Father's Day at the TVOC Tennis Tourney in Chattanooga

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Numerous dad’s will be playing for titles or cheering on one of their sibling’s Sunday at the TVOC tennis tournament at Manker Patten.

 

With one dad playing in a pair of finals, two other father’s spending most of the day officiating on the courts and one more pulling double duty as finalist and tourney director, it should be a great Father’s Day 2014.

 

 * Robert Fisher: a finalist in 55s singles and doubles – and his family will have a quiet dinner at home Sunday evening with his mother and father.

“He has been a great dad and role model for me all these years,†said Fisher. He and his dad, Ed, were both Grayson Medal recipients (McCallie’s highest award); Ed in 1951 and Robert in 1978.

 

Great Tennis Birthday … Robert is 54, but is eligible to play in the 55s since he turns 55 later this year (Dec. 30).

 

* Richard Rogers:  tournament head official … A dozen or so family members will gather at Richard and Jean’s home for dinner Sunday night … the family has a special Father’s Day gift for Richard.

 

Richard did not play tennis growing up, but has been a tennis official since the early 1990s and is one of the best in the nation having worked several NCAA men’s and women’s championships.

 

* Thorny Strang: The former McCallie and North Carolina State player will also officiate several finals matches … Thorny’s Father’s Day gift will last a week and he and his wife, Laura, will have a grandson, Holt Farber, to keep them company for the next seven days … Holt, who will attend McCallie Camp, is the five-year-old son of Claire Strang Farber, the Strang’s youngest daughter.

 

* Ned Caswell: He serves as tournament director and will also find time to play in the 35s and 45s doubles finals … He and his wife, Wendy, and their two daughters, Samantha and Harper are planning a much deserved quiet evening at home for dinner and cheer for the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals ... he will also be a cheerleader in the afternoon as Samantha (rising UTC freshman) and UTC rising senior Pavels Grigorjvels are playing in the Mixed Open Doubles finals at 2 p.m. … Ned takes the court at 11 a.m. for the 35s and at 2 p.m. for the 45s.

 

So Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s who are playing or watching and cheering. You are so important to so many people.

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net