“Secret” Trip to World Championships

When New Zealand attended the 1961 World Championships in Peking, China, there were newspaper stories about it from one end of the country to the other. The novelty of the situation (it was only the second official NZ team to attend), the build-up, the results, the aftermath, the personalities – all kept the media interested for months.

Conversely, a New Zealand team that competed at the 1963 World Championships did so practically on tip-toe and scarcely caused a ripple in the New Zealand media, even when they were winning.

The Championships had been a two-yearly event since 1957 (annual before that) but New Zealand had been extremely selective (and cost-conscious) in deciding whether or not to send a team. The 1963 event was held half a world away in Prague, Czechoslovakia and financing a team to travel that distance was not on NZTTA’s agenda. But when an application was received from Joan Brown and Jeanette Crosby to play in the Championships as an unofficial NZ team, approval was granted. The application was made before the pair set out, independently, on a working holiday in England in 1962. For representation to be official, and the players issued with a New Zealand blazer, the team must be chosen by the national selection panel and this team wasn’t. NZTTA pays the entry fees for both official and unofficial teams. It’s the official teams that seem to attract the publicity.

It is likely that Joan Brown, in particular, had a personal incentive to play in a world championship while still near the top of her game. North Island Champion in 1958/59, ranked in the top three in both years and top seed for the 1959 NZ championships, she felt she had a real chance of making the team for Peking in 1961. And when it was publicly reported that 1960 North Island Champion and new arrival from Australia Joan Green (pictured) was ineligible for NZ representation under ITTF rules her optimism increased. But Joan Green was selected anyway, as the third player after Neti Davis and Norma Attwood. “They’re colour-blind,” sighed Joan Brown. “They picked the wrong-coloured Joan.”

Joan Green’s eligibility does not appear to have arisen as an issue in Peking. She played in several contests and returned home with a singles record similar to Neti Davis’s and slightly behind Norma Attwood’s.

Best Ever NZ Performance

The unofficial Brown/Crosby team did extremely well but for decades afterwards remained the “forgotten” New Zealand performance at world level. Under the guidance of non-playing captain Alan Tomlinson, who was also travelling at his own expense to broaden his international experience (refer later article), the team won four contests and lost three. No previous New Zealand team had ever done better than 50%. They beat Luxembourg, Switzerland, Wales and Canada, losing to East Germany, the Soviet Union and China. Joan won six singles and lost four, Jeanette won three and lost six; and the pair won three out of seven doubles. Against both Wales and Canada a 3-2 win was secured only after Jeanette had won the deciding singles under pressure.

It was a performance to be proud of, especially considering that it was not our best team. Joan Brown was by now recognized as our No 3 woman, but Jeanette Crosby would have been no higher than No 9 at that stage. She was destined to represent New Zealand as a selected player in 1969, again alongside Joan Brown.

Both women and Alan Tomlinson competed in the world individual events. No NZ player or pair advanced beyond the second round.

All the men’s world titles (including teams) were won by China and all the women’s, plus the mixed doubles, by Japan.

The New Zealand women competed with little success at the English Open Championships prior to travelling to Prague.

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Seven Cross Tasman for Australian Open

Just days after competing in the New Zealand Championships, a seven-strong contingent of New Zealanders travelled to Sydney to play in the Australian Open. Four from Northland (Neti Davis, Norma Attwood, Garry Frew and Kevin O’Carroll) were helped financially by a vigorous fund-raising campaign organized by the Northland Association. The New South Wales Association hosting the championships offered a travelling grant to the top two NZ men, Murray Dunn and Alan Tomlinson. The seventh player to travel was Val Muirhead, (pictured) who partnered Tomlinson in the mixed doubles.

Even though unselected, the group included our top three men and top two women. Optimism was high over our chances of coming back with at least one or two Australian titles. Norma Attwood was a leading contender in the junior girls singles, Dunn and Tomlinson had shown what they could do against Australia’s best in the 1962 test matches, and Neti Davis was coming off her fourth successive NZ singles title (as was Dunn).

In the event, the New Zealanders struggled. The tables were very slow and this took its toll, particularly on Norma Attwood whose half-volley game works much better on fast tables. When the prizes were handed out there were two Kiwi runners-up but no winners. Neti Davis gained attention by beating left-handed international Christine Shepherd (Western Australia) in the women’s singles semi-final but was no match for former Hungarian Suzy Javor in the final, losing three straight. Norma Attwood was also beaten three straight in the junior girls final, by unseeded but future Australian international Lyn Gilbert.

