Photograph © Carol Harrison
Archive Post: 7/13/2014
Sam Gilliam, Carol Harrison, Rockne Krebs and ping pong
I first met Rockne in 1982. Sam Gilliam asked him to come downstairs from his studio to beat me in ping pong.
I won.
Rockne won the second game by one point.
We never played again.
I followed the anonymous “artist” upstairs to his studio to photograph the stormy aftermath of the games. To my surprise, I discovered that I had just played Rockne Krebs! My disbelief did not amuse him.
Carol Harrison, 2011
“I Had a Friend in High School”
We would play tennis until we were both on the verge of heat exhaustion. Then we would hop in Rockne’s Mercury coupe and head to the drive-in for cold sodas…. At first our tennis matches were one sided. I would always win primarily because Rockne’s backhand was terrible. But, Rockne had a singleness of purpose which was to beat me, so he took lessons and developed a really strong forehand shot. Rockne would not fall for any fake moves I would make. - Charles (Charlie) Thomas Payne
High School yearbook photo of Rockne.
Rockne, Sam and I agreed to meet at their studios on 14th & U.
I would photograph the 2 of them “for the art history books.”
It unfolded differently than I imagined. – Carol Harrison
Photograph © Carol Harrison
“My serve is so good,
even you would be surprised.
I am fond of this waiting expecting photo- I feel comfortable with chair legs to see/ in order to see trees…”
Sam Gilliam
(excerpt from a note to Carol Harrison)
“I am in your debt, and all I did was stand briefly in front of your camera. Sincerely, Rockne Krebs, Sept. 2008 P.S. And beat you in ping pong. Ho, Ho, Ho! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Thank you!”
This note relates to Carol Harrison’s photo of Rockne Krebs in “A Kansas City Tribute to Rockne Krebs.”
A historical correction: Ms. Harrison won the first fierce game of ping pong. Mr. Krebs won the even fiercer second game, after the score was tied at 21 points. Sam Gilliam arranged the championship match in his studio.
Photograph © Carol Harrison