1989 - Bob GRATTIDGE
Bob GRATTIDGE (1989)
Bob was about 17 (1955) when he first started his table tennis career playing at his place of employment where a table tennis table was situated in the lunch room at Alexanders Menswear. Playing at lunchtime and before work commenced, he proved to be very competitive, so much so that enquiries were made to enter a team in a team competition. Eventually joining VTTA with a low grade in 1957. Using their home ground for matches as well as various other venues had some success.
After a couple of years, Bob’s teammates decided to stop playing. Having made many friends, Bob decided to join the Rainbow Club based at the table tennis centre and continued playing. As the years go by joining the Rainbow committee and being asked to join the VTTA Pennant sub-committee. This eventually led to being asked to join the VTTA Board and was given the Pennant/Tournament Portfolio in the early 1970s.
Rainbow changed its name to the Albert Park Club and remained one of the most popular clubs in the competition. Bob eventually became the Chairman of the Albert Park Club and continued to play, but eventually decided to stop playing and concentrate on the duties of running the Tuesday/Wednesday pennant and still being involved with the Albert Park Club. This system continued for the better part of 20 years, but with the move to the new centre, MSAC, in 1997 Bob decided it was time to retire and step down from his table tennis duties but still remained involved as a spectator.
However, after a couple of years things did not work out as planned and he was once again involved to assist in the running of the TTV pennant and assist in tournaments. Eventually, TTV decided to lease out the running of the pennant competition.
Bob was awarded Volunteer of the Year in 2007 and 2012 and was made a Life Member of TTV in 1989.
It has been a long, long journey and Bob can still be seen occasionally on a Wednesday pennant night or a tournament event at MSAC.
