Document text
Big Al�s: Twenty-five years of electric play By Bill Hagle ASHLAND � As the annual Big Al�s tennis tournament unfolds today, it rekindles memories and friendships born over a quarter of a century at Hunter Park. The tournament runs through Sunday and features one of the largest fields in its 25 years. Todd Stanley, six-time champion and No. 1 seed, appears in the Open draw seeking his seventh title. But Stanley�s attempt will be tested by a player he knows well � No. 2 seed Leo Young, the Ashland Racquet Club pro. On the women�s side, No. 1 seed Colleen Cohee looks to repeat. In her way is Southern Oregon University coach Gail Patton, a friend of Cohee�s and a savvy player. The tournament�s first 25 years can also be summed in another way: electric. Electric as in lightning storm rainouts. Electric as in growth, where 375 entrants fill 500 slots, to thunderous serves on court and the charge to the local economy by credit-card using visitors off the court. Mike Horton credits wife and former co-director, Marilyn, with the high-voltage growth in entrants. "She got the mailing lists together and sent entry blanks to every club and rec program on the West Coast," he says. The Hortons, who ran the tournament for the first 18 yeras, are "the heart and soul of the tournament," according to friend Bruce Roberts. Roberts, his wife, Poki, Dan Jackson and Al Carver allied to make the first tournaments succeed. However, the Hortons groan when recalling some years. "The 13th event, a rain storm nixed the entire C and D divisions," he says, "and we had weather threaten in other years." They also recall a prayer to the tennis gods seemed to split a storm system directly around the courts to rejoin a short distance away. Players have flown in from faraway places such as Toronto, Houston and the Bay Area. "Former champion Beau Toy made it here from Michigan one year," Marilyn Horton says. Mike Horton softens when he speaks of players he has bonded with through the years. "I go out to Hunter on Thursday when they hit town," he says, "before they put their game faces on, and visit. That�s an incredible time." Another local, popular four-time singles and four-time doubles champion, Andy Oas, returns this year from dental school to play in the Men�s Open 40s draw. "I�m here partly for passion for tennis, but also for camaraderie," he says. "It�s always a reunion." Kim Boesche, returns for her second year as tournament director. Boesche speaks of yet another facet of the tournament. "It helps Ashland youth through donation of proceeds to STAY (Supporters of Tennis for Ashland Youth)," she says. "And it�s more than great tennis. People come from all over to play the tennis and enjoy the town." Toy, a mulitple winner in the past, is No. 3 in the men�s Open draw. Chad Wilson is No. 4. The draw sheets will be posted today at Hunter Park. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA