Donald C. Paup

Donald Clark Paup (April 2, 1939 – August 7, 2012) was an American badminton player who won national and international titles from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s.[1][2] Primarily a doubles specialist, he was known for his quick racket and tactical astuteness. He was ranked first in U.S. men's doubles for twelve consecutive seasons (1965–1976); all but the last of these in a partnership with fellow left-hander Jim Poole which was consistently competitive at the world class level. Paup and Poole reached the finals of men's doubles at the U.S. Open Championships five times, winning twice, and were undefeated in all five of the closed national championships in which they competed as a team.[3] Paup was a member of all U.S. Thomas Cup teams between 1963 and 1973.[1] He was elected to the U.S. Badminton Hall of Fame, now called the Walk of Fame, in 1973.[4]

He refereed for badminton in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.[2]

He died in 2012 after struggling for a number of years with Parkinson's disease.[5]

Major Achievements in Badminton

Tournament Event Year
U.S. Open Men's Doubles 1968, 1973
U.S. Championships Men's Doubles 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1982
Mixed Doubles 1971
Mexican Open Men's Doubles 1965
South African Open Men's Doubles 1971

International tournaments

Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
1964 Mexico International Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 2–15, 4–15 Runner-up

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1964 Mexico International Michael Hartgrove Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
Paisan Loaharanu
4–15, 8–15 Runner-up
1965 Mexico International Erland Kops Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
Paisan Loaharanu
15–9, 15–10 Winner
1966 U.S. Open Jim Poole Ng Boon Bee
Tan Yee Khan
6–15, 12–15 Runner-up
1968 U.S. Open Jim Poole Takeshi Miyanaga
Eiichi Sakai
15–8, 15–18, 17–15 Winner
1970 U.S. Open Jim Poole Junji Honma
Ippei Kojima
11–15, 2–15 Runner-up
1971 U.S. Open Jim Poole Ng Boon Bee
Punch Gunalan
15–2, 13–18, 7–15 Runner-up
1971 South African Badminton Championships Chris Kinard Alan Parsons
William Kerr
17–14, 15–8 Winner
1973 U.S. Open Jim Poole Derek Talbot
Mike Tredgett
11–15, 15–11, 15–12 Winner

Mixed doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
1966 Canada Open Helen Tibbetts Ng Boon Bee
Ulla Strand
10–15, 9–15 Runner-up
1969 U.S. Open Helen Tibbetts Erland Kops
Pernille Mølgaard Hansen
6–15, 15–13, 7–15 Runner-up
1971 U.S. Open Helen Tibbetts Jim Poole
Maryanne Breckell
14–17, 7–15 Runner-up
1971 South African Badminton Championships Pam Stockton Alan Parsons
Wilma Prade
6–15, 12–15 Runner-up

References

  1. ^ a b "Paup". Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2007-12-29.
  2. ^ a b "Donald C. Paup, professor, badminton champ". The Washington Post. August 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Don Rittmann, "The 'All-Time' Thomas Cup Team," Badminton USA, February, 1983: 8.
  4. ^ "USA Badminton - Walk of Fame Inductees". USA Badminton. teamusa.org. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. ^ "DONALD PAUP Obituary (2012) - Washington, DC - The Washington Post".