Wilson And Sambrook Capture 25th Annual Smith-Chapman Invitational
By Rob Dinerman for DailySquashReport.com
Dateline November 12th --- Keyed by their relentlessly steady play, Glen WIlson and Bart Sambrook out-lasted recent ISDA Pittsburgh Cup quarterfinalists Iain Crozier and Alex Carter, three games to one, this past Sunday afternoon in the final round of the 25th annual Smith-Chapman Invitational, hosted as always at Club Atwater in suburban Montreal, where Wilson is the head pro and where Smith-Chapman, a three-time Canadian National champion who collapsed and died in 1987 after a singles game at age 49, was based throughout his glittering career.
Other champions included 40's winners Doug Lifford and his fellow University Club of Boston partner Scott Poirier over Tom Hayes and Jeff Anderson; John Hall and Paul Zander (who with Scott Stoneburgh had toppled Morris Clothier and Tim Wyant in the 2010 Lapham-Grant No. 1 match) in an all-Ontario 45's final against John Hickey and Brian Valin; 50's champs Al Hunt and Eben Hardie, who defeated Bostonians Court Chilton and Malcolm Davidson; and 55's winners Brian Murray and Paul Smith, who out-played Tim Bovaird and Brain Walsh.
Palmer Page and Jay Umans copped the 60's crown at the final-round expense of Canadians Michael Martin and Mike Manley, while Tom Poor and Len Bernheimer surmounted a two games to one final-round deficit against their frequent rivals Tony Swift and Molson Robertson, who were unable to convert a fourth-game championship-point. This marked the second time in the past seven months that Poor (who with son Morgan similarly survived a fourth-game match-point-against in their Father & Son Century final-round win over Jack Wyant and his son Jack Jr. this past spring) was able to win a tournament in this dramatic fashion.
The 70's and 75's winning teams were David Bogert/Peter Hatcher and Ed Bracht/Norm Lee respectively. Karen Jerome and Susan Douglas won the women's open final in five games over Bart Sambrook's younger sister Caro and her partner Robbin Morrison.
It was also announced during the Saturday-evening dinner, with Smith-Chapman's family members present and with their blessing, that, with his death now 25 years past, the tournament will not be named after him going forward. The event, under a new and as-yet-undetermined name, will continue to be held in the early-November time frame and no doubt will continue to be one of the most popular events on the Canadian doubles calendar.
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