Prompt:
Table Tennis
History Journal
February
2021
93
Excellent reading for Historians, Collectors,
and all Lovers of our Great Sport
What a discovery !     Pages 4-6
2
Table Tennis
History
Journal
From the Editor
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the 93rd edition of the Table Tennis History Journal.
We begin with the story of two extraordinary men with long
careers in our sport, Jean Devys (FRA), and Yao Zhenxu (CHN).
Fabio has found another fine array of interesting and rare items,
and we are grateful for his sharing with us. Alan Duke (ENG)
reports on a trio of early books, & continues his series on early
newspaper articles.   Jorge Arango (COL) sends his 12th & final
installment on early pirated images.  Jorge also found a rare and
previously unknown book about Ping Pong from 1903, our back
cover story.  Bruno Lancon (FRA) reports on his discovery of many
fine bats, including a seldom seen Stiga Johnny Leach.
Graham Trimming (ENG) informs us about the careers of two
early English stars who became important ETTA figures.
Günther Angenendt (GER) sends copies of early issues of
Tisch-Tennis magazines, each with excellent cover photos
of historic moments and top players.
Auction Action reports on recent trends, with some surprising
discoveries and prices.
Hope you enjoy the new issue.  Feedback always welcomed. Next
edition scheduled for June 1, 2021.
For our sport, Table Tennis. For All. For Life.
Editor and Publisher:
Chuck Hoey, Honorary Curator
ITTF Museum, China TT Museum
Contact:   ittfmuseum@yahoo.com
Publishing Schedule:
June 1
Submit articles by May 15
Oct 1
Submit articles by Sep 15
Feb 1
Submit articles by Jan 15
In this issue …
Auction
Action
Trends
58-68
No. 93
February 2021
Fabio’s
Treasures
4-9
Pirated
Images
22-32
Book:  80
 Jorge Arango
Chuck
Back Page:
    Jorge:
1903 book
    Japan
Jean Devys
Yao Zhenxu
Extraordinary!
3
Trio of Books
14-16
Newspapers
33-43
  Alan Duke
Rackets
10-13
Bruno Lancon
Tisch-
Tennis
46-57
Günther
Angenendt
Fabio
Research:
G. Ross &
P. Warden
17-21
Graham
Trimming
Hans-Peter
Trautmann
Rare Early
Photo
21
Philatelic
Update
44-45
World Championships History: Missing Scores
We are tantalizingly close to finishing the Men’s Singles
scores, needing only 2 game scores from 1936 Rd. Of 16:
          Joffe 3-1 Proffitt;  Sziff  3-0  Marin-Goldberger
For the Women’s Singles scores we need to find:
1936 Rd. 16: wins by Smidova (3-0), Gal (3-1) & Koudelova
1947 Rd. 16: wins by Hruskova (3-2),  Abou Heif (3-2), Pritz
1949 Rd. 16: all game scores, except Farkas v. Wijk
Visit: ittf.com/history/documents/past-world-championship-results
for pdfs of all World Ch. Results, & click on Missing Scores
YAO ZHENXU (CHN)
 Personal Honorary
Member of the ITTF
Yao Zhenxu has devoted his entire life to Table Tennis,
and is also a master philatelic collector.  He was recently
appointed a Personal Honorary Member of the ITTF.
Here is the ITTF announcement:
Yao Zhenxu has been recognised for his longstanding
commitment to international table tennis by becoming
Personal Honorary Member of the ITTF.
Yao Zhenxu played his part in China – US “Ping Pong
Diplomacy” relations. He held the role of Chinese Team
Manager between 1985-1995. Thereafter, he worked as
ITTF Technical Committee Chair between 1995-2009 and
Vice President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association
(CTTA) between 1995-2014. He was also Tournament
Director at the 1995 World Championships in Tianjin and
2005 World Championships in Shanghai.
As Vice President of CTTA, Yao Zhenxu coordinated the
hosting of several international tournaments and helped
many international athletes to train in China, thus
helping to develop and popularize the sport of table
tennis in China and across the world.
JEAN DEVYS   (FRA)
 Celebrates His 90th Year
Two Extraordinary Men
Two Distinguished Collectors
Jean Devys has been with us since the beginnings, a master
collector of Table Tennis philately.  In 2020 he celebrated his
90th birthday anniversary - congratulations Jean!  He is also a
cyclist enthusiast.
Jean began his career organizing activities for young people in
Roubaix and the Flanders region in the 1950s.  His first report
in the French Table Tennis magazine appeared in 1958, and
he was elected to the FFTT Management Committee, in
charge of publicity.
He went on to become President of the Ligue des Flanders,
and chairman of the national Youth committee. In 1980 he
was elected Vice-President of the French Federation, and
became a member of the ITTF Ranking Committee and the
European Youth Committee.
In 1984 he was elected in Moscow a member of the
ETTU management committee (til 1996), in charge of
publicity and youth committees, til 1994, when he
became E.T.T.U. vice-president.  Bravo Jean !
   3
New Discoveries - Old Treasures
            Fabio’s Fabuloso Finds
Fabio has become a true legend for his
amazing ability to find ‘the good stuff’.  His
well-trained eagle eye spotted some
potential in a mixed lot of dusty rackets in
a recent English auction.
After they arrived he carefully cleaned
them and his hunch proved correct - he
had indeed found ‘new discoveries, old
treasures’, and they were … fabulosos!
Lets have a look.
Left:  a beautiful Briggs Barna
Below left:  Bat with fine bulbous grip
Below right: Rare Vulliamy sandpaper bat
     4
Above:  Pimpled rubber wood bat with triangular head
Left:  Wood bat with stylized grip & spiral pyrography
Above: Offset bat a la Fred Perry, with
              finger notch
Right:   Oval fretwork bat
   5
Aovve:  Bulbous grip vellum drum racket
Left: Bent wood strung ‘Ping Pong’ racket
Vera Dace bat. Vera was an English
international who won 3 English
Opens, & 3 Gold, 3 Bronze in World
Championships, 1947-1950
Wood bat with ribbed blade
  6
7
Fine box used as a winner’s prize for a Ping Pong tournament held in Tientsin, China.  The
Amerine Club was the new name for the old Tientsin Men’s Club, changed at the end of
World War II.  There were several western settlements outside of Tientsin at the time.
The lower right  inscription is the maker’s mark in Chinese characters.  The translation of
the symbols on the box lid:
pray for your own luck
  learn from the ancient wisdom
colorful and shining
endless waterflow with an everlasting mountain
Maker’s mark on bottom
Tientsin was the old name for Tianjin
Boxed set by R. Wylie Hill of Glasgow, with pair
of large head vellum rackets with medium short
handles.  Especially rare are the Gossima style
net holders, with the white cloth belt apparatus
for securing the net under the table.
    8
   9
Argentine announcement of Parlor-Tennis, with patent diagram,
by E.I.Horsman Jr, 1890. Sets also exist with name Tiddledy Winks
Award for the Victor Barna Cup, Helsinki.  Barna was
so popular & successful that many awards in his name
were presented over the years.
New Discoveries, Old Treasures
Bruno Lancon  (FRA)
Stiga Johnny Leach !
German advertisement for the Stiga Johnny
Leach hardbat.  Johnny won the World
Singles title in 1949 and 1951, so a circa
date for this bat is early 1950s
  10
3-ply
    11
Stiga advertisement for their Johnny Leach bat
   12
‘Splendid’ bat
SSS Driver bat.  S.B.T.F = Swedish
Table Tennis Federation
   13
Stigma ‘Puck’ bat
Stigma Gold Star bat
Approved by SBTF
Michel Haguenauer bat
14
A trio of books from 1902
by Alan Duke
This first of these was new to me when I discovered it whilst researching at
the Bodleian Library, Oxford. I don’t believe that it has previously appeared
in any Table Tennis Bibliography, and feel it worthy of inclusion for a number
of reasons. Firstly it’s from the period of the very earliest publications on
table tennis (1902 claimed by the Library), if nothing else it adds another
variation on the name of the game (I hadn’t seen Dining-Table Tennis used
before, until its appearance in TTH 86, page 52!), and there’s a quaint little
sketch on the frontispiece!
