1961 Thomas Cup
Encyclopedia
The Thomas Cup
competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (Its female counterpart is the Uber Cup
). Beginning in 1948-1949
it was held every three years until 1982
and thereafter every two years. Nineteen teams, eighteen of them starting from four regional qualifying zones, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Pan America, contested for the Thomas Cup during the 1960-1961 season. Zone winners then played-off
in Jakarta, Indonesia for the right to face defending champion Indonesia
(exempt from all earlier ties), in a conclusive challenge round. For a more detailed description of the Thomas Cup format, see Wikipedia's general article on the Thomas Cup
.
, Thailand
again prevailed in the Asian zone by beating, consecutively, India (6–3), three time former champion Malaya (7–2), and Pakistan (8–1). Of note in these ties, the talented Nandu Natekar had a hand in all of the individual matches which India salvaged, while Malaya's Eddie Choong, well past his prime at a fairly young age, was routinely beaten in both of his singles. No player on Thailand's team was more than twenty-four years old.
For the second straight time Japan defaulted an Australasian zone tie, this time allowing Australia, led by Kenneth Turner, to advance to the inter-zone phase after its 8–1 victory over New Zealand. Star-studded Denmark
coasted through three ties in the European zone, shutting out its usual victim England in the zone final. The same two-way Pan American zone race ended as before with the United States
beating Canada 7–2. Evergreen Joe Alston
and Wynn Rogers
still led the way in doubles for the USA which also had a small but competent cadre of international level singles players.
Australia Indonesia
(exempt until challenge round)
Asia
Thailand
Europe
Denmark
Americas
United States
The inter-zone playoffs in Jakarta began on the first two days of June with Thailand beating Australia without the loss of a match or a game. Denmark then defeated the USA 7–2, but even in victory Danish problems with the heat and humidity were evident as players hailed by some as the best in the world often struggled against less talented opponents who, as Californians, were more accustomed to hot gymnasiums.
The Danes' contest against Thailand fully demonstrated this weakness. A team entirely composed of either past, present, or future All-England champions
was decisively beaten by a team composed of players who would never win that individual honor. Erland Kops
and Finn Kobbero defeated the Thai number two Somsook Boonyasukhanonda comfortably, but both were beaten by young Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
. Most shockingly, the famous doubles team of Kobbero and Hammergaard Hansen
was beaten by both Thai pairs who swept all four doubles matches. Thus Thailand completed its run to the challenge round with an impressive 7–2 victory over Denmark.
in Jakarta's Senayan Stadiam was possibly rendered even more difficult for Thailand when "neutral" officials and linesmen failed to arrive from Malaya. As they had done three years earlier in Singapore, the Indonesians swept all five singles matches. Ratanaseangsuang was unable to produce the consistency he had displayed against Kops and Kobbero and lost tamely to Indonesia's Tan Joe Hok
and Ferry Sonneville
. Boonyasukhanonda was simply not in the class of the two Indonesians, whose careers would be hallmarked by their Thomas Cup brilliance. The Thai doubles pairs played quite well, particularly the team of Narong Bhornchima and Raphi Kanchanaraphi
who won both of their matches. Doubles victories were not enough, however, as Indonesia retained the Cup 6–3.
Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation , the sport's global governing body...
competition is an international team tournament for supremacy in men's badminton (Its female counterpart is the Uber Cup
Uber Cup
The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women's national badminton teams. First held in 1956-1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled...
). Beginning in 1948-1949
1949 Thomas Cup
The 1949 Thomas Cup was the inaugural tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world.The tournament was originally planned for 1941-1942 , but was delayed when World War II exploded across the continents...
it was held every three years until 1982
1982 Thomas Cup
The 1982 Thomas Cup was the 12th tournament of Thomas Cup, the most important men's badminton team competition in the world. The final round was held in London, England.China won its first title after beating Indonesia in the final round.-Teams:...
and thereafter every two years. Nineteen teams, eighteen of them starting from four regional qualifying zones, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Pan America, contested for the Thomas Cup during the 1960-1961 season. Zone winners then played-off
in Jakarta, Indonesia for the right to face defending champion Indonesia
Indonesia national badminton team
The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia...
(exempt from all earlier ties), in a conclusive challenge round. For a more detailed description of the Thomas Cup format, see Wikipedia's general article on the Thomas Cup
Thomas Cup
The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation , the sport's global governing body...
.
Intra-zone summary
Despite missing its best known singles player, Charoen WattanasinCharoen Wattanasin
Charoen Wattanasin is a former badminton player from Thailand who won international championships in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Between 1958 and 1962 Wattanasin captured the open men's singles titles of Malaya, Ireland, Scotland, Norway, and France. He also shared the open men's doubles...
, Thailand
Thailand national badminton team
The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1958 - Final round *1961 - Runner-up*1964 - Final round *1973 - Semi-finalist...
again prevailed in the Asian zone by beating, consecutively, India (6–3), three time former champion Malaya (7–2), and Pakistan (8–1). Of note in these ties, the talented Nandu Natekar had a hand in all of the individual matches which India salvaged, while Malaya's Eddie Choong, well past his prime at a fairly young age, was routinely beaten in both of his singles. No player on Thailand's team was more than twenty-four years old.
