31st Annual Bean-Smith Paddleball Tournament
Held at Bay City YMCA

40 Players Battle for Trophies in Four Divisions

February 7, 2008
By: O. J. Cunningham

The 31st Bean/Smith Paddleball extravaganza was held recently at the Bay Area Family YMCA in Bay City. Twenty (20) teams from around the state made the trip to Bay City to participate.

The names Herb Bean and Fred Smith are well-known among veteran paddle-ballers at the Bay Area Family YMCA. Bean, a circus clown and acrobat, and Smith, a local businessman, were both long-time paddleball players from Bay City.

When Bean passed away unexpectedly during surgery, Fred Smith started a paddleball tournament in Herb Bean's honor. The following year, Smith also passed away unexpectedly and thus the Bean/Smith Tournament was born - Now in its 31st Annual Paddleball Tournament year.

In 2008, thirty eight men and two women battled for eight hand-made trophies in four divisions.

Mike Wisniewski and Cort Schepeler topped the "Open" field in some very close matches. The Bay City team outlasted Jim Richter and Shahabaz from Ann Arbor (21-20) in a round robin play-off.

Golden Masters (55+) saw Earl Pratt, Bay City, and Jack Barenfanger (Ann Arbor) take the title in a round robin format.

The Mens' A title went to Bay City's Scott Wittbrodt and Greg Keenan. Wittbrodt-Keenan defeated Midland's Ron and Chris Malecki in a very close tie-breaker.

In Mens' B, Midland's Todd and Bryan Carr won in two straight sets over Bay City's Jim Price and Pat Gahan.

Tournament Brackets - 31st Annual Bean-Smith Paddleball Tournament


Mens' Open Champs - Mike Wisniewski (Left) and Cort Schepeler
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Mens' A Champs - Bay City's Scott Wittbrodt (Right) and Greg Keenan


Golden Masters (55+) Champs - Earl Pratt, Bay City, and Jack Barenfanger (Ann Arbor)


Mens' B Champs - Midland's Todd and Bryan Carr