The End of an Era Simon Blattner Steps Down as Sponsor of the Eastside Editions Doubles Squash Championships

Simon Blattner and his wife Kimberley (seated) are joined by well-wishers at the tournament cocktail party.
Simon Blattner and his wife Kimberley (seated) are joined by well-wishers at the tournament cocktail party.

Over the weekend of October 26-28, the annual Eastside Editions Doubles Squash Championships (formerly “The Rittenhouse”) was played at the University Club of San Francisco. The event has been a fixture of the West Coast squash season since 1986. This year was bittersweet, however, as it marked the end of Simon Blattner’s tenure as tournament sponsor. Mr. Blattner, a Jester and longtime promoter of the doubles game, decided it was time to pass the torch to the next generation. The doubles squash community should be grateful for his dedication to the game, in general, and to this tournament, in particular, as his energy, engaging personality, and mean reverse corner have been staples of the doubles scene for years.

 The tournament has attracted big names over the years, including Taylor Quick, Dick Rice, Charlie Khan, Sam Khan, Berkeley Belknap, Keen Butcher, Kevin Jernigan, Neil Desaulniers, James Marver, Jim Gibbons, Kris Surano and Paul Gessling among others.

Kevin Jernigan, Roy Rubin, Erik Wohlgemuth and John Lau. Lau/Wolgemuth defeated Jernigan/Rubin 3-2 to win the Men’s A division.
Kevin Jernigan, Roy Rubin, Erik Wohlgemuth and John Lau. Lau/Wolgemuth defeated Jernigan/Rubin 3-2 to win the Men’s A division.

The University Club of San Francisco plans to continue the event under new sponsorship and may move the tournament date up (traditionally on Halloween weekend) so it will function as a warm-up for the World Doubles Squash Championships.