HOW TO PLAY BRIDGE, TABLE-TENNIS, AND OTHER INDOOR GAMES
Edited by Mrs J B Horton.
Published by Gaskill and Webb, Paternoster Square, London.
32 pages, hard back.
Mainly covering Bridge, but a few pages allocated to Table Tennis and Halma.
RULES FOR TABLE TENNIS.
a. Two players take part in the game and stand at
opposite ends of the table. The Server is the one who
first delivers the ball, and the other, who endeavours
to return it, is the Receiver.
b. The Server should always deliver the ball from
beyond his end of the table, holding the racquet
below the wrist. This is called the service.
c. At the conclusion of the first game, the Receiver
becomes Server, and the Server the Receiver, and so
on alternately.
d. When the ball is served it must drop on the half of
the table beyond the net to be in play, when the
Receiver must endeavour to return the ball to his
opponent’s half of the table. If, however, the Server
fails to deliver the ball into play, but hits it into the
net or off the table, it counts one to the Receiver.
e. Different from Lawn Tennis there is no second
Service.
f. In serving, if a ball touch a net in passing over, it
is a let, when no score is registered, and the Server
delivers the ball again.
g. If the Receiver fails to return the ball over the net
and on to the other half of the table then the server
wins a stroke.
h. When the Server fails to hit the ball over the net
on to the other half of the table the Receiver wins a
stroke.
i. Volleying is not allowed, (i.e. striking the ball
before it drops on the table).
j. The first stroke won by either player registers
fifteen, and the second stroke won by either player
also registers fifteen, making thirty.
The third stroke won by either player only counts
ten, making forty for that player, and the fourth stroke
won by a player is game, except in the event of both
players having won three strokes each (forty all),
when it is called deuce.
The next stroke won after deuce is called
advantage to the player winning it, and if the same
player also wins the next stroke (that is, wins two
strokes in succession) he is the winner of the game,
but if he fails to win the next stroke the score is again
called deuce, and so on until either player wins two
strokes in succession following the score of deuce,
when the game is won by that player.
k. That player wins the set who first obtains six
games.
–––––––
A trio of books from 1902
The second book featured is better-known, although quite rare. Written by
the Hon. Sec. of the Ping-Pong Association (G Washington Gray), its full title is
How to Play Ping-Pong, sub-titled With Diagrams and Laws, and Hints on How
to Conduct Tournaments, Clubs, &c.
A few extracts follow, including advertisements for Hamley Brothers and
Jaques, with each naming the other as ‘Jointly Concerned’:
    15
A trio of books from 1902
The third example from that year is the Official Handbook of the Table Tennis
Association. Reviews of this publication were featured in Early Newspaper Articles
[TTH 90/46]. As always, advertisements are the source of much useful historical
information, and this booklet includes examples from most of the major
equipment suppliers of the time e.g. Slazenger, Mally, Ogden Smith, Ayres,
Benetfink, Wootton, Gamage’s, plus other smaller specialist dealers (with the
exception, of course, of the Ping-Pong brigade above!). There were also
advertisements for magazines: Pastimes Review, Games Gazette, and The Table
Tennis & Pastimes Pioneer (this latter providing the basis for Steve Grant’s ‘story’
about the Editor [TTC 67/12]).
    16
The G.O.M. and the Olympic gymnast
By Graham Trimming (ENG)
About forty years ago I became aware that the Slough and District Table Tennis League, for which I
was then Fixtures Secretary, was about to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. I decided to write a
booklet about the history of the League and spent countless hours in Slough Library researching
from the local newspapers. In the Slough Express new spaper dated 29 November 1935, within a
report of an exhibition by international players at Slough Central Hall, I was surprised to find the
following: “Mr. G. Ross, a local resident who took the first British table tennis team to Budapest
before the war [ Note 1 ] , and who represented England against Wales in 1922 [sic] , will also play a
game against the new generation of players”.
That intrigued me. Who was this Mr. G. Ross ? In the intervening years I have come across his name
sporadically in other publications but only recently have I decided to research this man properly.
During this research, another name cropped up, P. E. Warner, so I added this second name to my
enquirie s.
George J. Ross and P. E. Warden
Despite being born in London, b oth lived, during the 1930s, in or near my home town of Slough
They played together during the 1930s in Slough
Both playe d during the first boom years of 1900 - 1904
Both were important figur es in the post - World War I resurgence
Both were awarded the honour of Vice - President of the English Table Tennis Association
They sat on some of the same committees together
They were , ironically, even drawn to play against one another at the first World Championships
Both also excelled at sports other than table tennis
George James Ross
1877 Born in Hackney , London
1903 Runner - up in the UK TT Championships
1912 Won bronze Olympics medal for
gymnastics
1916 Married Gwladys M. Morgan (1896 -
1952) in Wandsworth, London
1926 Member of English delegation to Berlin
for the meeting that led to the
formation of the ITTF
1926 Played in 1 st  World TT Championships
1945 Died in Slough aged 67
George James Ross was born on 1 December
1877 i n Hackney , London, to parent s George
and Eliza (nee B ernett) , the second of two
children. George senior , who had been born
in Scotland, was a wholesale haberdasher .
Eliza had been born in Slough to where
Georg e J and his wife later moved.
Lord Desborough presents the Daily Mirror Cup to James
Thompson in 1922. George Ross is on the extreme left.
When the table tennis boom occurred in the
early 1900s, George was in his mid- twenties .
The first mention I have fo und of him is of
being t he only player to defeat the winner
Smith in a tournament at Café Nero , London
in February 1902. Ross was noted as playing a
    17
“splendid game, and his hard hitting was most
refreshing after the stone - walling game which
now seems so much in vogue”. However, Ross
only finished third having been beaten by
Williams.
Ross must have been one of the leading
players of this era as he was runner - up in the
Gentlemen’s Singles at the United Kingdom
Table Tennis Championships held at Crystal
Palace in February and March 1903. Having
won his preliminary section, Ross made it
through to the final where , after a protracted
str uggle , he eventually bowed down to his
more illustrious opponent , Arnold “Ping -
Pong” Parker, 30 - 22, 30 - 29 (in those days a
two- point lead was required to win a game, as
now, but the score was entered 30 - 29) . As a
war m -up to the tournament , Ross was a
membe r of the North London team that had
beat en the Rest of London 67- 33.
In the same championships of the following
season (1903 - 04), in the event famously won
by Percival Bromfield, Ross was unable to
repeat his success of the previous year but did
manage to win the Gentlemen’s Handicap
despite having to spot twelve points start in
the final to H. Willford.
During the years leading up to World War I,
table tennis had a lean time in the UK and
Ross found another sport to excel at :
g ymnastics. He featured in the Great Britain
men’s all- round team at two Olympic Games ,
the team finishing eighth in 1908 in London
and then gaining the bronze medal for a third-
place finish in 1912 in Stockholm.
I have also seen reference s to Ross having
represented England at rifl e shooting but have
so far not found any corroborative evidence
for this.
Ross was employed by the Eastern
Telegraphic Company Ltd as an accounts clerk .
In 1908, by which time Ross had left the
family home and was living in Bowes Park,
and having already volunteer ed for the 7 th
Middlesex Regiment, he signed up for one
year to the 14 th  (County of London) Battalion
The London Regiment (London Scottish). Ev en
though the original sign- up for was one year
only, Ross was called up for further military
service by his regiment in 1914 and
consequently saw service as an Acting
Sergeant during World War I.
By 1911, at the age of 33, Ross was living in
Wanstead, a nother part of London, with his
aunt, uncle and three cousins. He is listed in
the census of that year as the head of the
household that also included a servant.
