THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510050162
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
FORMER KELLAM HIGH School baseball player Gary Blanks remembered the play as if it was yesterday, not 20 years ago.
``We were playing Kempsville and I rounded third and headed home,'' he said. ``I slid head first and hit my head on the catcher's knee, broke the fifth and sixth vertebrae in my neck.
``A Pete Rose slide did this.''
It was a spinal cord injury that left Blanks a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down. He has used a wheelchair to get around since 1975. And he's used the chair to get around on the fields of play since 1980.
Playing as a member of the Virginia Beach Sun Wheelers wheelchair athletic program, Blanks attaches a racket to his right hand with an Ace bandage and plays tennis twice a week. Late last month, he took to the court at Owls Creek to play in the finals of the Neptune Festival Wheelchair Tennis Tournament's Quad A division. His opponent was good friend and doubles partner Ronnie Kirkland.
``This is my second year of tennis,'' said Blanks, who will compete next summer in Atlanta as a member of the U.S. Paralympic table tennis team. ``Ronnie got me started. I've played in six tournaments this year.''
Kirkland, a Sun Wheeler injured in a diving accident 21 years ago, began playing tennis in 1985.
He beat Blanks, 6-0, 6-2 to win the championship match.
Kirkland hit a surprisingly brisk and accurate underhanded serve. He maneuvered well and played well with few unforced errors.
Kirkland and Blanks were among 27 players who participated in the two-day tournament. In wheelchair tennis, the ball can bounce twice before a player hits it.
Beach resident Bob Barnaby teamed with George Holscher of Chesapeake to win the C division paraplegic doubles competition. It was a cliffhanger. The first game of the match lasted almost 45 minutes. There were numerous deuce points.
``We finally got warmed up and coordinated,'' said Barnaby. ``We started getting our serves in and covering the court better.''
They won 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 over Danny Brennan and Chris Dailey.
Brennan, who traveled from Tulsa, Okla., for the tournament, won the C division singles title by beating Phil Copeland, 7-5, 2-6, 6-4.
Holscher took the consolation match in the C division, 6-3, 6-0, from Keith Douglas.
After his championship singles win, Kirkland joined Blanks on the same side of the net and they won the doubles finals.
Kirkland played tennis before his diving accident accident.
``The biggest difference is the mobility,'' he said. ``Court coverage is harder.''
Anyone with a handicap can play.
``You don't have to suffer from a spinal cord injury. You play in a division based upon your ability, not your disability,'' said Kirkland.
Sherry Hawkins, who coordinated the event for the Virginia Beach Department of Parks and Recreation, spoke optimistically about the future of the tournament.
``The Sun Wheelers got 86 or 87 sponsors involved and took care of the food, the plaques and the T-shirts,'' Hawkins said. ``It was a cooperative effort and we hope that will continue.'' MEMO: For more information on the Sun Wheelers or other wheelchair athletic
programs, call Therapeutic Recreation at the Virginia Beach Department
of Parks and Recreation at 471-5884.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS
Bob Barnaby, left, and George Holscher teamed up to win the C
division paraplegic doubles competition.
by CNB