BEAN-SMITH 2013 CHAMPS -- (L/R) Randy Wackerle & Chad Krager defeated Bay City's Sandy DeGreif and Ron Malecki 21-7, 21-16 in the finals.

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Wackerle & Krager Three-Peat at 2013 Bean-Smith Paddleball Tourney

36th Annual Bean-Smith Paddleball Tourney Held at Dow YMCA

April 14, 2013
By: O. J. Cunningham

The 36th Bean/Smith Tournament is in the books. Twenty teams from around the state gathered at the new YMCA in Bay City to slug it out on the four glass back courts.

In the Men's Open division Bay City's Randy Wackerle and Chad Krager completed the 3-peat by winning 2011, 2012, and 13. Mike Wisniewski is the only other player to win three years in succession in this tourney. Wack/Krager defeated Bay City's Sandy DeGreif and Ron Malecki 21-7, 21-16 in the finals.

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 36th year.

Wackerle, now 65, and a 2001 inductee into the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame, has won the Bean-Smith Paddleball Tourney in Bay City seven (7) times . . . 1975, 1982, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013.

The 2013 Bean-Smith is Wackerle's 48th National Paddleball Association (NPA) sanctioned doubles title. "Funny thing," Wackerle said. "I've won titles with thirty-one different players."

Asked if he thought he could get to 50 titles -- "Let's just say I've been DOUBLE BLESSED," Wackerle said. "I just love playing this (paddleball) game," he added. "Fifty just sounds crazy."

In the A division -- Saginaw's Andrew Price and Jeff Collet defeated Bay City's Mike Wisniewski and Scott Carmona 21-8, 21-12.

In Men's B -- Bay City's Willie Reed and Steve Roe defeated Ann Arbor's Sam Holtz and Ron Harris 21-19, 21-20 in a close final.

In Men's C division -- Midland's Don Traxler and Al Harris defeated Saginaw's Natalie Gilbert and Adam Lipinski 21-8, 21-9.