1967 Thomas Cup
Encyclopedia
The 1967 Thomas Cup was the 7th tournament of Thomas Cup
, the most important men's badminton
team competition in the world. The inter-zone matches and Challenge Round finale were held in Jakarta
, Indonesia
.
Malaysia
won its fourth title after beating Indonesia
in the Challenge Round under unusual circumstances. With Malaysia leading Indonesia 4 matches to 3 in the best of nine series, play was suspended during the eighth match due to unruly crowd behavior (see Challenge round below).
This contest was noteworthy for other reasons as well: the old met the new. Indonesia's
Rudy Hartono
, not yet 18, burst onto the scene as did other new stars such as Denmark's Svend Andersen (Pri)
and Japan's Ippei Kojima
. It was the last Thomas Cup, and a sad exit, for Hartono's teammate Ferry Sonneville
who was more than twice Hartono's age. It was also the last time Erland Kops
played in the inter-zone matches and the last inter-zone appearance for other veterans such as Malaysia's Teh Kew San
and the USA's Jim Poole
.
(a major men's badminton power at that time) declined to play their opening ties (sets of matches). The draw was made up of four zones; Asian, European, American, and Australasian; with the winners of each zone then competing for the right to play defending champion Indonesia in the Challenge Round.
A powerful Malaysian team
coasted through the Asian zone by beating India
and then Pakistan, both with the loss of one match (8-1). The European zone provided the largest number of closely fought ties. In one zone semifinal Sweden
nearly upset perennial zone winner Denmark
, losing the last two matches to go down 4 matches to 5. South Africa upset England
6 to 3 in the other semifinal, but was no match for Denmark (1-8) in the final. In the final of the American zone the USA
narrowly defeated Canada
5 to 4. Japan
easily defeated New Zealand
(9-0) and Australia (9-0) in the Australasian zone to reserve its place in the inter-zone competition.
Australasian Zone
Asian Zone
European Zone
Panamerican Zone
against Malaysia
. "On paper" they were the two strongest teams in the tournament with recent major event champions such as Erland Kops
, Henning Borch
, and Svend Andersen (Pri)
for Denmark, and Tan Aik Huang
, Ng Boon Bee
, and Tan Yee Khan
for Malaysia. With wins by Kops in singles and Andersen and Per Walsoe
in doubles, Denmark was able to stay even (2–2) on the first night of play. On the second night, however, a familiar pattern recurred for the tropically-challenged Danes as they wilted in the heat to drop all five matches. In the other semifinal Japan's
tiny but "jet-propelled" Ippei Kojima
won all four of his matches to trump a crowd-pleasing performance by 35 year old Jim Poole
and lead his team to a 7–2 victory over the USA
.
The inter-zone final between Malaysia and Japan was less suspenseful than the 6–3 final score might indicate. Though two of the first five matches were very close Malaysia won all five to clinch the contest early. The powerful doubles team of Boon Bee
and Yee Khan
remained undefeated in the series while Masao Akiyama performed well in defeat for Japan
. It was the first Thomas Cup appearance of Indonesia's badminton wunderkind Rudy Hartono
(two months before his eighteenth birthday). It was the last appearance for Indonesia's past Thomas Cup hero Ferry Sonneville
. For reasons unclear, he was pressed into service in one of the top two singles slots ahead of younger men who were by then almost certainly stronger players than the 36 year old Sonneville. Most notably, it was the first and thus far the last final tie of Thomas Cup not to determine a champion on the court.
The first day's play ended with a 3–1 advantage to Malaysia. With relentless attacking play Hartono stunned Tan Aik Huang
15-6, 15-8, but Malaysia won both doubles matches and the singles between Yew Cheng Hoe
and Sonneville. On the second night Tan Aik Huang routed Sonneville to bring Malaysia to the verge of victory. At this point, however, young Hartono comfortably beat Yew Cheng Hoe to keep Indonesia's chances alive. Then Muljadi pulled away in the second game after winning a close first to beat Malaysian veteran Teh Kew San
at third singles. Still up 4–3, Malaysia sent the world's number one doubles team of Ng Boon Bee
and Tan Yee Khan
onto the court to gain the vital fifth point. They seemed to be doing so easily until, up 10-2 in the second after steamrolling Muljadi and Agus Susanto in the first game, a few errors crept into their play. This encouraged ebullient Indonesian fans to try to promote a Malaysian collapse by making deafening noise on Malaysian serves, using flash photography at well timed moments, and ever more loudly cheering Malaysian errors. With no help from Indonesian authorities, IBF (BWF
) officials intermittently appealed for "fair play" but in vain because the crowd's tactics were working. Plainly rattled, Boon Bee and Yee Khan let a 10-2 lead slip away into a 13-18 second game loss.