The women’s doubles was a disappointment, with Neti and Norma losing in the quarter-finals to a South Australian pair. Partnered by Murray Dunn, Norma also dropped out in the mixed doubles quarter-finals, where she lost in four games to Michael Wilcox and Christine Shepherd. Garry Frew and Murray Dunn both reached the quarter-finals in the singles where Garry lost to Murray Thomson, and Murray (in five games) to Michael Wilcox. Alan Tomlinson featured in the two best men’s results. With Murray Dunn he was beaten in five games by Wilcox and Cliff McDonald in the men’s doubles semi-final; and in the singles semi-final by McDonald in four.

All the New Zealanders commented on the lack of atmosphere at the championships. There was a small field and only six tables operating. Compared to the crowded stadium and boisterous atmosphere at the recently concluded NZ championships in Napier, the contrast was vivid.

Women’s Test Played Too

After the Championships the opportunity was taken to play a test match between the top two New Zealand women and their Australian counterparts. Australia, represented by Suzy Javor and Fay Smith, dominated the test, winning all four singles against Neti Davis and Norma Attwood. The New Zealanders restored some pride with a good win in the doubles (20-22, 21-12, 21-18) but this historically important first ever women’s test between the two nations goes down as a 4-1 win to Australia.

It was played in a different venue from the Australian Open and on much faster tables.

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Alan Tomlinson Plays Internationally

Captaining the New Zealand women at the World Championships and reaching two semi-finals at the Australian Open were a mere fraction of the international activity engaged in by Alan Tomlinson in 1963. At his own expense he travelled throughout the British Isles competing in tournaments at every opportunity. His major triumph was the men’s singles title at the Scottish Open where he also won the mixed doubles partnered by Pam Mortimer of England. He won a total of three singles and five doubles titles in open tournaments at Birmingham, Munster, Bath, Merseyside and Yorkshire. He reached the semi-finals of the Irish Open, losing 19-21, 21-19, 15-21 to the eventual winner. In the English Open he reached the mixed doubles quarter-finals, again with Pam Mortimer.

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Bangs and Whimpers at NZ Championships

As usual, all the stars came out to play at the NZ Championships, including one very much in ascendency - 15 year old Terry O’Carroll. He began by winning the under 16 boys singles and doubles, beating title holder Paul Ives in the singles final. Then he and older brother Kevin stormed through to the men’s doubles semi-final by first beating top Wellington players Barry Cross and Michael Mabbett and then causing a major upset by eliminating fourth seeds and North Island champions George Wilkinson and Len Rau in the quarter-finals. It was a stunning performance against two accomplished choppers, with Kevin consistently creating the openings and young Terry crashing away the winners.

In the semi-final they were no match for Murray Dunn and their fellow-Northlander and mentor Garry Frew, who went on to win the final.

And what a final! Their opponents, another pair of brothers (Bryan and Ron Foster), had beaten title-holders and top seeds Alan Tomlinson and Geoff Jennings but still went into the match as underdogs. It turned into one of the most spectacular and exciting finals seen at the nationals for many a year. Dunn and Frew won, but only after a 50 minute battle that contained every shot in the manual. Unusually for a long match, it was played at high speed and some of the long-range retrieving rivaled anything seen in exhibition displays. The score was 16-21, 21-11, 21-19, 18-21, 21-19.

In contrast, the other finals were low key. In the singles Dunn had an easy win over Tomlinson and Neti Davis a dour win over Norma Attwood, the only interest roused by Neti having to come back from two games down. It was the fourth successive win for both Dunn and Davis.

Dunn made it a treble by taking out the mixed doubles with Norma Attwood, beating surprise finalists Bob Taylor and Ann Mutch who had earlier dealt with second seeds Garry Frew and Neti Davis - title winners in 1958, 1959 and 1960.

Hawkes Bay Association hosted the championships in Napier with the main organization in the capable hands of the Napier Sub-Association. Playing conditions were good.

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“Unpleasant” Debate at AGM

An aggressive three-hour debate was the main feature of an Annual General Meeting declared by Vice-President Bill Hurrey to be the most unfriendly he had ever attended.

The matter at issue was whether players should be allowed to play interclub in, and (if selected) represent, Associations they don’t live in.

It was put forward by Hutt Valley Association whose close neighbour, Wellington, had just won the national provincial teams championship fielding a team containing three Hutt Valley residents. Hutt Valley delegates further informed the meeting that three of their top young players, whom they had coached and developed, intended to play in Wellington in the coming season where they would face stronger competition.

It was not a popular proposal as it was seen by many to be addressing a problem unique to Hutt Valley and not of concern to the country as a whole.

