Where Oh Where Are You, Platform Tennis Hall of Fame?

By Charles E. Vasoll

"Somewhere There’s a Hall for Everyone, and With Visitors, Too" was the headline on an article written by Vincent M. Mallozzi in the New York Times sports section on Sunday, December 26, 1999. The article began "Cooperstown, Canton, Springfield, Toronto". These cities house the Halls of Fame of the major sports. The article continued by pointing out that "the best athletes you never heard of are celebrated daily at their own permanent residences. They just don’t hear the doorbell ring as often".

Among the lesser known Halls he mentioned are the Dog Mushers in Knik, Alaska; the Greyhound in Abilene Kansas; the Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio; Marbles in Wildwood, New Jersey; and a recent addition, Yo-Yo in Chico, California. He was obviously unaware of the platform tennis hall in ???.

It’s easy to understand why our sport’s Hall was not included. It’s mythical. That is it has no bricks and mortar for people to visit. It’s only on a piece of paper at the APTA office. Isn’t that a crime!

"There are people at every level of sport with a passion," said Paul Dickson, who wrote "The Volvo Guide to Halls of Fame" (Living Planet Press) with Robert Skole in 1995. "The thing that’s most engaging about lesser-known halls is that they don’t have all the bells and whistles and all the interactive stuff that the better-known halls have," Dickson said. "And while most of them are hanging on by a thread financially, they exist simply because someone out there has a passion for that particular sport."

Where is all the passion that we show for our sport when we are out on the courts competing, when it comes to providing a residence for our Hall of Fame? The first honorees in platform tennis were named in 1965. That’s 38 years ago. Of course back then it was not an induction to the "Hall of Fame". It was the "Honor Award" until 1998 when the APTA Board voted to change the designation. The principal, however, was the same. It is to recognize persons "who have achieved distinction in the play of platform tennis and / or who have otherwise contributed to the growth, development and administration of the game through the Association".

It’s not that we have never tried to provide a home. On several occasions architects have been approached to conceptualize an addition to the clubhouse at the Fox Meadow Tennis Club in Scarsdale, New York, to provide a physical location for the memorabilia and honorees of the game. Each time there was no "follow through" and the drawings were put aside.

The most recent effort showed new promise. In 2000 a new corporation was formed named "The Platform Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame Foundation". Articles of Incorporation were drawn up and an application made to the Internal Revenue Service for charitiable non-profit status. There has been contact with the Officers of the Fox Meadow Tennis Club and the Village of Scarsdale to determine if there was promise and feasibility to construct the long awaited addition to the clubhouse for the Hall of Fame. Over two years have now passed without any further progress.

The New York Times article concluded by again quoting Paul Dickson who said, "In a democracy where everyone is created equally, there are people within their own realm who became great at certain sports. Whether it be professional baseball or basketball or marbles or chess, there should be a place to honor all those people".

Platform Tennis was invented by Americans, Fessenden Blanchard and James Cogswell. There should be a place for them and the 51 others who have been recognized for their achievements and contributions to our sport.