Donald Clark Paup (April 2, 1939 – August 7, 2012) was an American badminton player who won national and international titles from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. Primarily a doubles specialist, he was known for his quick racket and tactical astuteness. He was ranked first in U.S. men's doubles for twelve consecutive seasons (1965–1976); all but the last of these in a partnership with fellow left-hander Jim Poole which was consistently competitive at the world class level. Paup and Poole reached the finals of men's doubles at the U.S. Open Championships five times, winning twice, and were undefeated in all five of the closed national championships in which they competed as a team.Don Rittmann, "The 'All-Time' Thomas Cup Team," Badminton USA, February, 1983: 8. Paup was a member of all U.S. Thomas Cup teams between 1963 and 1973. He was elected to the U.S. Badminton Hall of Fame, now called the Walk of Fame, in 1973.
He refereed for badminton in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
He died in 2012 after struggling for a number of years with Parkinson's disease.
Major Achievements in Badminton
Tournament Event Year U.S. Open Men's Doubles 1968, 1973U.S. Championships Men's Doubles 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1982 Mixed Doubles 1971 Mexican Open Men's Doubles 1965 South African Open Men's Doubles 1971
International tournaments Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result1964Mexico International Channarong Ratanaseangsuang 2–15, 4–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1964Mexico International Michael Hartgrove Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Paisan Loaharanu 4–15, 8–15 Runner-up1965Mexico International Erland Kops Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Paisan Loaharanu 15–9, 15–10 Winner1966U.S. Open Jim Poole Ng Boon Bee Tan Yee Khan 6–15, 12–15 Runner-up1968U.S. Open Jim Poole Takeshi Miyanaga Eiichi Sakai 15–8, 15–18, 17–15 Winner1970U.S. Open Jim Poole Junji Honma Ippei Kojima 11–15, 2–15 Runner-up1971U.S. Open Jim Poole Ng Boon Bee Punch Gunalan 15–2, 13–18, 7–15 Runner-up1971South African Badminton Championships Chris Kinard Alan Parsons William Kerr 17–14, 15–8 Winner1973U.S. Open Jim Poole Derek Talbot Mike Tredgett 11–15, 15–11, 15–12 Winner
Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result1966Canada Open Helen Tibbetts Ng Boon Bee Ulla Strand 10–15, 9–15 Runner-up1969U.S. Open Helen Tibbetts Erland Kops Pernille Mølgaard Hansen 6–15, 15–13, 7–15 Runner-up1971U.S. Open Helen Tibbetts Jim Poole Maryanne Breckell 14–17, 7–15 Runner-up1971South African Badminton Championships Pam Stockton Alan Parsons Wilma Prade 6–15, 12–15 Runner-up
References