One of the postwar badminton stars, Preben Dabelsteen, Denmark, who won the All England championship twice, is dead, 91 years of age.
Today’s badminton players would cry if they were to play with the rackets that were available for players in earlier eras. The rackets were not only heavy as hell, they were also made of wood from the head, shaft to the handle. That caused a lot of broken rackets, not at least for one of yesterday’s stars, Preben Dabelsteen. For he was in possession of a powerful smash and heavy clears. Fortunately, there were also generous racket sponsors at that time.
The skills gave him two All England-championships in men’s double (considered in those days as the unofficial world championship) in 1948 and 1950, five Danish national championships in men’s double and participation on the national team, for instance, at the Thomas Cup-team.
He won most of the titles with his partner, Jørn Skaarup, from his young years in Nykøbing Falster, a province town in the south of Denmark.
The interest and love for the sport of badminton became lifelong. After his active career on court, he worked and promoted badminton for many years as a journalist and editor at the national newspaper “BT” in Copenhagen. He was also editor of quite a few anniversary publications for badminton clubs in Copenhagen, as well. Furthermore, authors of badminton books and newspaper pieces could always come to him for information about the earlier days. His knowledge and memory were sharp.
Nowadays badminton was also eagerly followed from the TV-screen in his home, and he was very happy when the Danish team for the first time won the Thomas Cup-championship, last year. He remarked spontaneously: “At last!”. He had the medal-of-merit from the Danish badminton association, Badminton Denmark.
Badminton Europe offer our sincerest condolences to the family and relatives of Preben Dabelsteen.