FOUR NOMINEES APPROVED BY APTA BOARD
FOR INDUCTION INTO
THE PLATFORM TENNIS HALL OF FAME
By Charles E. Vasoll

David Kjeldsen, Flip Goodspeed, Scott Mansager and Fritz Odenbach are the newest members elected to the Platform Tennis Hall of Fame. They were nominated by the Hall of Fame Committee chaired by Robert Brown and approved by a vote of the American Platform Tennis Association (APTA) Board of Directors. Formal induction will take place in Rochester, New York on March 15, 2008 at the Men’s and Women’s National Championships. Here is a “thumbnail sketch” of each inductee.

David Kjeldsen was selected, not because of his playing skills, or his administrative contributions but because he went way above and well beyond selling his wares to supporting the growth and vitality of the game. His Viking headgear became a fixture at many tournaments throughout the country as he traveled about watching the sport being played at all levels of talent. His love and devotion to the sport led him to form an active program for the youth, the future of our sport, first with an Adult-Child event and now as the Viking Junior Tour. It is said that he “saved” the sport by buying the business of vendors who no longer wanted to produce the racquets and balls required to play. This was not for financial gain but because of his passion for platform tennis.

“Achieved distinction in the play of platform tennis” is one of the qualities by which nominees for the Hall of Fame are judged. The team of Flip Goodspeed and Scott Mansager pass that test with flying colors. From 1996 to 2007 they dominated the men’s circuit winning seven National Championships with five in succession from 1996 to 2000. That is a record for the sport. They also have the highest winning percentage of teams reaching the Men’s finals at 78% winning seven of the nine in which they played. These are truly Hall of Fame accomplishments.

Completing the Hall of Fame class of 2008 is Fritz Odenbach. A second means to qualify for the Hall of Fame is by having “contributed to the growth and development of the game”. Although his playing achievements are not to be overlooked, (He won the Senior Men’s 45+ in 2006) his work in making Rochester, New York a “Paddle Mecca” and giving of time and effort to the APTA are the principal attributes for his selection. He will be chairing his fourth Men’s and Women’s National Championships in March, and served on the APTA Board of Directors on two occasions from 1984 to 1987 and again from 2000 to 2006.

Congratulations to these inductees for being selected for the highest honor in the sport of platform tennis.

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