Player Profile Doug Grimsley
Age: 60 years old. Look older, act younger (immature).
Ranking: U.S #3, World #22
Home base: Retired tuna boat captain from Fairfax, Va.
Home club: Closest local club is Larry Moore’s Patuxent Croquet club in Damascus, Maryland – about 90 minutes away. I have time to play a whole game in my head while driving there. However, practice is not a strong point for me.
Grip: Irish grip. Left foot forward, hair parted on left.
Mallet: Pidcock 12’’ round head carbon fiber mallet, 34” handle with lots of bicycle grip tape to make the grip thicker.
Years playing six-wicket croquet: Started playing six wicket in 1990. First game at the Arizona Open – first opponent – the legendary Neil Spooner. Score: Spooner 26 - Grimsley 2 Second Game: Rhys Thomas 26 - Grimsley 3 See how quickly I was improving ... it was only a matter of time!!!
Favorite croquet venue: I’m not sure I’ve ever played at a venue that I didn’t enjoy, but Ren Kraft’s court in Scottsdale, Arizona has a fully stocked refrigerator.
Favorite tournament: My favorite tournament is usually the next tournament, and my least favorite – with a few exceptions (after my occasional win) is the last tournament. I get excited about the Association and USCA Rules Nationals wherever they are held.
How did you get into the game: Played my first games in my grandfather’s front yard on the farm in Remington, Va in the 50’s. I played hundreds of competitive games of back yard nine wicket before I ever knew six-wicket existed. When I finally started playing tournaments, I was a real dope – but I could shoot straight.
Croquet highlights/tourney wins: I’ve probably played in as many tournaments as anyone in the country over the last 20 years, and it still seems like every win is more fun than the last, but it is hard to top my USCA National singles win in 2003 at NCC. It was made more memorable by coming down to a win or lose hit-in in last turn. Every national championship win, singles or doubles, is pretty cool. I’ve been lucky to have some good partners: Rich Curtis, Ben Rothman and Leo McBride. Winning three National Doubles titles with my best friend (Rich, not Leo) has been a lot of fun. And I’ve taught Ben everything I know (that took almost an hour).
When did you know you could play: I was absolutely certain that I could play with anyone right from the start. Then I started actually playing. I knew right away –about half way through my first tournament—that I had enough talent to play at a high level, but I think it was much harder for a part-time player to learn the game in the early 90’s. Now we can learn everything on the computer, and there are so many more tournaments now. My development was slowed a bit by lack of a local court (still don’t have one), so I just tried to play in a lot of tournaments and pay attention to my betters.
Pop culture favorites (TV, movies, books and/or music): My favorite critic of all TV, movies, and books is California croquet player Charlie Smith. He’s never steered me wrong. All time favorite movie: Of course, The Godfather. I’m an adult male, right! Greatest book ever written: Lonesome Dove. I’m an adult male, right! Best TV show ever: Deadwood. I’m an adult male, Right! Actually, I spend most of my free time in the summer months watching baseball games, and Rich Curtis and I are probably the only two croquet players who watch the entire Tour de France from start to finish every year.
Quick croquet tip: “There are plenty of things in life to get nervous about—croquet shouldn’t be one of them.” My father, a WWII Navy vet was once asked why he never seemed nervous on the croquet court—his reply was “because no one is firing torpedoes at me.”
20 | august / september 2010 |
croquetnetwork.com
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