Cabin John Morning Tennis Club  
Newsletter – Spring 2003

 

Dog Bite and Sports Injury

 

With his left hand heavily wrapped up with bandages, Herman showed up on the tennis court on Tuesday, March 18 after a week’s disappearance.  His excuse was that his old dog bit him at home and put him in the hospital. Sure, kids always say that dogs eat their homework—nobody gave Herman any sympathies.  Everybody started laughing until realizing that he was telling the truth. Recently, his old dog became senile and sick, ridden with diseases.  That day he played with his dog by patting the head.  The next thing he knew, the dog snarled and started biting his hand off viciously.  It took him quite a while to get his hand out of the harm’s way.  We could tell how bad it was that he couldn’t raise his left hand for the serve—the under-hand serve was his only choice.  Look out, John—he has two old dogs.

 

John is known for his surgery-prone ability, or disability?  You name it and he has it—from the neck down, shoulder, heart, elbow, hands, prostate, knees, ankles, every part is under repair.  He was in agony most of the time playing tennis during the last few years.  No wonder he had so much temper.  Now he is in good shape—smiling all the time and chasing balls like a dog on the tennis court.  What a magic!  Oh, yes—he had eye problem, too.  Used to be that he could see only with one eye—cataract or whatever he called.  After the eye surgery, his eyes are as good as new now—it’s hard to pass him at the net any more.

 

As to the eyes, Chan has developed a technique to hit the balls with his eyes closed.  He never realized it until Tom discovered one day and told him about it.  Tom also observed that Chan hit a better shot with his eyes closed—an out-right winner, a tremendous drop shot, or a good angled passing shot.  Chan had a major surgery over five years ago.  After the surgery, he developed something called ‘verticals,’ with the problem of balancing.  Even though it was cured later, the phobia set in and he feels floating in the air occasionally.  The closing of his eyes is probably due to the fear—or phobia—and uses his ears to pinpoint the location of the ball to hit with all his might.  Actually he has such a good hearing that he can tell whether a piano is out of tune or not—better than his spouse who is a piano teacher.

 

The day when Herman showed up, Don arrived late as usual and started to wrap up his elbow with a support bandage.  Chan kidded that we had another casualty of dog-bite.  Don doesn’t seem like he has any injury at all except with the occasional bandages on his elbow or knees.  He is mostly afraid of bee stints during the summer time.  He has the hired hands to do his lawn mowing since late 1980’s and maids to do his house cleaning.  No wonder he has so much energy to play tennis all day long.  With his open-stand, he may have less chance to be injured. 

 

Even the most fitted person of this bunch, Murray, has some problems with his body.  Probably due to the way he chips and slices the balls all the time, the burden to his shoulders has been tremendous.  He is rarely capable to raise either side of his hands high enough to create a decent serve—but with a deadly spins.

 

As to the fastest runner, Lou, he almost always has his right wrist wrapped around, along with his right elbow.  Once for a while, he developed tennis elbow or shoulder problem, and served under-handedly.

 

The captain, Tom, a black-belt karate expert, always warms up with Tai Chi, still could not avoid the injury to his shoulder.  You can tell that by his not being able to extend his hands all the way up when serving. 

 

The umpire of the club, Herb, doesn’t seem like to have any injury at all, probably due to his habit of playing tennis bare-chested.  Another person who claims that he is the healthiest person of this group is Scott.  He says that everybody is jealous of his good health—especially John.  Big Ernie looks very healthy, but he has the tendency falling down on the tennis court all the time, like a baby—scratches everywhere on his body.

 

By the way, are dog bite and sports injury related?

 

 

 

 

Inspiration: Playing Outdoor Tennis at 14 Degrees Fahrenheit This Winter

 

All year round, we play outdoor tennis no matter what temperature it is—except snow, sleet or rain. Last winter when we played outdoor tennis at 17 degrees Fahrenheit, we were so proud of ourselves. This winter we broke another record.  It was a Wednesday, in the morning of January 22, 2003.  It was 14 degrees Fahrenheit at 9:00 a.m., according to the reading on the baseball field board. Tom, Chan, Herman, and Don showed up and all bundled up—gloves, hood, heavy clothes.  Tom and Jerry defeated Herman and Don with the score 1-6, 4-6, 3-2 (winners takes all). The next time these two teams met again on Tuesday, January 28.  Tom and Jerry defeated Herman and Don 6-4.  Of course, it was much warmer than 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

The biggest snowstorm engulfed Washington D.C. area starting on Saturday, February 15 and continued for weeks.  That stopped the outdoor tennis activities until the resumption on Wednesday, March 5.  Flurries started again in the early morning of March 11, a Tuesday.  John left without even hitting a ball.  Don drove up and left, too.  Later, Herb came to join Tom, Chan, and Herman.  The snowflakes were getting bigger and bigger, while the four of us got stronger and stronger.  Herb and Herman led Tom and Jerry 6-3 before quitting.

 

After the snowstorm, rain took over.  During the week of March 17, Tuesday was the only day we played—Tom took away some of the club members to play his indoor tennis on Wednesday.  What a shame.

 

This is a great and tough tennis team—the freezing coldness and snow could not scare them away.