At this juncture, during what would normally have been a five minute break between games, tournament referee Herbert Scheele requested Indonesian authorities to clear the stadium and have the match continued with the crowd locked out. When this request was refused Scheele, at some personal risk, halted play. Eventually, a less than candid announcement that the match had been voluntarily suspended did help to clear the stadium, but play was never continued. Indonesia rejected a subsequent IBF (BWF) ruling that the tie be resumed in New Zealand. Thereby, it forfeited the remaining matches. Officially, if not convincingly, by a 6–3 margin Malaysia regained the Thomas Cup.
Play suspended and match eventually conceded to Malaysia
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...
, the most important men's badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
team competition in the world. The inter-zone matches and Challenge Round finale were held in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Malaysia
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
won its fourth title after beating 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...
in the Challenge Round under unusual circumstances. With Malaysia leading Indonesia 4 matches to 3 in the best of nine series, play was suspended during the eighth match due to unruly crowd behavior (see Challenge round below).
This contest was noteworthy for other reasons as well: the old met the new. Indonesia's
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono Kurniawan , born August 18, 1949) is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who won the men's singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively , in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the...
, not yet 18, burst onto the scene as did other new stars such as Denmark's Svend Andersen (Pri)
Svend Pri
Svend Pri was a badminton player from Denmark who won numerous major titles from the mid 1960's through the mid 1970's. His play was marked by great power, tenacity, and tactical astuteness...
and Japan's Ippei Kojima
Ippei Kojima
Ippei Kojima is a former Japanese badminton player who won a record eight Japanese national men's singles titles and some major international titles between the mid 1960s and the mid 1970s. His game was marked by exceptional foot speed, great tenacity, and power surprising for a man who was about...
. It was the last Thomas Cup, and a sad exit, for Hartono's teammate Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville was an Indonesian badminton player noted for his touch, consistency, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure...
who was more than twice Hartono's age. It was also the last time 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...
played in the inter-zone matches and the last inter-zone appearance for other veterans such as Malaysia's Teh Kew San
Teh Kew San
Teh Kew San is a former Malaysian badminton player who won national and international titles from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s. An "all-rounder" , his greatest successes came in men's doubles with Lim Say Hup...
and the USA's Jim Poole
James Richard Poole
James Richard Poole is a former American badminton player who won national and international championships between 1958 and 1979.-Career:...
.
Intra-zone summary
The competition initially involved 23 nations, though two of these, East Germany and ThailandThailand 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...
(a major men's badminton power at that time) declined to play their opening ties (sets of matches). The draw was made up of four zones; Asian, European, American, and Australasian; with the winners of each zone then competing for the right to play defending champion Indonesia in the Challenge Round.
A powerful Malaysian team
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
coasted through the Asian zone by beating India
India national badminton team
India National Badminton team represents India in international team badminton. The Indian team competed in the 2011 Sudirman Cup and shared the fifth rank with three other teams, what is up to now the best performance in the Sudirman Cup.-Thomas and Uber cup:...
and then Pakistan, both with the loss of one match (8-1). The European zone provided the largest number of closely fought ties. In one zone semifinal Sweden
Sweden national badminton team
The Sweden national badminton team represents Sweden in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1984 - 7th / 8th*1986 - 7th / 8th*1988 - 7th / 8th*1990 - 7th / 8th*1992 - 5th / 6th...
nearly upset perennial zone winner 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...
, losing the last two matches to go down 4 matches to 5. South Africa upset England
England national badminton team
The England national badminton team represents England in international badminton team competitions and is controlled by Badminton England, the governing body for badminton in England.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *1984 - Third Place...
6 to 3 in the other semifinal, but was no match for Denmark (1-8) in the final. In the final of the American zone the USA
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...
narrowly defeated Canada
Canada national badminton team
The Canada national badminton team represents Canada in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Team Canada at 2011 Sudirman Cup in Qingdao, China.Men: Stephan Wojcikiewicz Derrick Ng Adrian Liu...
5 to 4. Japan
Japan national badminton team
The Japan national badminton team represents Japan in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup*1964 - Semi-finalist *1967 - Final round...
easily defeated New Zealand
New Zealand national badminton team
The New Zealand national badminton team represents New Zealand in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup *2008 - 9th/12thUber Cup *2008 - 9th/12thSudirman Cup *1989 - 19th*2001 - 25th*2005 - 19th...
