Dick Morrow played paddle with his wife Sugar in the early ’60s. When he came to Wilmington he became the Pied Piper of paddle. Dick was an excellent player, yet Dick also had a real feeling for less competitive players. He persuaded players of all levels onto the courts to share the fun. Dick made sure that the Tri-Club was always a fun weekend.    When Dick died in 1984, Randy Barton, Barry Snyder and Lee Wiley formed a committee with Peggy Barton, Ron and Ellie Maroney and Molly Wiley to transform the Tri-Club into the Richard R. P. Morrow Invitational Tournament. It is an invitational so we can include some out-of-town friends, and so we can make some new friends. The three-flight format encourages the participation of beginners and hackers, or those whose knees just don’t work to well any more. It is a pleasure to remember Dick each year.

Paddle started in Wilmington in the early ’70s. The first Tri-Club Mixed Doubles Tournament was played in 1974 (with 56 teams). When Kennett added courts their members joined the fun. Despite the presence of four clubs, it was still called the “Tri-Club” tournament.