Ross then married, in 1916 at the age of 38,
Gwladys Morgan, who was then only 20.
There is a famous photograph (above: Ross is
back row, furthermost left)  of England’s first
international table tennis team for the
inaugural match against Wales in season
1922 - 23 . Ross is included in the photo but
noted as only reserve for this match.
How ever, he did then gain full international
honours in the matches during the follow ing
two seasons. In December 1923 he was a
member of the England team that prevailed
500 - 366 with all ten England players scoring a
maximum 50 points. Ross beat A.D. Matthews
50 - 47. The following season, in January 1925,
England beat Wales 493 - 422 with Ross
contributing a win over M.E. Lewis 50 - 44.
Of greater significance is the meeting in Berlin
in January 1926 when Ross, Ivor Montagu and
Bill Pope were the English representatives
who met with officials from other European
countries, a meeting that led to the formation
of the International Table Tennis Federation.
(See TTC 64 for a photo, including Ross, of that
meeting).
Following on from that meeting, the first
Wor ld Championships were staged in London
in December 1926. George Ross was drawn to
    18
play, in the Men’s Singles, his future sparring
partner P.E. Warden, who m he dispatched 21 -
6, 21 -18, 21- 13 in round one. However, he
met his match in the next round, defeated by
Trevor Coles from Cardiff. Ross partnered H.A.
Bennett in the Men’s Doubles and they lost in
the third round to the Austrian team
members Paul Flussmann and M unio Pillinge r .
In the Mixed Doubles , Ross and Joan Ingram
had a bye into round two were they lost to
the eventual finalists Roland Jacobi (Hungary )
( the Men’s Singles champion) and Miss G.
Gleeson (St. Brides) .
There exists also a photo of Ross arriving in
Budapest with the England team for the
World Championships in 1929  [see Friday
Photos, ETTA website, 1 July 2016] .
At some stage George and Gwladys moved to
Slough where George engaged with the local
table tennis league. In December 1935 he
performed as Master of Ceremonies for an
exhibition given by international players at
Slough Central Hall. The following March,
Ross, who was a member of the successful
YMCA team in the Slough League, was
included in a representative match for Slough
against Uxbridge. A year later he captained
Slough in a match against Ealing which Sl ough
won 17- 8. Then, in 1937, by now acting as
Secretary of the Slough League, he won three
matches as his YMCA team beat the Rest of
the L eague 15- 10.
George Ross died in Slough on 28 August 1945
just after the end of World War II in Europe ,
aged 67.
Philip Edgar Warden
1871 Born in Harrow, Middlesex
1914 Reached semi - final of national
badminton championships
1915 Married Bertha Harriet Neal (1873 -
1939) in Islington, London
1924 Civil Service TTA individual champion
1926 Member of the 1 st  World
Championships Organising Committee
1961 Died in Lewisham, London aged 90
P hilip E dgar Warden was born on 28 March
1871 in Harrow, a suburb in the north- west of
London, to parents Benjamin and Kate (nee
Wright) , the eldest of seven children.
Benjamin was a greengrocer by trade. “ PE W”
was always known in sporting circles by his
initials ; indeed Ivor Montagu, when writing
Warden’s obituary in 1961 , claimed to have
known him well , as the two had worked very
closely together in the 1920s, and yet had
been unaware of his first name . I n the 1881
census PEW was listed by his parents as
Edgar. It wa s not uncommon for children to
be known by their second, rather than first,
forename at that time.
By the time of the 1 8 91 census, aged 20, PE W
had moved out of the family home and was
living as a boarder , occupying one room in a
house owned by the Neal family in Highbury,
Islington, now famous as the place where
Arsenal FC play their home matches . Amongst
the other residents of that house was Bertha
Neal, daughter of the head of the household
and who , a quarter of a century later in 191 5,
w ould become PEW’s wife.
PEW was a keen contestant in table tennis
and ping - pong tournaments in the craze of
1901 - 4. A report from the first large
tournament, that at Queen’s Hall in December
1901 , includes mention of a gentleman
playing in “a complete set of flannels, very
open at the neck”. PEW later claim ed that this
was a reference to himself and that he had
started his own dress campaign. Incidentally,
PEW lost to the eventual winner, Vining, in
that competition.
Warden describes the racket he used in the
early days as “ home - made, of pimple studded
rubber with a layer of thick velvet pasted
between the surface and the wood” .
Unlike George Ross, PEW was never quite
honoured with international selection,
although he was a traveling reserve for the
match ag ainst Wales in 1923 - 24. He did,
however, as one of the builders of the
[English] Table Tennis Association during the
early 1920s , help to formulate the rules of the
Association, and he also helped found the Civil
Service Association and its league in 1921 - 22.
     19
The title of this article refers to the “G.O.M.”,
the “ Grand Old Man” , of English table tennis ,
a much -repeated title awarded to a man who
eventually lived ninety years .
PEW was one of three members on the
organizing committee for the first World
Championships, the others being Ivor
Montagu and Bill Pope, both of who m later
became rather m o re famous. The programme
for the event states: “PEW is the G.O.M. of
English table tennis; the winner of numerous
competitions in the past and a civil servant, he
won the C i vil Service championships not so
long ago. He patiently retrieves everything
with a soft - surfaced racket, often recovering
from seemingly impossible positions”.
Nevertheless, PEW (St. Bride’s) was no match
for George Ross (Herga) in the first round of
the Men’s Singles in that first World
Championships.
In 1934, Bill Pope paid a glowing tribute to
PEW describing him as “a most popular
sportsman, sympathetic friend, kee n
enthusiast and selfless worker”. He went on
to describe PEW’s play in exhibitions “where
crowds used to get ecstatic at his long
distance defence”.
PEW lived in Islington, London for many years
and until at least 1931. However, i n the
December 1951 edit ion of “Table Tennis”,
PEW states that his most enjoyable time in
table tennis was during the period 1932 - 38
when he would play with George Ross twice a
week, October to May, in a hall in Slough. By
this time, of course, PEW was over sixty years
old and ha d been married to Bertha for a
couple of decades. In the late thirties PEW
gave his address as “Sunnyside” , Eton Road,
Dorney Reach, Taplow. Dorney Reach is a
small village built along the banks of the River
Thames about three miles west of Slough.
U nfortunately, Bertha died in 1939 and the
1939 national register shows PEW, now a
widower, living at “Sunnyside” with two
members of Bertha ’ s family and a servant.
Like George Ross, P.E. Warden did not restrict
his sporting activities to table tennis. Indeed,
he was perhaps more successful in other
racquet sports. He was a keen tennis player
and once even played against Rene Lacost e ,
the famous French winner of seven Grand
Slam singles titles including twice at
Wimbledon, in the North London hard court
championships at Highbury . In doubles, his
regular partner was none other than Ivor
Montagu! However, it was in badminton that
PEW excelled mo st , reaching the semi - final of
the Gentlemen’s Singles in the All - England
Badmint on Championships of March 1914.
Both George Ross and P.E. Warner were
decorated with the honour of Vice - President
of the English Table Tennis Association. Their
paths must have crossed many times even
before their table tennis games in Slough in
the 1930s . In 1922 they were both founder
members of the committee of the All - England
Club. A year later they were both members of
the All - England Club team, captained by Ross,
that played a representative match against
Eastbourne and Brighton at Devonshire Park,
E astbourne. The two also formed a committee
along with Ivor Montagu and O.V. Forbes to
achieve uniformity of rules and the change of
name from the Ping Pong Association to Table
Tennis Association.
Also in the twenties , in addition to ironically
being draw n to play each other in the first
     20
World Championships, they served together
for some years on the organizing committee
for the Middlesex Table Tennis
Championships an event which was held at
the Herga Club, famous for being the club
where Fred Perry also played. PEW was one of
the referees for this event. An article in the
Uxbridge and West Drayton Gazette in March
1926 described the “most stimulating event in
the long but interesting programme was that
between C.G. Mase (Whitfield) and P.E.