(9-0) and Australia (9-0) in the Australasian zone to reserve its place in the inter-zone competition.
Teams
5 teams from 4 regions took part in the Inter-Zone ties. As defending champion, Indonesia skipped the Final Round and played directly in the Challenge Round.Australasian Zone
Asian Zone
European Zone
Panamerican Zone
Inter-zone playoffs
The first inter-zone tie in Jakarta pitted DenmarkDenmark 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...
against Malaysia
Malaysia national badminton team
The Malaysia national badminton team is a badminton team that plays for Malaysia in international competitions. The men's team has enjoyed immense success, having won the Thomas Cup five times, most recently in 1992...
. "On paper" they were the two strongest teams in the tournament with recent major event champions such as 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...
, Henning Borch
Henning Borch
Henning Borch is a former world class badminton player from Denmark who won major tournaments from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. In the 1964 Borch reached the men's singles final at the prestigious All-England Championships, narrowly losing to fellow countryman Knud Aage Nielsen...
, and Svend Andersen (Pri)
Svend Pri
Svend Pri was a badminton player from Denmark who won numerous major titles from the mid 1960's through the mid 1970's. His play was marked by great power, tenacity, and tactical astuteness...
for Denmark, and Tan Aik Huang
Tan Aik Huang
Tan Aik Huang is a retired Malaysian Chinese badminton player noted for his superb footwork and patience.He won the All England Open Badminton Championships, then considered the unofficial World Badminton Championships, in men's singles in 1966, defeating Japan's Masao Akiyama in the finals...
, Ng Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee is a former Malaysian badminton player who won numerous international doubles titles from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. In combination, first, with Tan Yee Khan and later with Punch Gunalan he won open men's doubles events in Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and...
, and Tan Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan is a former Malaysian badminton player who represented his country in badminton events around the world during the 1960s. Though capable of high level singles , Yee Khan was primarily a doubles player who won numerous major international titles in partnership with Ng Boon Bee...
for Malaysia. With wins by Kops in singles and Andersen and Per Walsoe
Per Walsoe
Per Walsoe is a retired male badminton player from Denmark who won numerous Danish national and international doubles titles from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s.-Career:...
in doubles, Denmark was able to stay even (2–2) on the first night of play. On the second night, however, a familiar pattern recurred for the tropically-challenged Danes as they wilted in the heat to drop all five matches. In the other semifinal Japan's
Japan national badminton team
The Japan national badminton team represents Japan in international badminton team competitions.-Participation in BWF competitions:Thomas Cup*1964 - Semi-finalist *1967 - Final round...
tiny but "jet-propelled" Ippei Kojima
Ippei Kojima
Ippei Kojima is a former Japanese badminton player who won a record eight Japanese national men's singles titles and some major international titles between the mid 1960s and the mid 1970s. His game was marked by exceptional foot speed, great tenacity, and power surprising for a man who was about...
won all four of his matches to trump a crowd-pleasing performance by 35 year old Jim Poole
James Richard Poole
James Richard Poole is a former American badminton player who won national and international championships between 1958 and 1979.-Career:...
and lead his team to a 7–2 victory over the USA
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 final between Malaysia and Japan was less suspenseful than the 6–3 final score might indicate. Though two of the first five matches were very close Malaysia won all five to clinch the contest early. The powerful doubles team of Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee is a former Malaysian badminton player who won numerous international doubles titles from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. In combination, first, with Tan Yee Khan and later with Punch Gunalan he won open men's doubles events in Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and...
and Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan is a former Malaysian badminton player who represented his country in badminton events around the world during the 1960s. Though capable of high level singles , Yee Khan was primarily a doubles player who won numerous major international titles in partnership with Ng Boon Bee...
remained undefeated in the series while Masao Akiyama performed well in defeat for Japan
First round
| 7–2 | ||
| 7–2 |
Final round
| 6–3 |
Challenge round
The most unusual finale in Thomas Cup history, the challenge round of the 1967 competition was full of firsts and lasts. It was the last actual challenge round since a subsequent rules change would end the defending champion's privilege of having only to defend the Cup against a single challenger. Politically, it was first Thomas Cup finale in which the former Malaya (minus Singapore but with additional territories) competed as Malaysia, and the first finale in which Indonesian players of Chinese ethnicity, because of political turmoil, were expected to take "Indonesian" names. Thus veteran doubles player Tan King Gwan became Darmawan Supatera and Ang Tjin Siang became MuljadiMuljadi
Muljadi is a former world class badminton player who represented Indonesia between 1963 and 1973. Muljadi's career spanned two separate eras of Indonesian domination of the then triennial Thomas Cup competition: 1958 to 1964 and 1970 to 1979...