For the second straight time Japan defaulted an Australasian zone tie, this time allowing Australia, led by Kenneth Turner, to advance to the inter-zone phase after its 8–1 victory over New Zealand. Star-studded Denmark
Denmark national badminton team
The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions...
coasted through three ties in the European zone, shutting out its usual victim England in the zone final. The same two-way Pan American zone race ended as before with the United States
United States national badminton team
The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1952 - Runner-upUber Cup *1957 - Winner*1960 - Winner*1963 - Winner...
beating Canada 7–2. Evergreen Joe Alston
Joseph Cameron Alston
Joseph Cameron Alston was an American badminton player who won major titles between 1951 and 1967.- Career :...
and Wynn Rogers
T. Wynn Rogers
T. Wynn Rogers was an American badminton player who won numerous U.S. national titles from the late 1940s to the mid 1960’s.-Career:...
still led the way in doubles for the USA which also had a small but competent cadre of international level singles players.
Inter-zone playoffs
AustralasiaAustralasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
Australia Indonesia
Indonesia national badminton team
The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia...
(exempt until challenge round)
Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
Thailand
Thailand national badminton team
The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1958 - Final round *1961 - Runner-up*1964 - Final round *1973 - Semi-finalist...
Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
Denmark
Denmark national badminton team
The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions...
Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
United States
United States national badminton team
The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1952 - Runner-upUber Cup *1957 - Winner*1960 - Winner*1963 - Winner...
The inter-zone playoffs in Jakarta began on the first two days of June with Thailand beating Australia without the loss of a match or a game. Denmark then defeated the USA 7–2, but even in victory Danish problems with the heat and humidity were evident as players hailed by some as the best in the world often struggled against less talented opponents who, as Californians, were more accustomed to hot gymnasiums.
The Danes' contest against Thailand fully demonstrated this weakness. A team entirely composed of either past, present, or future All-England champions
All England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships, or simply All England, is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious badminton tournaments. Played annually, it developed after the success of world's first badminton tournament held in Guildford in 1898...
was decisively beaten by a team composed of players who would never win that individual honor. Erland Kops
Erland Kops
Erland Kops is a former badminton player from Denmark who won numerous major international singles and doubles titles from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Kops was the first Westerner to win major singles titles in the Far East. He combined abundant speed, power, and stamina with impressive...
and Finn Kobbero defeated the Thai number two Somsook Boonyasukhanonda comfortably, but both were beaten by young Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
Channarong Ratanaseangsuang
Channarong Ratanaseangsuang is a former badminton player and coach who represented both Thailand and Canada in international competition. In the 1960s he rated among the world's elite singles players, reaching the final of the prestigious All-England Championship and winning the open...
. Most shockingly, the famous doubles team of Kobbero and Hammergaard Hansen
Jorgen Hammergaard Hansen
Jørgen Hammergaard Hansen was a Danish badminton player who won numerous major international titles from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s. A doubles specialist, Hammergaard Hansen shared six All-England men's doubles titles with Finn Kobbero and reached the final round of All-England mixed doubles...
was beaten by both Thai pairs who swept all four doubles matches. Thus Thailand completed its run to the challenge round with an impressive 7–2 victory over Denmark.
First round
| Thailand Thailand national badminton team The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1958 - Final round *1961 - Runner-up*1964 - Final round *1973 - Semi-finalist...  |
9–0 |  Australia |
| Denmark Denmark national badminton team The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions...  |
7–2 |  United StatesUnited States national badminton team The United States national badminton team represents the United States in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1952 - Runner-upUber Cup *1957 - Winner*1960 - Winner*1963 - Winner... |
Final round
| Thailand Thailand national badminton team The Thailand national badminton team represents Thailand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1958 - Final round *1961 - Runner-up*1964 - Final round *1973 - Semi-finalist... |
7–2 | Denmark Denmark national badminton team The Denmark national badminton team is a badminton team located in Denmark and represents the nation of Denmark in international badminton team competitions... |
Challenge round
The task of beating a strong Indonesian teamIndonesia national badminton team
The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia...
in Jakarta's Senayan Stadiam was possibly rendered even more difficult for Thailand when "neutral" officials and linesmen failed to arrive from Malaya. As they had done three years earlier in Singapore, the Indonesians swept all five singles matches. Ratanaseangsuang was unable to produce the consistency he had displayed against Kops and Kobbero and lost tamely to Indonesia's Tan Joe Hok
Tan Joe Hok
Tan Joe Hok is an Indonesian badminton hero, who along with Ferry Sonneville and a cadre of fine doubles players set the foundation for an Indonesian badminton dynasty by dethroning perennial Thomas Cup champion Malaysia in 1958.He lived in Bandung until he finished high school. He received his B.S...
and Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville was an Indonesian badminton player noted for his touch, consistency, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure...
. Boonyasukhanonda was simply not in the class of the two Indonesians, whose careers would be hallmarked by their Thomas Cup brilliance. The Thai doubles pairs played quite well, particularly the team of Narong Bhornchima and Raphi Kanchanaraphi
Raphi Kanchanaraphi
Raphi Kanchanaraphi was a world-class badminton player who represented both Thailand and Canada in international competition, and won national doubles and mixed doubles titles in both countries...
who won both of their matches. Doubles victories were not enough, however, as Indonesia retained the Cup 6–3.
| 1961 Thomas Cup Champions |
|---|
 Indonesia Indonesia national badminton team The Indonesia national badminton team represents Indonesia in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by the Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia, PBSI , the governing body for badminton in Indonesia... Second title |