2006 Newport Smash
July 17 and 18, 2006
Click for Smash Photos -->
NEWPORT, R.I. -- The 2006 Newport Smash was one of legends and heroes. That's a pretty bold label for any event let alone one that represents an 11-year-old organization, half a century by non-profit standards.
Legends of the professional tennis kind were everywhere. From tee to court, there were former World No. 1 singles players, Rod Laver and Stan Smith at Carnegie Abbey Club's Donald Steel designed course and International Tennis Hall of Fame. On the Hall of Fame's stadium court, Laver's exhibition doubles partner was the equally awesome, Martina Navratilova.
At 49-years-old, Navratilova announced her retirement effective at the end of this year. The former No. 1 ranked woman's tennis player in the world, she holds a record 167 singles crowns and 175 doubles titles.
Navratilova, who was later paired with Todd Martin, came up on the short end of each of the tie-breaker-forced mini-sets, but was honored and praised for her years of championship caliber tennis prior to the Smash exhibition. On Bill Talbert Center Court, Navratilova officially lent the International Tennis Hall of Fame two of her treasured Wimbledon trophies and was presented a blazer that is presented to Hall of Fame inductees, but wasn't on the agenda when she was inducted in 2000.
"This is one blazer Roger Federer doesn't have yet," Navratilova said of the current World No. 1 singles player and the jacket he donned during Wimbledon.
The court also featured Martin, a member of the last U.S. Team (1995) to win the Davis Cup and that year's Davis Cup captain, Tom Gullikson. Often teamed with his late twin brother, Tim, Tom Gullikson graced the upper echelon of doubles lineups in the 1980s and won his lone ATP singles title at Newport in 1985.
The event also featured retired tennis professionals MaliVai Washington, Richey Reneberg and Tim Mayotte, Basketball Hall of Famer, K.C. Jones and in the emcee and umpires chairs, Hall of Fame broadcaster, Bud Collins.
The real hero, however, emerged at the event gala when 2000 Tim Gullikson Spirit Award honoree, Samantha Scolamiero, spoke on behalf of others the Foundation has touched through its financial assistance. A 36-year-old from Somerville, Mass., Scolamiero, is a brain tumor survivor who after being diagnosed at age 20, created BRAINTMR or braintrust.org, an online patient and family support Internet destination. Her drive, determination and delivery of stories of others who have been helped with programs via the Tim & Tom Gullikson Foundation, received a standing ovation. Collins called her "a champion among champions."
There was also Lori Skloff, a brain tumor survivor who recently earned her college degree in nursing and four-year-old TJ Ragnoni and his family.
"This is why we exist," Tom Gullikson said.
|
