Movin' on Up!

"You can take TennisTitan out of the schoolyard but you can't take the schoolyard out of the TennisTitan, so was the refrain of the Slattery boys as they left the Amackassin Club in North Yonkers after enduring two and one-half hours of inanities spewing from that bloviator, TT, as members on adjoining courts looked on bewilderedly. Titan backed up his raucous on-court behavior with some very fine play enabling 'Slats and TT' to capture the fourth set (6-3) against the "Schnittzel Boys", 'King Gene' and 'Kraut' Kluge, in a very evenly and well-played four setter. TT came out firing in the opener, once again establishing himself as "King of the Doubles Alley," taking away 'KG's ability to control the middle when at net, in their first set victory (6-3). To their credit 'KG/Kraut' would have none of it in sets 2 and 3 as they took control of play, racing to a (love-4) lead in set 2. 'TT/Slats' stopped congratulating each other for their first set victory and made it a contest at 3-4 before succumbing (3-6). Set 3 appeared to be the death knell for TT/Slats as they were broken in 9th game and watched as 'Kraut' served it out (4-6). More errors were creeping into Titan/Slats' games. TT tended to over hit and Frank got to fewer balls and began to flitter away too many easy put-aways at net. But inexplicably Titan was re-energized when given a chance to square things with a fourth set. He held serve in the 1st, 5th and deciding 9th games with all games going to multiple deuce. TT's says "it's all about heart" in the final set and Titan's aorta was pumping as he pasted the ultimate winner down the doubles alley by a bemused 'King Gene.' Upon departure Titan was seen shaking his head ashenly as he overheard 'KG' and 'Slats' explain their choice of guests at the exclusive 'whites only' club to the proprietor, "We'll tell 'Der Kluger' to put bleach in his next undershirt wash and maybe help him understand that biege shorts are not quite white, but as for the Titan, remember the name of the club, Amack - ASS -IN... TT's very appropriate, don't you think!"