Walter Plekan

In 1951, at the first USHA National Tournament, Buffalo’s Plekan was making what most experts considered his first and last serious bid for the USHA four-wall championship (Plekan had won several AAU and YMCA titles). It was common knowledge that Plekan was playing despite injured legs that quivered with every prolonged rally. Plekan lost the first game to Vic Hershkowitz in the final, but rallied in the next two to capture the first USHA title. Armed with great hooking serves, Plekan was extremely smart player.