1996 Alabama Closed Results

The 1996 Alabama Closed tournament was hosted for the 12th year in
a row by the Huntsville Table Tennis Club on April 20, 1996.

Thirty-three Alabama Table Tennis players converged on the Brahan
Springs Recreation Center to compete for the top prize in Alabama
Table Tennis.  The Giant Round Robin format toppled two of the top
eight seeds in the morning round.  Mike Wetzel of Decatur dropped
No. 7 seed Moosa Shoaib of Mobile (a native of Pakistan), 21-19, 
22-24, 21-14.  Jason Denton of Caddo upset No. 8 seed Dr. Ronald
Peters of Brewton 21-13, 21-19 to finish 5th overall.  Wetzel wound
up 8th overall.

But it was once again Keith LaFrance of Montgomery who dominated the
field.  LaFrance lost only his 4th game to an Alabama opponent since
moving here from Louisiana in 1989, and still has not lost a match,
on his way to his 6th consecutive Alabama State Championship.  In
his semi-final LaFrance defeated Chip Patton of Madison 21-16, 21-6.
Patton, seeded 6th this year, reached the semi's by defeating the
No. 2 seed for the 3rd time in 5 years.  This year that was Jack Wise
of Montgomery.

In the tournament's other semi-final it was Ralph Kissel of
Huntsville with his best-in-the-state backhand and new long pips
killer forehand who defeated Terry "Ike" Hamilton of Birmingham.
Although Kissel was clearly the class of this year's "also-rans",
he couldn't quite take down LaFrance's twirling spin and anti-spin
loops in the final.

In doubles Wetzel and Patton gave LaFrance and Wise a run in the final,
losing to the #1 and #2 singles seeds 21-19, 21-18.

In Class A Shoaib defeated Justin Davis of Decatur in the final.

The tournament was twice suspended due to rain.  Torrential
thunderstorms dumped several inches of rain on the Rec Center
causing 2 leaks onto tables and twice cutting power.  The delays lasted
less than 30 minutes each time and little continuity was lost.  Our
appreciation to the City of Huntsville employees who got us back to
play as quickly as possible with full lighting.

Sponsors included the City of Huntsville Parks and Recreation Dept. and
Papa John's Pizza.

-- Chip Patton

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