Over 60 team event when Ray Dixon and Fred
Lockwood beat favourites Brian Allison and Henry Buist. However the Kent
player completed a remarkable weekend when he beat Reisman for a third time
to win the hard bat final.

(Note: the term 'hard bat' means short pimpled rubber applied to a wooden
blade/bat without a layer of sponge.)

Results:

Manchester Atlantic Challenge - England 5, USA 2.

Manchester Veterans Championships:

Men's Singles Over 40:
Phil Biggs (Cheshire) bt Terry Guymer (Essex)

Women's Singles Over 40:
Brenda Buoey (Merseyside) bt Teresa Devaney (Ireland)

Men's Singles Over 60:
Henry Buist (Kent) bt Fred Lockwood (Essex)

Men's Over 40 team:
Terry Guymer (Essex) & Alec Johns (Cheshire)

Women's Over 40 team:
Brenda Buoey (Merseyside) & Sue Burgess (Cheshire)

Men's Over 60 team:
Ray Dixon (Worcester) & Fred Lockwood (Essex)

Men's Singles (Hard Bat)
Henry Buist (Kent) bt Marty Reisman (USA)

Women's Singles (Hard Bat)
Brenda Buoey (Merseyside) bt Teresa Devaney (Ireland)

Wheelchair Singles:
J Gerber bt A Torbati

For further information contact Ken Muhr, ETTA Information Officer, Tel.
01424 722525 Fax. 01424 422103
--
Neil Highams

[Bruce H. Liu]

I thought US hardbat team consists of Marty Reisman, John Tannerhill and
Steve Berger. Is there a box score for the match? Thanks.

/Bruce

[Neil S Highams]

It would appear that Marty and Scott Gordon played, with one other. I'm
afraid I don't have any further details at present.
--
Neil Highams

Bruce H. Liu <bruc...@filemaker.com> wrote in message
news:39457DF3...@filemaker.com...

[Scott Gordon]

I just returned, and will be writing a more detailed summary soon.

To answer the questions that were asked, Tannehill was scheduled, had his
plane tickets, and then told us the day before that he didn't receive his
passport. So he didn't go. Among the American contingent that went, Steve
and Marty asked me to play, which I did reluctantly. Although I gave
Neale a bit of a scare, even leading most of the 1st game (-19,-16), my
performance against Ingber was poor. My participation was little more
than as a perfunctory placeholder. Had Tannehill played, clearly the
score would have been very different.

Buist was terrific. However, it should be noted that in the team match
he was defeated by Steve Berger. Marty later defeated Steve in the
semi-finals of the open hardbat event, deuce-in-the-third, before losing
to Buist in the final (Neale played only in the team event).

The Open hardbat events (mens/womens) drew a total of about 70 players.

We were treated SO well by our gracious hosts. Table tennis in England is
so much better organized in so many respects than it is here.

BBC did both a radio and a television segment.

more later... I've got to get some sleep...
Scott

[SAM]

Scott Gordon <sgo...@bolt.sonic.net> wrote in message
news:ksE15.75$aj7....@typhoon.sonic.net...

The British are a great beleivers of their tradition. I've noticed that
only Reisman actually competed in hardbat on that US team, when hardbat
ruled. I wish them luck & god save the queen.

SAM