Meet the 2019 entry into the BEC Hall of Fame, Mike Tredgett MBE, former European Champion and medallist on the world stage. Tredgett also shares a funny story from playing in Jamaica.
Mike Tredgett is one of Europe’s most successful players ever at the European Championships, winning back-to-back men’s doubles titles in 1976 and 1978 with Ray Stevens. He regained the title once more with Martin Dew in 1984. Tredgett also achieved a double in the mixed doubles with fellow Hall of Famer Nora Perry, winning in 1976 and 1980.
Tredgett also won five medals at the World Championships between 1977 and 1983. He came close to the gold in Copenhagen 1983 with Martin Dew, when defeating the famed Korean pair of Park Joo Bong/ Lee Eun Ku in a tactical, up and down match ending 15-8, 2-15, 15-4. However, came up short against the home favourites, Steen Fladberg/ Jesper Helledie, 10-15, 10-15, at the Brøndbyhallen, less than three kilometres away from the Badminton Europe offices.
Tredgett has a great record at the prestigious All England Open, winning three All England mixed doubles titles (1978, 1980, 1981) with Nora Perry and reaching the All England men's doubles final twice with Ray Stevens (1972, 1980) and twice with Martin Dew (1983, 1984). He won men's doubles with Stevens at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.
Hall of Fame
Mike Tredgett received the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to sport in 1984. In 2019, Tredgett entered into the BEC Hall of Fame at a gala hosted in Kyiv, Ukraine, where this year’s European Championships will be held.
He joined an exclusive club including the likes of Peter Gade (DEN), Nora Perry (ENG), Gillian Gilks (ENG), Erland Kops (DEN), Lene Køppen (DEN), and Morten Frost (DEN).
-It’s really nice and I am very proud of the award. It’s lovely to be here in Kyiv seeing a lot of the European badminton family. It is very unexpected. I follow a lot of famous badminton players and I am really pleased, Tredgett stated.
When asked what he thought when he learnt of the announcement, Tredgett gave a humble response.
-I thought why me? In Europe, I can think of a few players who could receive the award, some from my era. People like Flemming Delf, Steen Fladberg and also from England and Sweden. There are a lot of good players, so I am very proud.
The portrait
As seen above in the article photo, all BEC Hall of Fame entrants get a portrait of them which is hung up on the Hall of Fame wall as you enter into the Badminton Europe offices.
-I think it has captured me very well. I have had a few portraits done and they have not been complimentary, with a big nose and everything, he joked.
Tredgett spoke that he will perhaps celebrate with a ‘tot of whiskey’ and spoke about how modern badminton has changed since he was playing. He observed how the whole game has been dominated by China, Indonesia and the far east since around the years that he ended his career. He mentioned how European players have a tough job competing in tournaments and how he admires them greatly for that.
A Sea Urchin in Jamaica
In his acceptance speech, he spoke about the travelling he did while a player. He highlighted a memorable trip to Jamaica which he shared with fellow Hall of Famer, Erland Kops, and demonstrated the fun side of being a top player during that era.
-Erland liked to go and have Jamaican rum. I was swimming at the beach and stood on a Sea Urchin, so I couldn’t put my foot on the floor. There were other players like Elo Hansen, he had ‘tennis elbow’, and we all had to do an exhibition for the people there, but hardly anybody on the court could hit a shuttlecock!
The commentator at the event introduced them as the ‘best players in Europe’ who will show the public how badminton is played at the highest level. Due to their various reasons, they struggled to dazzle on court as they usually do. Naturally, this was an awkward but funny moment during a fantastic trip that is remembered fondly by Tredgett.
For more information about the BEC Hall of Fame, click here.