Warden (Highbur y): the latter played a
remarkably good game for a man of his
advanced years and by his ability got back to
some of Mase’s smashing shots which would
have beaten many a young player”.
P.E. Warden died in Lewisham, London on 11
July 1961 at the age of 90 after a long illness
that had left him nearly deaf and with failing
eyesight . He had given up playing table tennis
at the age of 79 when he lost to his
nei ghbour: “I knew it was then time to pack
up!”.
Note 1 :
I have yet to find anything more t hat could tell
the story of the first Britis h team to travel to
Budapest. This was, perhaps, for the
Hungarian Open Championships. Can anyone
add anything more to this story?
Sources:
Slough, Windsor and Eton Express
“Table Tennis”: the ETTA magazine
“Table Tennis Collector” : especially the
fantastic research by Alan Duke
“Table Tennis and Pastimes Pioneer”
World Championships programme 1926
English Open Championships programme 1952
British Newspaper Archive
Ancestry.co.uk
ETTA handbooks
Wikipedia
Graham has created a photo album of his
collection, on flickr:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ttcollector/
albums
___________________________________________________________________________________
   21
Our friend Hans-Peter Trautmann (GER) sends this wonderful photo, featuring
national trials to qualify for an early World Championships.  Peter always has an
eagle eye for finding high quality items - thank you for sharing!
‘Elimination matches for the World Championships’
EARLY PIRATED IMAGES
By Jorge Arango
Continuation
This is the twelfth and last article of my series about early pirated images.
65. PICK-ME-UP
     22
Postcard presented in TTH 92 by Martin Holland.
    23
67. HIS FIRST TRADEGY
Above. A version of a cartoon, May, 1902. Below: Another version, from the St. Louis Republic,
June 01, 1902. I think the above image is the original one.
    24
UPDATES
I found several images of the pirated ones already presented. I am including some of them.
The original image, presented in TTC 82.
Below: Two more ads.
      25
6. SPALDING’S PIRATED IMAGE
Above: An image from Internet. Below: Image presented in TTC 83. There are several differences
between both images. Do you see why the Spalding’s image is a pirated one?
    26
4. STANLEY WHITE’S IMAGE
The original image, presented in TTC 82.
Below: Image from a Japanese book.
    27
9. THE PREVAILING CRAZE
The original image, presented in TTC 83.
Below: Pirated Image from Steve Grant’s book “Ping Pong Fever.”
     28
3. STANLEY WHITE’S IMAGES
The original image, presented in TTC 84.
The original image was many times pirated and
modified. In other images the words “Ping Pong”
were suppressed and the rackets and balls were
changed.
   29
5. LUCIEN DAVIS
The original image, presented in TTC 82.
Below: Image presented by Steve Grant in TTC 84.
   30
12. AYRES’ IMAGE
Two pirated images from Ayres’ image, presented in TTC 85.
     31
10. DAVENPORT’S PIRATED IMAGE
The original image, presented in TTC 84.
Below: Postcard presented in TTH 91 by Chuck Hoey. This postcard would be the earlier posted
one!
Editors note:  I am sure that I speak for all our readers in offering our congratulations to
Jorge Arango - we are grateful for your fine research series about pirated images!
   32
“Read All About It” – PART 10 (1914 to March 1922)
by Alan Duke
This part in the series continues the sections from the previous issue, this time looking at the war years, when ‘ping-
pong’ provided a popular form of relief from the horrors of the time, up to the re-formation of the Ping-Pong
Association and the All-England Club (including a Heath Robinson ‘invention’ along the way!). Meanwhile, domestic
events and matches continued their popularity.
③ The War Years
1914
On 7th February, a match was played between Sunderland and
Hartlepool.129
A Ping-pong match was played on 11th February at St Ambrose’
Club in Bournemouth against St Swithin’s, ending in a win for the
home team by 71 points.130
On 20th February, Andrew Donaldson retained his Sunderland
title by defeating R Rutter 50-45, with “splendid placing and
deceptive hitting” coupled with a “stonewall defence”. He
suffered only 3 match defeats in 10 years (two in English
Championships, one in the Sunderland League), and won the
North of England Championships “for the last two years”.131
In Coventry, on 24th March, Hillfields PSA Institute visited Cross
Cheaping YMCA for an enjoyable evening of ‘Inter-Club Matches’,
including Ping Pong (YMCA won 6-0), Billiards and Draughts.132
At the Exeter YMCA in April it was reported that “ping pong is
always in evidence”, and the A team “have carried off the
championship and have gone through the season without losing a
single match”.134
17th April: At the Masonic Bazaar in the Linenhall Masonic
Rooms, Ballymena, the “Ladies of No. 2 Stall will give a
PROGRESSIVE PING-PONG TOURNAMENT”.
“Do not
miss this Unique Entertainment.”135
23rd May: At Yarmouth YMCA “Indoor games had continued in
popularity, particularly that of ping-pong, keen contests being
held nightly and the table being in great demand”.137
At the Floral Bazaar and Garden Fete held in the Rectory
Grounds, Coningsby, on 29th July “Among the games played on
the lawn was ping-pong”.138
Newcastle Journal
14 August 1914
Newcastle YMCA erected a billiard table and ping-pong
table “for the special use of the soldiers” located in the city
following Lord Kitchener’s Call to Arms.
A general meeting of the Sunderland & District Ping-
Pong Union was called for 4th September at the YMCA to
arrange fixtures for the season.136
The Standard, London
1 October 1914
At their Ashtead, Surrey, HQ, troops of the 4th Battalion,
Public Schools Brigade of the Royal Fusiliers, were billeted
in houses, where “in one the game of “ping-pong” has been
revived and is played with great gusto”.
On 28th November, members of Wall Street Institute
visited Warwick Lane Social Club, Coventry, for Inter-
Club Games. [The home team won the ping-pong 9-7.]139
1915
Belfast Evening Telegraph
12 January 1915
PING-PONG TOURNAMENT.
“Ping-pong, ping-pong,” how the sound recalls the years
agone when it first was played, and took our homes by
storm; when everything was different when war was but a
thing of history, or at most so remote a possibility as to be
counted almost impossible, and our soldiers were––to most
of us––but ornamental points of colour; when as we passed
along any street of dwelling-houses of an evening, the rapid
“plonk” of the play, and merry voices and laughter of the
young people came through almost every lighted window,
making one feel, if lonely, very lonely indeed; or, if happy,
gladder still that so many people seemed also to be
enjoying themselves. Now the lively little game comes up
again, and is a very effective means of giving aid to some
branch of war’s great requirements. No one has time to be
lonesome now or think very much about themselves;
everyone is trying to help others, and those who plan and
organise, thus giving to many more a chance of doing their
share, deserve much praise.
The ping-pong tournament held in Fortwilliam Lecture
Hall on Saturday afternoon and evening was a decided
success, the ladies in charge … mutually assisting each
other to make it so.
The hall was prettily decorated with flags, bunting, and
palms, with seats conveniently arranged for the spectators,
and from the opening hour to the close there was no
slackening of players or onlookers…. Amongst the players
several were very skilful, and came from considerable
distances to take part in the tournament … and the proceeds
of the entertainment are in aid of the Ulster Motor
Ambulance and comforts for the North Belfast Division.
Folkestone Herald
30 January 1915
THE SOLDIER AT LEISURE.
The passer-by in the streets of Folkestone and
neighbouring localities this winter frequently notices
inscriptions on many buildings which were not to be seen a
short twelve months ago.
The two words, “Soldiers’ Club,” the sign now so often
displayed, reminds the observer that among other changes
in the normal life of this country brought about by the
present gigantic struggle in which the nation is engaged is
the establishment of a new social institution, which has,
although in existence but a few months, already come to be
accepted as part of the ordinary features of the borough.