An amendment was proposed by former international and now NZTTA Vice-President Owen Jaine. He suggested allowing players to play interclub wherever they like but require them to only represent their home association. The amendment was defeated and, when put to the vote, the original proposal was heavily defeated by 57 votes to 22.

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Otago Association Buys Its Own Building

Otago gained the distinction of being the first New Zealand association to own a building in which to base all its activities. Up to nine tables could be permanently set up. Needless to say, it didn’t happen by accident – much hard work and fundraising was required to make the purchase and prepare the facility for play.

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Waikato Splits into Three

A Special General Meeting of the Waikato Association agreed to wind up the existing body and form two or more new Associations to cover the same area. Playing numbers and travelling distances were seen as becoming too unwieldy. When the overall membership figures were examined it was decided to set up three new Associations: Hamilton, Central Waikato and East Waikato. NZTTA membership was accorded to the new Associations on 6 May.

Overall membership, interclub teams and clubs all increased in number after the re-organisation.

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Whangarei North Islands Too Far Away

The organization was good, the conditions good, the spectator support excellent – but one thing was missing from the Northland-hosted North Island Championships: players from the southern half of the North Island.

With half of the top ten men and women in the country all based north of Taupo, it was still a good tournament – but it could have been better.

Norma Attwood beat Neti Davis to win the women’s singles in yet another close five game match between the two Northland rivals. It was Norma’s first North Island singles title. Alan Tomlinson hit through Garry Frew’s defence to secure the men’s singles for the third time since 1959.

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South Islander Wins Player of Year

Both men and women are eligible for the coveted “Player of the Year” Award. It had been won exclusively by North Island players up until this year. When first presented in 1955 the winner (Bob Jackson) was celebrated for his multiple playing successes while several other players were commended at the presentation ceremony for their excellent playing results and fighting spirit. However, the tradition over the years has been to award the trophy to the player with the most outstanding results.

This year the award was won for the first time by a South Islander - Bryan Foster of Otago. He had won the treble at the South Island Championships and four more titles at the Canterbury and Otago Opens (a great season’s work in itself) but also noted at the ceremony was his superb performance in two NZ Championship events: a great fight-back in the men’s singles semi-final against Murray Dunn to force it to five games, and the spectacular men’s doubles final (refer above). His work promoting table tennis in Otago was also commended.

Bryan would be the first to concede that, on playing performance alone, Murray Dunn would have taken the award for the third year in succession. He was ranked number one, had won all three open titles at the NZ Championships and had beaten Bryan in the North Island/South Island contest as well as in the singles semi-final. But nobody would deny that recognition of Bryan Foster’s multiple successes and loyal dedication to the sport was overdue and the award richly deserved.

It was presented in Dunedin by NZ President Alan McCallum and the presentation ceremony was televised for the first time.

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Crowd Flocks to Mercantile Tournament in Poverty Bay

A one day Mercantile Teams Tournament was scheduled by the Poverty Bay Association and well promoted with invitations sent to banks, local bodies, insurance companies, government departments and rural organizations such as stock and station agents. The response was spectacular. Up to 48 teams could be accommodated but that number was exceeded and teams had to be turned away.

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Pacific Games Held in Suva

Even without New Zealand and Australia (who were not eligible) there was a large turn-out at the first South Pacific Games, held in Suva, Fiji, in early September. 600 athletes competed in nine sports, including table tennis. Sixteen Island nations sent teams to the event.

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Top NZ Men Join in Golden Games at Masterton

Some of NZ’s best table tennis players, including four of our five top-ranked men, were invited to participate in a Festival of Sport organised by the Masterton Public Relations Office in October. It was a multi-sport event and, dubbed the “Golden Games”, vigorously promoted. In the men’s final Murray Dunn beat Garry Frew and Geoff Jennings beat Bryan Foster for the bronze medal. The women’s field was more locally oriented with Wairarapa’s Lola Larsen winning gold, Mary Broadbent silver and Joy Bamford bronze.

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Television Coverage Gradually Building Up

There were four separate table tennis events televised this year, reflecting a steady increase in interest in the sport shown by television producers. Exhibition matches featuring Murray Dunn and Geoff Jennings (in Wellington) and George Wilkinson, Bob Taylor, Ray Newton and Terry Quinn (in Auckland) were screened; delayed coverage of the NZ Championships finals was broadcast, and the presentation of the Player of the Year award to Bryan Foster was televised.

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Competitor Dies While Playing Table Tennis

A very rare instance of a death occurring during a table tennis tournament was reported in August. The tournament was being held in St Mary’s Hall, Mount Albert, Auckland. The player was Thomas Bradley (38) of Tauranga, who collapsed and died while playing.

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