LYNN ADAMS CLAY is a retired American racquetball player. A native of southern California, Adams was one of the dominant players in the 1980s, as she was ranked #1 or #2 every pro season between 1980 and 1991.
Adams was attending Orange Coast College, and a middle distance track athlete, when she first tried racquetball at age 19. Shortly after beginning to play, she met Jim Carson, who became her coach and stayed with her throughout her career.
In the first half of the 1980s, Adams had a fierce rivalry with Heather McKay, former undefeated squash pro, that helped to establish the women’s pro racquetball tour.
Adams was the dominant women’s professional racquetball player after McKay moved back to her native Australia in 1985, and was undefeated in the 1985-86 season. She finished as the #1 player on the women’s pro tour at the end of six seasons during the 1980s. She was Player of the Year eight times (1982–88, 1990) and won the women’s pro Nationals six times (1982, 1983, 1985–88).
Adams had serious health concerns beginning in December 1987, which was when she began having symptoms of multiple sclerosis that eventually led to her retirement in 1991.
After retiring, Adams was on the staff of America’s Most Wanted Racquetball Camps, and co-authored an instructional racquetball book with Erwin Goldbloom.
Adams was inducted into the USA Racquetball Hall of Fame in 1997. She was later inducted into the World Racquetball Hall of Fame in 2017 for her dominance in outdoor sports. She is also in the Orange Coast College Alumni Hall of Fame.
KARIN WALTON, also grew up in southern California, playing sports and enjoying the sun and beach. She picked up racquetball while away at college in Utah. Not long after, she won her first tournament at the famous Mel Gorham’s Sports Center in Pacific Beach, California, which caught the eye of her future sponsor, Charlie Drake of Leach Industries.
Walton was named racquetball’s Female Athlete of the Year in 1978. The next year, she turned pro and won the 1979 National Racquetball Championships, beating top-ranked Shannon Wright in the semis, and #2 ranked Janell Marriott in the finals in Tempe, Arizona.
Although Walton’s career in racquetball was shorter than Adams’, she has excelled in various sports throughout her life, including volleyball, field hockey, tennis, pickleball and golf. She and husband Tom Pennick won many medals in the U.S. Senior Olympics. She is now retired and widowed, living in Oceanside, California.
Schoeber’s Christmas Classic in December 1981 was held at the Pleasanton, CA club just 3 weeks after the club opened. Bill Dunn, brother of pro Steve Dunn, was tournament director and co-commentator.
The men’s finals saw doubles partners and rivals Ed Andrews and Mark Martino, both California players, competing for the trophy and prize money. In 1981 the only official men’s pro racquetball tour was an invitational. So young and upcoming players like Andrews and Martino could only play in local tournaments such as Schoeber’s. With its exhibition glass court, approximately 300 spectators could enjoy these exciting matches.
The women racquetball pros had struck off on their own in 1980 with the Women’s Professional Racquetball Association (WPRA) in hopes of receiving more attention and prize money. The tour was run by International Management Group, and did well in the early 1980s in part due to the great rivalry between Lynn Adams and Heather McKay. The WPRA lasted until 1994, when the Women’s International Racquetball Tour (WIRT) was created.
Andrews vs. Martino (part 1): https://youtu.be/ECnfTyvNtB4
Andrews vs. Martino (part 2): https://youtu.be/E2ng0BE2c68?si=Sn21Ouc1U9t3PX2s
#racquetball #proracquetball #christmasclassic #LynnAdams #KarinWalton #EdAndrews #MarkMartino #Schoebers
