George Washington Blamed for American Performance in US Open by Andy Garr October 19, 2015
No American squash player
advanced beyond the round of 16 in the recently concluded US Open. The
cause of this failure has been traced to none other than the father of
our country, George Washington.
Washington spent several years dodging the British Army, suffering from
inferior forces and lack of supplies, etc. He lost more battles than he
won. His generalship has been questioned many times and was probably
never worse than during the Battle of Long Island which took place in
1776 in what is now Brooklyn Heights. He was soundly defeated, but
there he made the decision that saved what remained of his army, by
performing one of the best-managed retreats in history , sending his
troops across the East River at night in small boats. The rest, as some
would say, is history.
That this decision was both brilliant and absolutely vital to the
survival of the newly established United States is not disputed.
However, it consigned the-about-to-become new nation to second-rate
status as a squash power over two hundred years later. The following
countries: England, Scotland (sort of a country), Egypt, South Africa,
Malaysia and India all placed at least one male or female above the
highest-finishing American in the recent Open. What they all have in
common is their membership (involuntary for all but England) in the UK
or their connection to English colonialism. Each non-UK country was at
one point in time after the emergence of squash, a British possession
or colony. All now have their independence, but this was achieved
after officers of the British Army brought squash to them.
Had Washington not executed his brilliant retreat at ironically the
location of one of the major centers of American squash, the British
would have brought the sport to what might have become the Dominion of
America. We would, arguably, be today a squash power. In addition, a
few minor historical events would probably not have occurred. Apologies
to Betsy Ross!
So, before you blame US Squash, absence of courts, elite private clubs,
lack of funding, etc., focus on the real culprit—George Washington.
