Walter R. Kramer Explained

Walter R. Kramer (August 22, 1914 – October 15, 1995) was a U.S. badminton player. His last residences were in California^[1] and Washington state.

Early life

He was born August 22, 1914^[2] in Buchs, St. Gallen, Switzerland. He moved to the U.S. in 1924 at age 10. He and his wife Josephine (?-1980?) had three children: Walter (1936-2005), Patricia (1937), and Peggy (1939-1984). They moved from Detroit (Michigan) to Seattle in 1948. He remarried to Harriett (1921-1997)^[3] in the 1980s.

Career

Walter Kramer won at the 1937 inaugural open U.S. Championships title in the men's singles. In the final, the 24-year-old Kramer who was from the Detroit Badminton Club defeated the Malaysian Ong Hock Sim 15:10, and 15:4, and thus ensured that the first U.S. title remained on the American continent . The following year, he successfully defended his title by defeating William Markham in the final. In 1939, however, his reign ended in the final when he was defeated by eighteen-year-old David G. Freeman.^[4]

Accomplishments

Kramer finished first in Men's Doubles at the 1935 New England Badminton Championships with teammate James Bryson of Ottawa.^[5]

In 1936 Kramer was ranked the #1 badminton player in the U.S. He was honored by the City of Detroit as part of the first Champions Day, celebrating noted athletes from Detroit and Michigan. The Banquet was held on April 18, 1936.^[6]

In 1937 Kramer won the inaugural U.S. Championship in the men's singles event. He defeated Chinese champion from New England, H. S. Ong, 15-10, 15-4.^[7]

In 1938 Kramer successfully defended his title.

He began 1939 strongly by winning the Pennsylvania singles crown on February 20, 1939, though finishing only second place in mixed doubles with his wife against William Pinkerton and Barbara Jarman.^[8]

He was inducted into the Team USA Badminton Walk of Fame in 1956.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Walter R Kramer (1914-1995) . Ancient Faces . 2014-04-12.
2. Web site: Walter R. Kramer . Crestleaf . 2014-04-13.
3. Web site: Harriett E. Kramer . Crestleaf . 2014-04-12.
4. Book: Soderberg, Paul . 1977 . The Big Book of Halls of Fame in the United States and Canada. registration .
5. Web site: O. D. B. A. History 1934 - 1935 . Ottawa District Badminton Association . ... for the New England Badminton Championships. The Canadians took 7 of the 8 championship positions. Bev Mitchell took the Men's Singles and combined with Helen Grant of St. Catherines for the Mixed title. Isabel Bryson took the Ladies Singles while James Bryson combined with Walter Kramer of Detroit for the Men's Doubles. . 2014-04-12.
6. News: City of Champions, Dynamic Detroit . Detroit, MI, USA . Detroit Free Press . April 19, 1936 .
7. Web site: Perak Chinese Startles U.S. Badminton Players . The Straits Times . Singapore . 16 May 1937 . 4 . A Perak Chinese, H. S. Ong, who was formerly captain of the Cambridge University badminton team, and who reached the semifinal of the all-England badminton championship last year, was runner-up in the United States championship recently. ... In the final, with a crowd of 5,000 seated round the court, Ong's opponent was tall, 24-year-old Walter Kramer, of the Detroit Badminton Club, rated by professionals as the ablest American amateur in the last two years. The first game went to Kramer, 15-10. In the second Ong got a lead of 4-1, then apparently forgot all he knew about the game while his opponent ran 14 points in a row for match and title. . 2014-04-12.
8. News: Kramer Victor in Badminton . Walter Kramer of Detroit and Mary Whittemore of Boston held the Pennsylvania Badminton singles crowns today, following straight-game victories in their final matches at the Penn Athletic Club. Kramer defeated William Pinkerton of Toronto, 15-5, 15-8, .... Pinkerton and Miss Jarman won the mixed doubles title from Kramer and his wife, 15-7, 15-3. . February 20, 1939 . Miami Daily News . Miami, Florida . section B, p. 2 . 2014-04-12.
9. Web site: Walk of Fame Inductees . https://web.archive.org/web/20140121054105/http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Badminton/USAB/Walk-of-Fame/Walk-of-Fame-Inductees . dead . January 21, 2014 . Team USA . 2018-08-31.