   33
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
The clubs are designed to meet the needs of the hosts of
young men now training in Kitchener’s Army during their
leisure hours. … A visitor to one of the chief and most
representative of the soldiers’ clubs in the town, the
Woodward Club, on entering the large hall on a recent
evening found it full of soldiers, all engaged in various
pursuits. The room, brightly illuminated, well warmed, and
gaily decorated, presented an animated and happy scene.
There were miniature billiard tables, each with its quota of
players, and the click of the balls mingled with the sounds
from a neighbouring table, where a keenly contested game
of table tennis––the erstwhile highly popular “ping-pong”
––was in progress.
–––––––––––––––––––
8th January:
Referring to YMCA facilities provided for the
troops, “All these halls or huts are well equipped with games of
every possible kind, from the billiard table to ping-pong”.140
22nd January:
For the arrival of the military in Yeovil,
arrangements for entertainment included the Wesleyan church
rooms being “fitted out as a soldiers’ institute, provision being
made for reading and writing, bagatelle, ping pong and other table
games”, “all … well patronised by the Tommies”.141
6th February: The vast White City camp included a Recreation
Room, run by the YMCA, with “a ping-pong table, at which a
fierce fight is progressing”.142
13th February: “St Martin’s Church Room and Men’s Club has
been thrown open to H.M. Troops stationed in the locality.” In a
room adjoining the Main Hall were two fine billiard tables and a
ping-pong board.143
19th February: A YMCA War Emergency Fund appeal was made
for help for their 20 Huts in France and 600 Centres in this
Country in order “To provide Games––Draughts, Dominoes,
Ping-Pong, Bagatelle, Billiards”.144
19th February: in the basement of the YMCA Cambridge HQ in
Alexandra Street “the discovery was made that “ping-pong” is
still popular, and the khaki-clad combatants had a critical,
outspoken audience”.145
London Evening News
31 March 1915
Following praise from numbers of soldiers and a request
from a prominent sergeant drill instructor at Woolwich, a
brief description of the Woolwich Soldiers’ Club (“no old-
established institution; it is a product of the war”) was
given “in the hope that it may be taken as an example in
other districts where large numbers of troops are stationed”.
“The Borough Council offered the use every night of the
public part of the Town Hall …an appeal was made by the
mayor for gifts of cash, games, …”. Two full-sized ping-
pong tables were part of the ready response and were
installed in rooms adjoining the large hall.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
23rd April: A letter from a soldier in the Warwickshire Regiment
described their position in the trenches: “We have nice little dug-
outs to sleep in, and we make them as comfortable as we can. I
think a bagatelle and ping-pong table would improve the furniture
a bit”.146
23rd April: A letter from the C.O. of the Welsh National Hospital,
Netley, made the plea: “A ping-pong table, a bagatelle table, and
a miniature billiard-table are all much wanted for the patients’
recreation-room” for the “wounded and sick soldiers from
France”.147
8th May: At the YMCA Hut at Cooden “Among the games there
are … ping-pong tournaments (each tournament keenly
contested)”.148
10th June: “Playing ping-pong in the greenhouses” (of “the late
Mr. Chamberlain’s residence given over to the wounded” as a
Hospital).149
June: A letter from a soldier of the Australian Expeditionary
Force on life aboard the troopship whilst travelling via Colombo
and Suez: “Parades were discontinued for the time being, and
ping-pong became very popular, several sets being unearthed”.150
3rd July: The YMCA recreation tent at Bowood Camp includes a
billiard table, bagatelle, ping-pong, etc.”151
On the 3rd November, an Inter-Club match between the
[Coventry] YMCA and Warwick Road Institute took place.
Billiards, draughts, ping-pong and chess were contested, with the
YMCA winning the ping-pong 10-1.155
22nd December: One of the wholly unexpected consequences of
the war is a revival of ping-pong. London dealers in games and
toys agree that there has been a sudden and amazing spurt in ping-
pong sets as Christmas presents.152
27th December:
An “At Home” was held at the West
Teignmouth Parish Hall to all soldiers and sailors in Teignmouth.
A ping-pong tournament was one of the many attractions.153
31st December: A visitor reporting of an inspection of Church
Army recreation huts in France, just after a German shell had
landed and shattered a portion of the roof of the canteen, found
in one of the huts, typical of the rest “a piano going at one end,
boxing proceeding at the other, ‘ping-pong’ in the middle…”.154
Illustrated War News
17 November 1915
OFFICERS AMUSING THEMSELVES AMIDST THE
ETERNAL SNOWS OF THE TRENTINO.
PING-PONG AT THE ITALIAN FRONT
    34
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
The Italian Army, officers and men alike, are noted for
their coolness and courage under all conditions, and their
happy temperament prompts them to lighten the stress of
war by such mild diversions as are possible in the intervals
of fighting.
Our photograph shows a group of Italian
officers indulging in a ping-pong tournament amidst the
eternal snows of the Trentino, where Italy is carrying out
her vigorous campaign with constantly increasing success.
The high spirit and invincible good humour of the Armies
of all the Entente Allies are persistently expressing
themselves in those small things which count for much in
keeping up the moral [sic] of troops in action; and such
scenes as this are of good augury for their ultimate and
complete success.––[Photo. by Brocherel.] [TTC 69/6]
1916
4th January: At the Church of England Men’s Society Soldiers’
Club, “Games of various descriptions are at the asking of … the
‘men in khaki’ visiting Cardiff”, including ping-pong.156
10th January: A Church Army Recreation Club for soldiers,
capable of accommodating 200 men at a time, has been started
upon a canal boat plying upon the Flemish canals. A piano, a
gramophone, “ping-pong” outfit, and boxing gloves, etc., are
carried by this cheery club boat in Flanders.157
13th January: At The Front. Catering for the Soldier. Letter
from a Tommy in France: Where I am now we have a Y.M.C.A.
tent, and it would do one good to see how they cater for we
soldiers who are either wounded or sick. There are all sorts of
games, including ping-pong, …158
15th January: A Students’ Sale and Concert was held in the
United College Hall, St Andrews, to help Belgian refugees. Side
shows included a ping-pong tournament.159
23rd February: “A very interesting Ping-Pong match between
Diss Young Men’s Friendly Society and the Lovat Scouts took
place” in the Victoria Hall, with the YMFS victors 14-4 in the 6-a-
side competition.160
16th March: PING PONG BEHIND THE LINES.
A cropped version of the photo above, Ping-Pong at the Italian
Front, was published, with the caption: “Though dead in
England, it is a favourite game of the Italian soldier, and the
picture shows a championship contest in the valley of –––, behind
the firing line.”161
Yorkshire Evening Post
6 May 1916
With four days off duty in late April, one “Warrior’s Relaxations
in France” included, in the company of a French-speaking
colleague who had lived in the area for two or three months, “an
entree into many delightful houses unknown to the casual visitor.
Under his guidance, then, I have even been enabled to renew my
ancient skill at the ping-pong table! I feel certain that, whatever
terrifying pictures you formed of my doings out here, you never
for a minute thought of my smiting the nimble pilule up and down
and––horrid thought!––being thoroughly well beaten by a fair
daughter of France. Of course I haven’t got my eye in yet––it
must be three years since I last played, if not more––but I’ll beat
her before I’ve finished, though it will be some game when I do.
Yesterday I foresook the ping-pong bat for the tea-cup, and paid a
visit to our late mess…
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
8th June: Ping-Pong Again. A hostess to a large contingent of
convalescent soldiers … found in the billiard-room cupboard the
other day a set of ping-pong and introduced the game to her
guests, many of them seeing it then for the first time. They are so
delighted with it that now they toss pennies to know who shall
play next.162
Penrith Observer
26 September 1916
Report from a pastor engaged in the work of the Y.M.C.A. at a
base in France. “Now there are over 2,000 Y.M.C.A. huts
scattered over the various theatres of war where British soldiers
are found. These huts are not only found at the bases, but many
of them are right in the danger zone, immediately behind the
trenches, amid shot and shell. …
It may not be generally known, but it was the recreative side of
our work that first paved the way to the great popularity enjoyed
by the Y.M.C.A in its work among soldiers. I think it was Mr.
