'Laid-back' league attracts many players

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 7, 2001

The Men's 60-and-Over Doubles League is friendly competition.

It has been that way for seven years.

"It's really a laid-back league that the guys enjoy," coordinator Vince Trapano said. "It's volunteer friendly, with only six players needed to make up a team.

"It's been incredible to me that during all this time, I've only had one problem arise. Mostly, the guys just want to come out and play.

"It's fun to watch," Trapano said, "and the kids could learn a lot from watching them. You don't see huge serves, but they're few unforced errors."

This was Week 3 in the nine-week season for the 10 teams. Defending champion Shipwatch Tennis Club is the only unbeaten squad among the St. Petersburg-based teams.

In the lineup for Shipwatch in its second match against Bardmoor, John Finlayson and Henry VanDrunen, Peter Priston and John Dunning and captain Charles Brusovich and Al Smith earned three points.

Rounding out the squad are Bill Grammp, John Howard, Bill Oliver, Bill Nelliger, Tim Kahle, Al Blackburn and Leon Hibbs.

The Vinoy split its first two matches. Don Mathias and captain Norm Ott, playing at No. 1, and John Dudek and Ron Caffrey, No. 3, recorded victories against Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club. "John and Ron were in the third set against Treasure Island and tied at 8," Ott said. "They served an ace for the team win."

Other Vinoy members are Marty Martinkovic, Ed Kidston and Graham Thompson.

Treasure Island's Len Mewhinney and Chuck Imhoff netted the one point for TI in the Vinoy matchup.

"It's definitely fun playing in this league," said John Rensch, Treasure Island's captain. "I've only been here a short time having moved from Colorado, and I'm having a good time. We have a good group of players."

The other TI members are Hank McCusker, Bob Rogers, Earl Concors, Bill Hadley, Ralph Capasso and Ken Jones.

Gene Biittner, captain of the Seminole Lake Tennis Center squad, teamed with Jim Schembodt to win the club's first of three points against East Lake Woodlands. Also winning were Mike Stegmeyer and George Tochterman at No. 1 and Al Heller and Gary Kerbo at No. 2.

"This league is just very friendly and fun to play," said Biittner, who started it seven years ago with Trapano and Mike Erbe co-coordinating.

"The competition is good, many of us have known each other over the years and it's fun to play at different places and face some different players," Biittner said.

Rounding out the Seminole team are Angelo Vicario and Eddie Evans.

The St. Petersburg Tennis Center squad not only likes the informal, relaxed atmosphere but prefers the Tuesday afternoon playing time. SPTC won its first match 3-0 over Seminole, had a bye last week and was to face East Lake this week.

The St. Petersburg Tennis Center members are captain Michel Antoine, Dennis McDaniel, Dave Krebs, Nick Karamessinis, Arwood Scott, Fred DeJohn, Doug Eadie, Jim Schroeder and Charles Dorrell.

TI CLUB CHAMPIONS: The Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club completed its championships last month with winners named in singles and doubles.

A Grand Slam Tennis Gala is scheduled for Nov. 17. It will honor club champions, as well as other league and team winners.

Singles players earning club champion status were Christy Monroe (open division), Bettina Guild (4.0) and Tom Grayson (men's open).

Among the doubles winners were Jan Stone and Michelle Kopelman (3.5), Ann Worthington and Susan Hobbs (open), Ed Jagger and Randy Meisner (men's open) and Rensch and McCusker (4.0).

Grayson teamed with Karen Howley to win the mixed open doubles title, and Lynn Pratt and Larry Nickerson battled three sets to take the mixed 4.0 trophy.

LEAGUE UPDATES: In the South Pinellas Ladies Doubles League, St. Petersburg Tennis Center is leading in the five-team 3.0-3.5 division with nine points. Feather Sound and Vinoy B are tied for second at seven. In last week's 3.5-4.0 action, Isla Del Sol, Feather Sound and Shipwatch all earned two points. Following today's makeup matches, round-robin playoffs begin Nov. 14.

In the women's Suncoast Singles League last week, Vinoy II defeated Vinoy I 3-1. Winning for Vinoy II were Marion Foelgner, Kim Brett and Jayma Main. Roth Ann Ott scored Vinoy I's only point.

SENIORS PLAY: Bob Meyerdierks finished among the men's 75-and-over singles competition in the Fall Classic last weekend in Venice.

Meyerdieks then paired with Jim Mackey to defeat Bud Steckman and Sam Dixon in doubles.

Area finalists were McCusker in the 70 singles and Will Roeper in the 60 bracket.

Mathias reached the 60 semifinals before losing to Roeper. Krebs made it to the 65 semis. In doubles, he qualified with Bob Seiy. Fred Hesse and Bill Herring made it in the same division.

Lynne Hesse finished second in the women's 60 doubles round robin with Dottie Frost and in the 55 with Janet Crouse.

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