Justin Fredian and James Goldman win Open A Draw

Justin and James made Hinsdale history with a nice three-set win over Wade Martin and Katie Queenan.












Conditions were anything but hospitable for Sunday's matches.

Chase Hamilton and Marc Veverka win the Red Zone B Draw

Early Round Match - Set Point to Missy D'Alise and Stephanie Stapleton

Set Point DAlise Stapleton, originally uploaded by paulwiggin.

Red Zone D'ay for the D'Alise's

Missy D'Alise and Stephanie Stapleton triumphed in the women's red zone tournament on Saturday morning.

The ladies are, of course, pictured here with the infamous "Billy O", after whom this charity event is named. In a new tradition, Missy and Stephanie were awarded the coveted haute couture red velvet " red zone champ" jackets, designed by Chanel, and carefully embroidered with the finest silk thread.













Not to be outdone, Missy's husband Steve D'Alise prevailed in the Men's C Final on Saturday afternoon with partner Dave Brown. The duo outlasted John Pierce and Ed Pound in a tough three-set final. The C draw winners will be awarded their special "red zone champ" silk boxers in a private ceremony.

Early Arrival from Sunday's Comic

Click the image to expand.

Men's Draws for Red Zone Tournament

A Draw
Fredian / Goldman vs. Dunphy / Stapleton
Brown / Mary Doten vs. Gary Doten / Pollitt
Martin / Queenan vs. Varin / Wiggin
Cole / Schultz vs. King / Usher

B Draw
King / Schwartz vs. Green / Hawthorne
Hamilton / Veverka vs. Bingham / Pearson
Hawn / Kiefer vs. Jeanin Schiavetti
Hamman / Hemmer vs. Garber / Weil

C Draw
Brown/ D'Alise vs Carroll / Tuerk
Goebel / Mavon vs Pollitt / Guest
Pierce / Pound vs Knight / Meyers
Enright / Farra vs Wiggin / Wiggin

Man Found in Glencoe with Paddle and Amnesia

A man, approximately 6' in height and a svelte 215 lbs, was found in Glencoe on Saturday at one of the sites of the Illinois Intermediates tournament. He was suffering from dehydration and complete amnesia.

The poor chap was found wearing an obscenely bright orange knit hunting hat, a Hinsdale Baseball sweat shirt, and an expression described by witnesses as "peculiar" and "frightening".

No one on the scene was able to suggest how the disoriented fellow came upon the tournament or acquired a platform tennis racquet.

Tournament Director Bill O'Brien had fully accounted for every member of the tournament draw. O'Brien surmised that the man may have been a spectator, dropped off by a relative for safe keeping and inadvertently left behind in the hut with Crayolas and a coloring book.

If anyone can provide information about his identity, they are asked to contact the First Episode Psychosis Clinic of UIC at (312)355-5234.

HPTA Election Results

The nominations have carried by a vote of 93-1:

President, Bill O'Brien (term 2008-10);
Vice-President, Instruction: Charlie Usher (term 2008-10);
Vice-President, Membership: Kathleen Mulligan (term 2008-10);
Vice-President, Men's Programs: Jay Pollitt (term 2008-10);
Vice-President, Women's Programs: Margaret Hawn (term 2008-10).

Congratulations to all and many thanks for your service to Hinsdale paddle.

Hinsdale's Big Guns

Hinsdale's travel teams continue to expand and to prosper in the Chicago leagues. A total of 22 teams (5 women's and 17 men's) are competing this season from Hinsdale Park District, more than tripling the number from 5 years ago.

Being a bigger system, the folks overseeing the teams are ever watchful for players rostered below their level of competition. Opportunities arise for movement between the teams at the outset of the season and often during it. Margaret Hawn and Jay Pollitt play this role for the HPTA and are on the lookout for Hinsdale's big guns. Along those lines, here are the top scorers in league play so far this season.







Big guns from the Women's teams (13+ pts):

Patti Coyle, 5-0, series VII
Missy D'Alise, 5-0, series I
Tricia Enright, 4-1, series IX

Big guns from the Men's teams (16+ pts):

Matt Ludington, 7-2, series III
Jim Williams, 7-1, series XIV
Doug DeClue, 6-1, series X
Mike Vidmar, 6-0, series X
Joe Schwab, 6-0, series XV
Jerry Attlan, 6-0, series VIII
Jim Hamman, 5-2, series X
Todd Marquardt, 5-1, series V
Jeff Bingham, 5-1, series VII

Mary Doten and Susie Keane win the Chicago Charities

The 5th seeded team of Mary Doten and Susie Keane prevailed in 3 three-set matches to win the 2008 Chicago Charities.

They beat:

Delany-Mangan in the finals, 6-7, 6-1, 6-3.

Delmonico-Main in the semis, 6-4, 7-6

Dardis-Shay in the quarters, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1

Congratulations! Read more...

3rd Annual "Billy O" Red Zone Tournaments

Once again we are honoring Hinsdale’s godfather of paddle, Bill O’Brien and are also raising money for Common Hope, a charity that provides education to underprivileged children in Guatemala.

Dates: Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 29 or 30

Fees: $50 per player (100% goes to Common Hope and is tax-deductible)

How to sign up:

1. Sign up as a team of two. Email Doug Brown at mailto:DBrown4115%20@gmail.com right now to save your spot (only 8 teams per draw!) Please provide
- your names,
- email addresses and
- what draw you are in.

2. Mail $100 per team to
Doug Brown,
4 Calleview Drive,
LaGrange, IL 60525






The Draws
Women’s Open* 8:00am Saturday, Nov. 29
Men’s C (combined Series of 20 or higher) 1:00pm Saturday, Nov. 29
Men’s B (combined Series of 10 or higher) 8:00am Sunday, Nov. 30
Men’s A (combined Series of 4 or higher) 1:00pm Sunday, Nov. 30

With only 8 teams per draw, each draw will be completed in under 4 hours. Single elimination with backdraws means everyone gets 3 matches

What’s Red Zone?
Red Zone paddle adds a way to win points by placing a target in the middle of the back screens. A team that hits the target wins the point.

What’s Common Hope?
Learn more about the great work being done by this organization by talking to Mary or Gary Doten, Jane Veldman or Doug Brown, all of whom have been to Guatemala to see Common Hope in action. Or look at www.CommonHope.org to see how a small investment can make a huge difference in a child’s future.

Lose those Thanksgiving pounds. Sign up today
Need more info? Call Doug at 630-916-4202

*Ladies, good news. Mary Doten will be in Guatemala at the time of the tourney!

Team Tune-Up Final Rankings

The BCS, along with Doug Brown and Van Stapleton, weighed in after the results of the November 1-2 matches.


1st place to Todd Bowman's Wolverines team.














Second place to Pat Usher's Illini team.

















Third place to Jay Pollitt's Hawkeyes.


















Fourth place to Kerry Koranda's Badgers.

Hinsdale Teams Battle It Out

Eight teams of eight met on Saturday for the first two rounds of the Hinsdale Team Tune-up. Pictured here are the Badgers, led by Captain Badger (aka Kerry Koranda), after their triumph over Wade Martin's Hoosiers.

Play winds up on Sunday morning.