Yapp, the national secretary, who first hit upon the idea of having
Y.M.C.A. huts and marquees in connection with the military
training camps. But for some time the men fought shy of them
and it was thought that the whole scheme was doomed for failure.
This was in the days when the game of ping-pong was so popular,
and for want of something better to do the men who were
interested in the first Y.M.C.A. place erected were whiling away
the time by playing a game. A soldier happened to pass that way,
and being himself enthusiastic about the game, watched the
players for a short time. He was soon asked to join in a game, and
he was so surprised that he at once exclaimed, “Why, is it for us?”
Being answered in the affirmative, he went to the door and
shouted to his mates, “Come along, boys: there’s ping-pong here,
and it’s for us.” From that day to this the Y.M.C.A. has been a
popular resort for soldiers in time of peace and time of war.”
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
11th November: Roffey YMCA Camp at Horsham included
“billiards, bagatelle, ping-pong (not out-of-date in Camp), table
games, and heaps of good literature”.163
23rd December: An account of the work of the Church Army and
the War reported that they “had had more than 80 huts under
shell fire…. It cost £300 to build a hut and £100 to equip it …
ping-pong appeared to be a favourite game in the recreation
huts.”164
1917
2nd January: A most successful ping-pong tournament was held
in the Town Hall, Ballymoney, the proceeds being in aid of the
local War Hospitals Supply Depot. Over one hundred entries were
received, and many exciting finishes were witnessed.165
16th January: “A very enjoyable evening was spent in the new
“hut” adjoining the Bicester Red Cross hospital, the occasion
being a games tournament between the patients and nurses of the
hospital and the Bicester O.V.R.” The billiard, ping pong, and
other tables were well lit by gas, and at ping pong the nurses
were often too skilful for their opponents.166
19th January: Histon Institute: A new ping-pong club has been
started and a trial handicap is already in full swing. Some 30
members have joined, and the game promises to exceed even its
former popularity.167
3rd July: The Sheffield Girls’ Patriotic Club reported that “ping-
pong is a favourite amusement”.168
26th May: The Yarmouth YMCA also reported that their “two
ping-pong tables have been in constant demand during the long
winter evenings”.169
26th July: A Garden Fete and Social at Cheshunt Congregational
Church, Hitchin, included a ping-pong competition.170
6th August: The Bank Holiday Grand Garden Fete and Dance at
Stoke Rochford Hall included Modern Ping-Pong among the
amusements.171
   35
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Sheffield Daily Telegraph
2 November 1917
When a battalion has completed its tour of duty in the
trenches it goes either into rest billets some few miles
behind the line, or into “support,” only a short distance in
the rear, where it is instantly available to meet any sudden
exigency.
It was in this intermediate stage that I came across a
Territorial battalion of the Sherwood Foresters. … When so
near the line, it is impossible to provide the men with so
much room in their quarters as can be afforded when they
get further back, but the best is made of such wrecked
cottages and desolated farmsteads as the guns have left
standing. … There is a well-stocked reading room, and a
games room, in which a large ping-pong table is
conspicuous.
15th December: At the Congregational Canteen, Thanet, “Right
in the centre of the room an exciting game of Ping-Pong was in
progress. The game is in for a great revival at this canteen, and
enjoyable tournaments are held from time to time.”172
1918
Yorkshire Evening Post
17 January 1918
PING-PONG AFTER BATTLE.
In France (writes Mr. Philip Gibbs) our men are making
the most of their rest by every kind of game that goes into a
back yard, or a billet, or a field behind the lines. Officers
and men are reviving the parlour games of their boyhood––
not a very ancient memory for some of them ––and gallant
fellows who assaulted German pill-boxes under machine-
gun fire challenge each other to ferocious encounters of
ping-pong and badminton…
Nottingham Evening Post
25 January 1918
THE SOCIAL SIDE OF LIFE AT THE FRONT.
The fighting men, thank heaven, are not always fighting,
and from the coast to the lines even during great battles
there are thousands of soldiers––infantry, engineers,
cavalry, tank units, every branch of the service––billeted in
French and Flemish villages, and making the best of life
within narrow limits. …
The war is long, so long that it is no more to be taken as
an episode but as life itself, so that officers and men take
what they can get out of it, put as much as they can into it,
and adapt themselves to its social opportunities. … There
are great nights in the officers’ messes … four [officers]
fought ferociously at ping-pong, which has come into its
own again as a war game for heroic men.
London Evening News
26 March 1918
Sterling Silver engravers: Such is the closeness of work
that these skilled workers of Harrods are equipped with a
“ping-pong” table in an adjoining room so that they may
occasionally “let up” in the kind of ding-dong battle that
we were privileged to watch!
22nd June: A Garden Fete in St Mary’s Vicarage grounds, Stony
Stratford, in aid of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Comforts Fund,
included a ping-pong stall.173
5th August: At the South Norwood United Services Social Club,
the August Bank Holiday “will not soon be forgotten by the
members of the club. There was not a dull moment … games too
numerous to mention” (including ping-pong).174
23rd August: A meeting of the Portsmouth Welfare Association
discussed a suggestion to form an Indoor Games League, the
suggested inter-club games being Billiards, Draughts, Ping-Pong,
etc.175
30th December:
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers: INDOOR
GAMES, Draughts, Halma, Dominoes, Ping-Pong, &c, are
urgently required to help the Men through the long winter
evenings whilst waiting demobilisation.176
④ The ‘Revival’ of the 1920s
1919
Edinburgh Evening News
18 January 1919
PING PONG SETS
This game is again being extensively
taken up. Complete Sets, price 12/6.
Spare Balls, 3d each. Bats, 2/- each.
Tables. Regulation size, top only, £5, 5/-
THORNTON’S, 78 Princes St.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph
17 January 1919
Army Sports.
“As for indoor amusement, I hear that ping-pong is played
extensively by officers in France.” From a unit on the
Somme: “The weather has been too bad lately for
enjoyable football, so we have taken up ping-pong, which
is quite a good game, and is very popular out here. We
have a fine large table in our mess, and spend most of our
spare time playing.”
Ping-pong was included in the programme at a successful
soiree held on 21st March at the Grammar School in aid of the
Camelford War Memorial Institute.177
Dundee Evening Telegraph
30 May 1919
Cricketers at Ping-Pong.
How do county cricketers pass away the time in the
intervals during which they are not actually engaged on the
field of play? On some grounds the cards come out. The
Surrey professionals, however, have succumbed to their
pre-war craze for “ping-pong”: and the player who has
“got it” most badly is J. B. Hobbs, probably because he
excels at “ping-pong” as much as he does as a batsman.
Hobbs so undercuts the little celluloid ball that it
boomerangs to his own side of the net before his opponent
can touch it.
   36
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Veteran “Bobby” Abel is another “ping-pong” enthusiast,
and to see the little man squirming in pursuit of Hobbs’
elusive “service” is a joy to all onlookers.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
On 31st May at St Peter’s Athletic Club, Yarmouth, “The large
hall used for displays and lectures is provided with a big gallery
and it is upon that floor the billiard and ping-pong tournaments
are played”.178
A fete at St Chad’s Church, South Norwood, on 2nd July included
ping-pong as one of the side shows.179
At the annual meeting of the Plymouth Boys’ Brigade on 1st
October it was agreed that “the various competitions which have
been held over during the war will be revived this session”,
including ping-pong.180
Daily Mail
22 September 1919
MONEY WAITING FOR A NEW PARLOUR GAME.
By JOAN SINCLAIR.
“Invent a first-class table game and your fortune is made.
