2021 USCA Midwest Regional American Six-Wicket Tournament
September 3-6, 2021
with
Club Golf Croquet Singles and Doubles
Tulsa Croquet Club was pleased to host the Midwest Regional over the Labor Day weekend. We attempted to maintain a safe environment with box lunches and a Tournament Dinner with optional outdoor seating. The highlight of the event was the joy of gathering with so many wonderful friends old and new, some who just came to visit and say hello.
There were outstanding players upping their games to win First Place in every flight. Brian Hovis with his 3 handicap rose above four 0 to 2 hcp players to take 1st Place in Championship Singles over veteran player Walt Janitz, emerging with plus 31 tracking points. Kevin McQuigg took 3rd Place from partner Matt Baird with the ceremonial coin toss.
Stuart Price is another great story. New to Six-Wicket a year ago when he joined Tulsa Croquet Club, with his 9 handicap plowed through the field of eight players of lower handicaps, including a 4.5, to beat Carl Archiniaco to win First Flight Singles and plus 42 tracking points. Lookout Championship, here he comes! Ron Millican shared 3rd Place with Deborah Millican.
Anna Hanson bested the 7 Singles players in Golf Croquet and beat her doubles partner Mariah Chitwood in that final. The GC players were made up of all TCC members.
In Doubles action, “the Brians”, Hovis and Zindel, beat Matt Baird and Kevin McQuigg for First, while Art Parsells and Joe Steiner were awarded Third over the Walt Janitz/Russell Dilley team. First Flight Doubles were won by “the RonJons”, Ron Millican and Jon Spaulding over Bob Baker and Joe Schulte. Danny Bolduc and Stuart Price got 3rd over Sandy Janitz and Deborah Millican. In the golf croquet, Anna and Mariah beat Dan Campbell and Jim Simmons for 1st Place, with Ginny McQuigg and Karen Hampton taking 3rd Place over Debby Godsey who lost her partner Liam Watts to illness.
We raised a toast to our dear departed friend and longtime TCC Member Pat Garner at the Tournament Dinner on Sunday evening; we took a group photo on and around the newly installed bench dedicated to Pat by his family. The plaque reads: In Memory of Pat Garner; See you on the Croquet Court. Pat was our longtime USCA District President and former TCC President. He did many things to help our club including the landscape design of our future Croquet complex at LaFortune Park.
Tournament Director Matt Baird kept our games to a reasonable length due to the mid to high 90’s in the afternoons. We did have some rain late Saturday which gave us a cooler day on Sunday. We had a great team of club members led by our indispensable Joe Steiner who invents and McIvers whatever we need to keep things working well. Joe, Danny Bolduc, Joe Schulte and others like Brian Zindel, at his first time in Tulsa, pitched in hammering wickets and setting up as part of the 6:45 am crew.
Mary Baird, Barbara Parsells, Ginny McQuigg and Karen Hampton made sure that we had a variety of lunches throughout the tournament and that cold water and drinks were continuously available. The Sunday evening dinner at Waterfront Grill was well received by all who attended. We appreciated the contributions of some and especially from the Price family that compensated for the lower entry fees for the GC players.
Lastly, I’d like to say that it was such a joy to see old friends like Walt and Sandy Janitz who had stepped away from croquet for many years. And it appears that all you have to do is say how you miss seeing someone and they suddenly appear, like Stu Brodsky, to say hello, visit and keep deadness for a few matches. And then Howard and Lois Holdsclaw from Purcell, OK, who have retired from the sport, walk up for virtual hugs.
A big thanks to USCA Regional VP Russ Dilley for joining us and helping us get the event organized by working with our great friends at USCA Headquarters, Johnny Mitchell and Damon Bidencope.
Final Order
Championship Singles
1. Brian Hovis
2. Walt Janitz
3. Matt Baird
3. Kevin McQuigg
5. Russ Dilley
5. Joe Steiner
7. Art Parsells
7. Brian Zindel
First Flight Singles
1. Stuart Price
2. Carl Archiniaco
3. Ron Millican
3. Deborah Millican
5. Bob Baker
5. Daniel Bolduc
7. Sandy Janitz
7. Ford Austin
9. Joe Schulte
Championship Doubles
1. Brian Hovis & Brian Zindel
2. Matt Baird & Kevin McQuigg
3. Art Parsells & Joe Steiner
4. Walt Janitz & Russ Dilley
First Flight Doubles
1. Ron Millican & Jon Spalding
2. Bob Baker & Joe Schulte
3. Carl Archiniaco & Ford Austin
4. Daniel Bolduc & Stuart Price
5. Deborah Millican & Sandy Janitz