Huntsville (Ala.) Winter Open

               February 22,1997

    By Michael WetzeI

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Robert Mayer showed the field of 35 that Elvis
    Presley wasn't the only king to call Memphis, Tenn. home.

    Mayer, playing in his first Alabama tournament, swept the 1997
    Huntsville Winter Open, dropping only one game all day. He defeated
    Richard McAfee, 15, -11, 21 in the finals to win the $100 first prize.

    Early in the tournament, it was evident Mayer had packed his strong
    spinny forehand in his bag before he left home.

    In the round-robin preliminaries Mayer (2121) wasn't threatened. He
    schooled 12-year-old Noi Sourinthone of Nashville (1790) at 5 and 9 and
    saw little competition until the final.  Mayer stopped Shaun Stallings
    of Nashville at 10 and 14, before defeating Korean left-handed penholder
    Jungki Lee of Huntsville at 13 and 15 in the semifinals. Lee (unrated)
    disposed of Lock Sourinthone (1982) of Nashville -17,17,19 in the first
    round before handing Lock's older brother and current Tennessee state
    champion Jay Sourinthone a thrashing at 11 and 7 in the
    quarterfinals.

    While Mayer was breezing in the playoffs, McAfee's road to the
    finals was a little more bumpy.  He defeated his longtime friend and
    3-time Alabama champion Ralph Kissel of Huntsville at 15 and 15,
    before sliding past upset-minded Doug Byrd of Chattanooga at 11,-18,19
    in the semifinals.

    The left-handed Byrd (1806) sparkled at the tournament. He defeated
    16-time Alabama champion Don Gaither (1924) of Hazel Green at 14
    and 15 in the prelims.  In the playoffs, Byrd's steady blocking and
    countering took out Brazilian native Ernesto Kawamoto (1805) of
    Huntsville at 16 and 13 and Saymek Sourinthone (2024) of Nashville
    at 17, -16, 18.

    With a receptive audience watching the finals, Mayer showed his
    mortality after winning the first game at 15. McAfee's tricky serves
    and hard forehands found their range and thumped Mayer at 11.  The
    third game seesawed until McAfee forged a 20-18 lead and the serve.
    A forehand miss by McAfee kept Mayer alive.  McAfee then fooled
    Mayer on a wide and deep service, but a lunging Mayer was able to
    deuce the game when his weak return crawled over the net. After
    trading points, Mayer found two loops in his arsenal that would
    provide him and his wife Monique with $100 to go on a
    post-tournament shopping spree at a Huntsville mall. McAfee got
    $60 for second while Byrd and Lee each took home $35.

    Mayer teamed with hometown friend Arthur Grundy Jr. to win $56 in
    the U-3400 doubles. The Memphis duo breezed through the field and
    defeated Phil Thompson of Stevenson, Ala and Kawamoto in the finals.
    Thompson and Kawamoto got $28 for second.

    The tournament was sponsored by Buffalo Rock/Pepsi Bottling Co., of
    Huntsville, Brahan Spring Recreation Center staff, Robbins Table
    Tennis Specialties and the Huntsville Table Tennis Club.

    Tournament directors were Ed Watts and Chip Patton. Other committee
    members included Henri Kibler, Gerald Moske, Jack Carney Jr., and
    Michael Wetzel.
 

    1997 HUNTSVILLE WINTER OPEN
    TABLE TENNIS RESULTS
     February 22, 1997
 
    CHAMPIONSHIP
 
    1.	Robert Mayer of Memphis, $100
    2.	Richard McAfee of Atlanta, $60
    Semifinalists: Doug Byrd of Chattanooga, $35;
                   Jungki Lee of Huntsville, Ala., $35.
 
    CLASS A
    1.	Barry Putman of Gadsden, Ala.
    2.	Ray Pinner of Huntsville, Ala.
    Semifinalists:  Phil Thompson of Stevenson, Ala.,
                    Herb Bennett of Hattiesburg, Miss.
 
    CLASS B
    1.	Thip Vong of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
    2.	Sivilay Chanthaseng of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
    Semifinalists:  Marvin Vining of Jackson, Miss., 
                    Peter Jones of Huntsville, Ala.
 
    CLASS C
    1.	Arthur Grundy, Jr. of Memphis
    2.	Bob Countess of Athens, Ala.
    Semifinalists:  John Pinner of Huntsville, Ala.,
                    Gary Luther of Gadsden, Ala.
 
    UNDER 3400 DOUBLES
    1.  Robert Mayer and Arthur Grundy, Jr., both of Memphis, $56
    2.	Ernesto Kawamoto of Huntsville, Ala., and Phil Thompson
        of Stevenson, Ala., $28
    Semifinalists:  Don Gaither of Hazel Green, Ala., and Peter Jones
                      of Huntsville, Ala.; 
                    Barry Putman and Gary Luther, both of Gadsden, Ala.