The coming winter promises to be the most sociable on
record, and all kinds of indoor games are likely to be more
popular than ever.
Yet we toy merchants and
manufacturers have not a single first-class new game ready
to meet the demand.”
The speaker was one of the biggest of London’s dealers
in toys and games, and when I had asked him for the name
of the indoor game we shall all be playing this coming
fireside season he had confessed that he could not give it to
me. …
“The recent widespread popularisation of lawn tennis
points to the possibility of a big Ping-Pong revival; but the
experience of the trade goes to show that a game which for
a season or two attains to a craze of the first magnitude and
then ‘slumps’ so completely as Ping-pong did stands very
little chance of coming back on anything like a big scale.
… “In my opinion, the ideal parlour game must be one of
movement … it is the jolly game that will win the
popularity which can make a fortune. …
“The inventor should also bear in mind that the more
people who can take an active part in the game each time it
is played the bigger his royalties will be. Spectators need
buy none of the implements for the game. Accordingly he
must see to it that all are players.
“Above all, the inventor must remember that the
competitive element must be strong in any game which is
to appeal to the Englishman. The absence of this from
Diabolo was the chief reason for its sudden demise.”
––––––––––––––––––
6th October: A meeting was held in the YMCA to re-form the old
club, with the first Sunderland league match on the 10th.181
4th November: Sunderland Ping-Pong League tables published,
listing 18 teams in two divisions.182
8th November: First match of season in Yarmouth for YMCA
team (v St. Peter’s Athletic). “Certainly it looks as if ping pong
will come into its own again.”183
Sheffield Independent
20 November 1919
There are signs of a coming revival of ping-pong.
A
shopman said that as many as half-a-dozen regulation
tables and sets had been sold within a week.
The Globe
20 December 1919
Ping-Pong, which most of us thought was as dead as a
coffin nail, is, it seems, enjoying quite a boom. An athletic
outfitter declares he cannot supply the demand for the
small celluloid ball. But then these light spheres are also
much used in “blow football,” a popular parlour game these
winter evenings.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
20th December: Games that I do not remember seeing for a
dozen years or more have re-appeared in brand new boxes, and in
some cases with brand new names. One could not help smiling to
find our old friend “Ping Pong” camouflaged under the title,
“Parlour Tennis––the latest game.”184 [TTH 84/37]
23rd December: In Sunderland, the All Saints C.I. team had
problems, as “Few of their chosen players had been
demobilised”.185
Cambridge Daily News
24 December 1919
PING-PONG.
“In your note on
the Christmas show of toys last
Saturday,” says a reader, “you referred to ‘our old friend
Ping-Pong camouflaged as Parlour Lawn Tennis––The
Latest Game.’ But it differs in one respect, if I remember
rightly, from Ping-Pong as first introduced. The bats to-
day are of wood, whereas the original Ping-Pong bats were
of parchment, such as one sees nowadays in the battledore
and shuttlecock games.” I believe my correspondent is
right. I have unpleasant recollections of the monotonous
noise created by the dropping of the celluloid balls on the
hollow bats. But they did not last long. They were soon
replaced by the wooden bats, and then the game became
really serious and some mighty deeds were done. I confess
to having had rather a liking for Ping-Pong myself and
regretted its passing. We English are a curious people.
When a new game comes in we go crazy on it and do our
level best to kill it as soon as possible. And killed it
generally is. Whoever hears of Diabolo nowadays?
1920
Pall Mall Gazette
14 January 1920
LAWN TENNIS TOPICS.
––––––––––––
“PING-PONG” AS A MEANS TO PROFICIENCY.
–––––
By F. W. LAST. [Well-known lawn tennis player and coach,
and author of The Science and Art of Table-Lawn-Tennis]
It is safe to affirm that every nine people out of ten that
one comes across in daily life, now play lawn tennis.
The advent of the wonderful Mlle. Lenglen to this
country was no doubt responsible for the “boom” in the
game last season, and stimulated interest all round.
If only these lawn tennis enthusiasts realised the
important part the “one-time” popular game of ping-pong
plays in the developing of lawn tennis skill, this game
would quickly attain its past popularity, in fact, it is safe to
say that the game would be even more popular than it once
was.
Although ping-pong has become defunct in England, it is
by no means the case with America.
Quick to “size up” a game’s advantages and to gauge
“nice points,” the Americans have devoted considerable
  37
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
time, nay, study, to ping-pong, being quick to see the close
relation to that game and lawn tennis.
Volleying Allowed.
The Americans have, however, made one important
modification to the game as it was once played in this
country, thus bringing the connection between the games
into closer contact.
The Americans allow volleying, whereas, formerly, in
this country, only half-volleys and “table” strokes
(corresponding to “ground strokes” in lawn tennis) were
permissible, and in this way they obtain excellent practice
for “placing” and utilising strategy with regard to their
lawn tennis, which is particularly of the “volleying” type in
America.
In the event of this country again “taking to” ping-pong,
following the excellent example of America, it would be
advisable to make some alterations in the method of play.
In this connection it is suggested that the table should be
marked out “in miniature” like a lawn tennis court. It is in
the field of scientific tactics and “placing” that ping-pong
offers the greatest scope from the point of view of
proficiency in lawn tennis. …
Delicacy of Touch.
It also develops delicacy of touch, which is so important
for the execution of some of the most valuable strokes in
lawn
tennis.
Ping-pong,
besides
the
advantages
enumerated above, plays an important part in the
developing of muscle, suppleness, quickness, and energy,
and is, therefore, to be specially recommended to quite
young children. It is also essentially a healthy and active
game, and is ideal for “wet” days and evenings.
Ping-pong develops certain mental attributes, namely,
alertness, control of the senses, and “sureness” of hand.
––––––––––––––––––––––––
20th January: Not only has badminton revived its popularity, but
ping-pong is in full swing again.186
13th February: Ping-pong has returned again, and threatens to
become as popular as ever. This, of course, will mean a jump in
celluloid. And the ping-pong spirit is so infectious that before
long there’ll be quite a lot of table-rapping. There is no doubt that
the old game has been deliberately re-introduced to suit the
wishes of the bouncing girl of the period.187
Southwick Trinity (Sunderland League Champions) v Rest of
League on 6th March resulted in a win for the Rest by 4 points
(247-243). [A Donaldson beat D Woodward 40-27].188
17th March: The winner of tonight’s North of England
individual championship match will now be known. [A
Donaldson (Southwick Trinity, holder) 200 v D Woodward
(Southwick Congers) 187.] He will have the pleasure of
entertaining the English Champion, Tom Hollingsworth, of
Birmingham, on Saturday, March 27th. This interesting match
will likely be played at All Saints’ Church Institute, Fulwell
Road.189 [TTC 67/25]
21st March: Ping-Pong: There is a revival in ping-pong, or table
tennis, just now. A Scotsmen’s club has two expert players, and
both of them are blind ex-soldiers. They play by sound.190
29th March: Report on the English Individual Championship, in
which T Hollingsworth beat A Donaldson.191 [TTC 67/26]
12th May: “Jack” Hobbs has not taken long to remind
cricketers that he is still our greatest batsman. He is a busy
man these days. When he is neither batting nor fielding, he
plays ping-pong in the players’ dressing-room at the Oval.192
10th July: At a Garden Fete at Manor Farm, Ruislip, “ “ping-
pong” was in high favour, “singles” and “doubles” taking their
turns with lively interest!”193
13th August: Ping-Pong is expected to rival football during
the winter months –– if the bad weather continues.194
13th October: Eight clubs were represented at the pre-
season meeting of the Exeter Ping-Pong League.195
1st December: Ping-pong is coming into fashion again,
and sets can be had [at Barker’s Bazaar, Kensington], as
well as table-tennis.196
Pall Mall Gazette
7 December 1920
REVIVAL OF PING-PONG
––––––––––––
THE POPULARITY OF THE GAME.