. It was the first Thomas Cup appearance of Indonesia's badminton wunderkind Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono
Rudy Hartono Kurniawan , born August 18, 1949) is a former Chinese Indonesian badminton player who won the men's singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively , in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the...
(two months before his eighteenth birthday). It was the last appearance for Indonesia's past Thomas Cup hero Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville
Ferry Sonneville was an Indonesian badminton player noted for his touch, consistency, tactical astuteness, and coolness under pressure...
. For reasons unclear, he was pressed into service in one of the top two singles slots ahead of younger men who were by then almost certainly stronger players than the 36 year old Sonneville. Most notably, it was the first and thus far the last final tie of Thomas Cup not to determine a champion on the court.
The first day's play ended with a 3–1 advantage to Malaysia. With relentless attacking play Hartono stunned Tan Aik Huang
Tan Aik Huang
Tan Aik Huang is a retired Malaysian Chinese badminton player noted for his superb footwork and patience.He won the All England Open Badminton Championships, then considered the unofficial World Badminton Championships, in men's singles in 1966, defeating Japan's Masao Akiyama in the finals...
15-6, 15-8, but Malaysia won both doubles matches and the singles between Yew Cheng Hoe
Yew Cheng Hoe
Yew Cheng Hoe is a former world-class Malaysian badminton player. He played on the Malaysian Thomas Cup teams of 1963-1964 and 1966-1967, the latter of which won the world championship. During the 1965-1966 tournament season Cheng Hoe was a frequent runner-up to fellow countryman Tan Aik Huang...
and Sonneville. On the second night Tan Aik Huang routed Sonneville to bring Malaysia to the verge of victory. At this point, however, young Hartono comfortably beat Yew Cheng Hoe to keep Indonesia's chances alive. Then Muljadi pulled away in the second game after winning a close first to beat Malaysian veteran Teh Kew San
Teh Kew San
Teh Kew San is a former Malaysian badminton player who won national and international titles from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s. An "all-rounder" , his greatest successes came in men's doubles with Lim Say Hup...
at third singles. Still up 4–3, Malaysia sent the world's number one doubles team of Ng Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee
Ng Boon Bee is a former Malaysian badminton player who won numerous international doubles titles from the early 1960s to the early 1970s. In combination, first, with Tan Yee Khan and later with Punch Gunalan he won open men's doubles events in Malaysia, Indonesia, Denmark, Germany, Canada, and...
and Tan Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan
Tan Yee Khan is a former Malaysian badminton player who represented his country in badminton events around the world during the 1960s. Though capable of high level singles , Yee Khan was primarily a doubles player who won numerous major international titles in partnership with Ng Boon Bee...
onto the court to gain the vital fifth point. They seemed to be doing so easily until, up 10-2 in the second after steamrolling Muljadi and Agus Susanto in the first game, a few errors crept into their play. This encouraged ebullient Indonesian fans to try to promote a Malaysian collapse by making deafening noise on Malaysian serves, using flash photography at well timed moments, and ever more loudly cheering Malaysian errors. With no help from Indonesian authorities, IBF (BWF
BWF
Broadcast Wave Format is an extension of the popular Microsoft WAVE audio format and is the recording format of most file-based non-linear digital recorders used for motion picture, radio and television production....
) officials intermittently appealed for "fair play" but in vain because the crowd's tactics were working. Plainly rattled, Boon Bee and Yee Khan let a 10-2 lead slip away into a 13-18 second game loss.
At this juncture, during what would normally have been a five minute break between games, tournament referee Herbert Scheele requested Indonesian authorities to clear the stadium and have the match continued with the crowd locked out. When this request was refused Scheele, at some personal risk, halted play. Eventually, a less than candid announcement that the match had been voluntarily suspended did help to clear the stadium, but play was never continued. Indonesia rejected a subsequent IBF (BWF) ruling that the tie be resumed in New Zealand. Thereby, it forfeited the remaining matches. Officially, if not convincingly, by a 6–3 margin Malaysia regained the Thomas Cup.
Play suspended and match eventually conceded to Malaysia
| 1967 Thomas Cup Champions |
|---|
| Fourth title |