P'ball & ransom - June 29, 2010

As reported by Steve: There were 10 players in action today. Hot, but that didn't stop the hearty Upstate Pickleballers from playing several hotly-contested matches. Players: Mike, Gary, Johnny, Carol, Anne, Charlie, Pete, John, Jan & Steve. It has been reported that a blue paddle w/ white stripes was left unattended at the court. It is being held for ransom - the 'payment' has yet to be determined.

The wanderers.

Spike & Cupcake

Hannibal, MO

Sizzling P'ball - June 25, 2010

Steve reports that it was a sizzling day, but 11 toughies showed up and had some fiery matches including some tight ones. Players: Mike, Bob H, Charlie, Lynne, Jan, Anne, Pete, Catherine, Dave H, Johnny & Steve.

Keep up the good work. We start heading east today.

Spike & Cupcake
Wandering reporters.
Keystone, SD (2 miles from Mt Rushmore).

UPG Scorcher - June 22, 2010

That's Spike & Cupcake with Paul Bunyan & Babe in Bemidji, MN. What's that got to do with P'ball you ask? Not a darn thing.

Steve reports that 8 hardy players showed up in spite of the heat: Jan, Joanie, Mike, Ralph, Charlie, Johnny, Carol and Steve. Many hard, and close games were played and most of the crowd lasted 2-1/2 hours. Then, to finish off the day Stevie Wonder and Spidy played 3 singles games. Whew!!!

Spike & Cupcake
Roving Reporters
Washburn, ND

Beautiful Day - Pickleball Report - June 18, 2010

Steve advises that 10 folks showed up for P'ball on a beauty of a day with just a little breeze. Players: Ralph, Charlie, Gary, Muriel, Jan, Bob H, Richard W, Raylene, John & Steve. Players had lots of fun and banged out some hard-hitting matches. Rest up for the next session!

Spike & Cupcake
Roving reporters
Mackinaw City, MI

Hot, Hot, Hot: Pickleball Report 6/15/2010

Players present on this HOT, HOT day: Mike, Bob T, John, Johnny, Carol, Joanie, Jan, Charlie & Steve. Steve noted, rather eloquently, that the matches went on, in spite of the heat - until the last person was standing. Kudos to him/her. Keep up the good work. Check your e-mail for the next session.

Spike
Roving reporter
Cave City, KY

No-frills Pickleball report - June 11, 2010

No pictures today. You'll just have to use your imagination. Steve reports that nice weather greeted 8 players and one fan. Players: Joanie, Jan, Johnny, John, Bob H, Mike, Catherine, and Steve. Lee (Jan's friend) came to watch. Steve advised that there were several excellent and hot-fought matches. How you go! Check your E-mail for the next scheduled session.
Spike
Greenville, SC

P'ball: Upstate style - June 8, 2010

Above: Joanie, by a landslide vote of the Upstate Pickleball Awards Committee & Storm Door Company (UPAC&SDC), was designated: Queen Pickleball. This prestigious honor entitles her to generous rewards, not the least of which, is top billing in this BLOG. Congratulations. Twelve P'ballers showed up today, and they came to play: Jan, Joanie,Sharon, Lynne, John, Johnny, Mike, Steve, Bob T, Bob H, Ralph & Ron (yon editor). It was good to see Ralph back in action. As can seen in the photos above, it didn't take him long to get into the groove and into the battles that followed. There were many exceptional games played and we had fun in the process. Kudos to Bob T. He was on fire today with vicious serves, withering volleys and smoking, overhand kill shots that sent some opponents diving for the sidelines.

Below : Stevie Wonder and Jan play tight to the net.

Steve has generously volunteered to tend to the P'ball scheduling duties, and equipment management, for a about 4 weeks. Lynn will take care of the E-mail notifications and she is hereby thanked. You too, Mr. Wonder.

See you in a bit. Spike & Cupcake

Sun & Fun - P'ball Report - June 4, 2010

Above: Buckeye looks on appreciatively as Richard W wields a potent forehand with enough zip to set his hat flying. This is how the game is played in Upstate Pickleball land. Any questions?
Below: Carol demonstrates the lost art of poaching while her partner Ray deftly studies the maneuver for future reference. We had a near-record crowd today with 17 players, including newbie Linda P, Dick H (vetern player - nickname: Smoke, visiting all the way from Lake Lure in NC -a 90 minute drive), Richard W, part of the Keowee Key gang (also a lengthy drive) and the following: Catherine, Gary, Muriel, Jan, Mike, Steve, Bob H, John, Carol, Charlie, Ray, Lynne, Sharon & Ron. The courts were thick with players. To keep things moving along we switched all 4 players at the end of each match. There was one shutout, another match went to 14-12 and plenty of other hard-fought and exciting matches as well. We played for 3 hours.

The pictures do not lie! There are no slugabugs here.

We'll be playing again next week. Check your E-mail for the scheduled events. See you then.

Spike

UPG - Pickleball in its purist form - 6/01/2010

Above: Cupcake is ready to serve to Spidy with Joanie guarding the net.

We had 15 players today: Jan, Sharon, Johnny, John, Mike, Steve, Bob H, Bob T, Ray, Charlie, Lynne, Gary, Joanie, Carol & Ron. The courts were very wet when we arrived, but the troops came well prepared and we had the surface fully operational in near record time. It warmed up fast and that's the way we played - actually, fast and furious. There were many exceptional matches; see the pictures below which document the events of the day in full color. Thanks to Ace for capturing the picture of another fallen player. This particular picture IS NOT staged. It may appear to be a set-up, a fake, a farce, a crock, even hard to believe, but the pile-up actually happened in exactly the way it is depicted. Really. Pictures don't lie. And, that's the truth. Clown, we do. Fun, we have.

We got lucky with the weather today because we are in the midst of daily T-storms. Same for Thursday and Friday, but we'll give it a go - probably on Friday. Stay tuned.

Spike