by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Present for the occasion, the first time the award has been made, was Michael Geiger, President of the German Table Tennis Association, alongside Heike Ahlert, Vice President Competitive Sports and Hans Wilhelm Gäb, Honorary President.

Always known as Ebby, it was his stalwart defensive skills the broke the hearts of many adversaries.

“There were three persons who marked the history of the German Table Tennis: Boll, Rosskopf and Ebby Schöler, who dedicated all his life for table tennis. German table tennis has been lucky to have someone like him and he deserves our all thanks.” Hans Wilhelm Gäb

In addition to his achievements in Munich where he was also a member of the German silver medal winning Men’s Team, he reached the semi-final stage of the Men’s Singles event at the World Championships staged in 1965 in Ljubljana and in 1967 in Stockholm, having in 1963 been a member of the bronze medal winning German Team in Prague.

Later in Nagoya in 1971, partnering his wife, Diane, the duo secured the bronze medal.

Meanwhile, at the European Championships, he also enjoyed success. In 1962 in Berlin, he was bronze medallist in the Men’s Singles event and with Dieter Forster in the Men’s Doubles competition; additionally in partnership with Agnes Simon, he was the Mixed Doubles runner up.

Later in 1964 in Malmö, he was again a Men’s Doubles semi-finalist before in 1972 in Rotterdam being a Men’s Doubles bronze medallist in partnership with Janos Börzsei.

Ebby Schöler is currently the President of the Swaythling Club International.