I had the pleasure of being Tony Turners goalie during most of the Tournament Soccer era. We had some success, and more fun than the law allows. Tony and Karin pretty much ruled the mixed doubles catagorie in those days. Tony and I won the first and only ½ point Texas State Championship on The American table. All this is to say that we knew Tony better than most.
Tony was the most naturally gifted, talented and clever player I had ever seen. The first time I met him was at a small local tournament. My partner and I had been winning some small tournaments, and we played a lot. At that time Tony had only been playing for a couple of months. He already had a decent pull and passing game (for that time). He and his brother Al nearly beat us. A couple of weeks later they did beat us in the same tournament. It was amazing how fast he improved. I knew right away he was something special.
Tony just had a knack for getting the ball in the hole. His pull wasn’t the best around (although later it became one of the best). His passing game was excellent even then, and he was one of those guys that could reach out and snag balls that were flying around the table. He seemed to have it on the three rod all the time. But Tony was shooting straights and splits back in the time when it was strictly a racing game. He would use timing to beat you. Sometimes he would quick shoot, sometimes he would sit on it. He wasn’t afraid to do an unexpected push kick. If you left him a straight while he was setting up a pull, hed take it. In those days some of the stuff he did was considered less than honorable. I considered it innovative. Anyway Tony got a bit of a bad rap, and it stuck. I see modern forwards doing stuff he did 30 years ago, and while it still pisses the goalies off to get out smarted, it is now recognized as part of the game.
I have hundreds of Texas Tony stories. I could probably write for a full day. Here is one that kind of fits the moment.
We were driving through southern Oregon in 1974 on our way to a ts tournament in Seattle. It was our first time in the Northwest. We stopped at a local pub in some small town to get something to eat. As fate would have it, they had a ts table in the joint and a few of the locals were playing. Naturally we put up a quarter. Tony started doing his “show off stuff”,. These guys didn’t have a clue what to do about it. I don’t think they scored 2 points in probably 10 games. Tony wouldn’t let them have the ball. Finally one of them looked up at Tony, and with an amazed look asked “are you Texas Tony?” I swear!! If you were around back then, you know that Tony had a rather distinctive look to him. These guys in this little podunk town in Oregon had heard of him! He was a legend even back then.
Recently, Karin and I had the pleasure of getting back together with Tony after 30 years. I can only say that he and his wife Linda are a pleasure. Tony had suffered some considerable hardships since we saw him last, and they have made him wiser and mellower. He seems to have peace and happiness in his life.
In my opinion, no one who has ever received the Texas Legends award deserves it any more than Texas Tony.
Karin and I will always consider you one of our dearest friends, and we want to send our congratulations and love on you induction.
John Gililland
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