June 11, 2020
June 11, 2020
Warren's name still comes up frequently among players at the Berkeley Tennis Club. Inside out dink overhead winners will provoke cries of "A Warren Daane!" The financial people still speak with dread about encounters with Warren.
My favorite story is the one told by Gene Cantin, former tour player and teaching pro. Gene was playing in a charity pro-am at the BTC. His assigned partner was Warren, a stranger to Gene. Warren shuffled out on the court for the first match, food-stained sweater with elbow hole.
A digression is appropriate here: Some tennis players have a God-given shot, one that is mysteriously really good. Warren had a forehand. You could have frozen Warren cryogenically, for a decade or so, thawed him out, and placed him in the serve return position of the deuce court, and Warren would rip a forehand return.
So, Warren shuffles up to Gene and says, quietly, "I really can play." "Right," thinks Gene. Their opponents serve first, a guy with one of the biggest serves in northern California. The guys hits a rocket. Gene, eyes ahead on the opposing net man, hears a small explosion from the back right corner of the court. Warren has hit an aspirin at the server's feet.
Game on!
My favorite story is the one told by Gene Cantin, former tour player and teaching pro. Gene was playing in a charity pro-am at the BTC. His assigned partner was Warren, a stranger to Gene. Warren shuffled out on the court for the first match, food-stained sweater with elbow hole.
A digression is appropriate here: Some tennis players have a God-given shot, one that is mysteriously really good. Warren had a forehand. You could have frozen Warren cryogenically, for a decade or so, thawed him out, and placed him in the serve return position of the deuce court, and Warren would rip a forehand return.
So, Warren shuffles up to Gene and says, quietly, "I really can play." "Right," thinks Gene. Their opponents serve first, a guy with one of the biggest serves in northern California. The guys hits a rocket. Gene, eyes ahead on the opposing net man, hears a small explosion from the back right corner of the court. Warren has hit an aspirin at the server's feet.
Game on!