CHAD KRAGER (L) & RANDY WACKERLE DEFEATED MIKE WISNIEWSKI AND ANN ARBOR'S JIM OWENS 21-15, 21-14
Wackerle/Krager 5-Peat at April 2015 Bean-Smith Paddleball
28 Teams Battle at Dow Bay Area Family Y
April 12, 2015
By: O. J. Cunningham
The Bay Area Family Y hosted the 38th Herb Bean/Fred Smith Doubles paddleball tournament this past week-end. Twenty teams from around Michigan signed up to do battle on the four glass-back courts.
PAUL MACBRIDE/ BRETT LEWLESS
"A" Division - (BAY CITY)
Photo by O. J. Cunningham
© MyBayCity.com
PAT O'SHEA/ BILL JAMROG
"B" Division - (BAY CITY)
Photo by O. J. Cunningham
© MyBayCity.com
Bay City's Randy Wackerle won the first Tournament back in 1974 and teamed with Krager (Again) in 2015 to notch another win.
THIS MARKS A "FIVE PEAT" -- (5 YEARS IN A ROW) FOR THE RETIRED JOHN GLENN TEACHER (Wackerle) AND FORMER STUDENT Krager).
The first three years the tournament was called the Bay City Holiday Inn Paddleball Tournament and changed it's name when Herb Bean passed away. The following year Fred Smith passed and the Bean/Smith was born.
Wackerle has now won nine (9) Bean/Smith Titles -- 1974, 1982, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, AND 2015. The 38th Bean/Smith had four (4) divisions.
In the Open Division Final, Bay City's Randy Wackerle and Chad Krager held on to defend their string of 5 consecutive wins against Bay City's nine time National Singles Champ Mike Wisniewski and Ann Arbor's Jim Owens 21-15, 21-14 in an hard-fought, competitive finals.
Andrew Gallagher/Paul Bublitz
"C" Division - (BAY CITY)
Photo by O. J. Cunningham
© MyBayCity.com
JOYCE BEAN & HUSBAND
Daughter of Tourney Namesake Herb Bean
Photo by O. J. Cunningham
© MyBayCity.com
The "A" Division Champs - PAUL MACBRIDE / BRETT LEWLESS (BAY CITY)
The "B" Division Champs - PAT O'SHEA / BILL JAMROG (BAY CITY)
The "C" Division Champs - ANDREW GALLAGHER / PAUL BUBLITZ (BAY CITY).