–––––
(By F. W. LAST.)
It is very gratifying to see the sports’ shops in London
and the suburbs displaying in their windows ping-pong sets
and tables. For these houses to do this there must, of
course, be a distinct demand for ping-pong paraphernalia.
Besides this activity in the trade, quite a number of
private people are taking to the game seriously, and I am
told a club has been formed at Windsor. That interest is
again being taken in this pastime is not at all surprising. It
is an excellent game for winter evenings and wet nights.
Moreover, it is a cheap game, sets being purchaseable at
about 10s.
There is plenty of exercise attached to a hard and
prolonged game of ping-pong.
It is best played on a
polished dining-room table, but I have had recently most
excellent games on a full-sized billiard table, and an
ordinary dining-room table covered with a white tablecloth.
The fastest surface is the polished table, but a very true and
medium-paced ball is obtainable through the billiard cloth
and tablecloth surfaces. …
Yarmouth Independent
11 December 1920
1921
Exeter & Plymouth Gazette
5 January 1921
PING PONG RENAISSANCE.
History will record 1914 as the year of the Great War,
and 1921 as the approximate date of the great Ping Pong
Renaissance. ... However, the point is that all London is
once more playing the game with tremendous zest, the
shops are being ransacked for new sets and the top attics
for old ones, and suburban streets now once more resound
   38
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
at night, behind brightly-lit blinds, to a perfect barrage of
volatile clicks. …
EX-SERVICE ENTHUSIASTS.
Perhaps more remarkable than this revival of ping pong is
the fact that it should ever have been dropped so
completely.
The only indoor game that is not purely
sedentary to compare with it is billiards, and from the point
of view of excitement and exercise ping pong has it all the
time. Ex Service men are remarkably keen on it. Scores of
thousands of the gallant Middlesex and Fusiliers, who
shared the rigours of the big campaigning, are now
devoting themselves in their leisure hours to patting a
celluloid ball across a dining-room table. Which is one
valuable piece of testimony against those psychologists
who asserted that the war would change human nature. It
is with mixed feelings that some of the ping pong stars of
19 years ago view this sudden and quite unexpected revival
of their ancient pastime. They find a difficulty in getting
back into training again. Their eyes are not quite as keen
as they were two decades ago, and their waist expansion is
fatally greater. Doubtless we shall have a revival of the
Crystal Palace championships, and Mr. Punch will review
the benevolent jokes, with illustrations, of 1902.
Yorkshire Evening Post
5 January 1921
Ping-Pong Again.
One of the surprises of the shopping season has been the
demand for ping-pong sets.
Hamley’s, of London, the
originators of ping-pong, say that the boom is as great as
that of 20 years ago, when the parlour game first caught on.
[TTH 89, page 14]
Dundee Evening Telegraph
5 January 1921
PING-PONG BOOMS ONCE MORE.
–––––––
Stores Find It Difficult to Meet Demand.
… “The sales [of ping-pong sets] have been exceptional,” a
pressman learned from a member of the London firm
which originated ping-pong.
“We have had a great difficulty,” the speaker went on,
“in supplying the demand, and there is no suggestion yet of
its falling-off.”
As a matter of fact, in addition to new sets from the
manufacturers now in use, many households have
recovered the remains of old sets from lumber-rooms, and
ping-pong has been a very popular party pastime.
Confirmation of the return of ping-pong to its former
glory was furnished by another dealer. “While the game
has never completely died out,” he said, “we have
experienced a very decided run on our stocks lately. This
is not surprising, as it is undoubtedly the best indoor game
for the not too wealthy household.”
The dealer suggests that the revival may be due to the call
by ex-service men.
Ex-Soldiers Like It.
Finding the need this year for an exciting, interesting, and
inexpensive indoor pastime, they turned to the game which
had given them so much pleasure in more strenuous times.
When at the zenith of its popularity about twenty years
ago ping-pong held sway for a couple of years in a manner
never previously attained by any game. It extended beyond
Great Britain to France, the Colonies, and America.
In London many of the restaurants provided sets for the
use of clients.
Ping-pong leagues were formed in those days [of] the
“Table-Tennis
Association”
and
the
“Ping-Pong
Association.”
The original tournament table was marked somewhat
after lawn tennis fashion, but most people, of course, found
that the dining-room table was quite good enough and more
sporting.
There are quite a lot of ping-pong rules about
somewhere, but the best people make their own. The chief
are (1) to hit the table on the other side of the net and (2) to
make the other man field his own mis-hits.
If your partner is of the other sex, of course, the rules
vary slightly. Both players then field under the table.
Hull Daily Mail
6 January 1921
A correspondent queries “whether [ping pong] ever really
died. … I know that it has been going on more or less
underground ever since the great boom, and it was played a
lot in officers’ and sergeants’ messes during the war.”
Birmingham Daily Gazette
21 March 1921
A RESURRECTION?
Ping-pong––that fast and skilful indoor game which took
such a violent hold a few years ago––shows signs of
attempting the boxer’s trick of “coming back.” At any rate,
a number of famous tennis and rackets players are
competing in a ping-pong tournament at Queen’s Club,
which is one of the centres of British amateur sport. The
surprising thing is that a revival has been so long delayed,
for the game has had no successor of anything like its
merit.
London Evening News
26 March 1921
To Ping-pongists.
A “Ping-pongist of the strenuous type” is anxious to meet
fellow-enthusiasts at the game through Sports Gossip.
Presumably this reader is anxious to assist in the formation
of a club to aid in the revival of this “scoffed at” but really
fast and excellent game.
My correspondent remarks that he is unable to play
winter lawn tennis, but finds that P.P. keeps his arm well in
for the lawn tennis swing.
I believe that this article in the Sports Gossip column of
the newspaper is the ‘advertisement’ referred to by Percy
Bromfield in his article written for Table Tennis World,
5 December, 1931, and subsequently reprinted in the April
1953 issue of Table Tennis:
A bolt from the blue came along in the form of an
advertisement in an evening paper in 1921 by a Mr. Davies
asking if the game was played in London and were there
any of the old players still playing. This brought answers
from a Mr. Payne, of Luton, and myself among others. We
met––we played––and the dormant spark burst into flame
again.
[TTC 35/13; TTC 59/4]
   39
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Wiltshire Times
26 March 1921
Ping-pong is winning its way back into public favour.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
March: PING-PONG TEAMS AT CARDIFF. Ping-pong
is again catching on, and in Cardiff district alone there are
fifteen teams. A league has been formed and is known as
the Cardiff and District Ping-pong League.197
Sunderland Daily Echo
2 April 1921
Ping-Pong.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP.
At
Wednesbury
yesterday
Andrew
Donaldson
(Sunderland) beat W. Hollingsworth (Wednesbury) by four
points. [TTC 67/27]
London Evening News
11 May 1921
A Ping-Pong Association?
A FEW weeks back a number of ping-pong enthusiasts
got into touch with one another through this column
[Sports Gossip], and as a result of their deliberations a
revived ping-pong association is now mooted.
“What we want to trace,” writes one of these gentlemen,
“is the old ‘Ping-Pong Association.’ It was running during
the last craze, 18 to 20 years ago. Surely there are some of
the officials still alive and kicking. There seems no doubt
that the game will come into general favour again next
winter, and an association is badly needed again for all our
clubs to look for guidance. My friends and I are quite
ready to give any help we can if we can find the man that
knows the ‘ropes’ of the old association. They used to run
public open tournaments and championships, etc. This is
what we want again.”
This article would appear to be the follow-up mentioned
by Percy Bromfield in his 1931 article (this paragraph not
reprinted in later versions):
Following the example of Mr. Davies we advertised
asking all enthusiasts to meet at Slaters in the Strand on a
specified date. The date came along as dates have a habit
of doing and when we three arrived the place was packed.
We addressed the meeting and arranged to meet again with
the idea of forming another Association. So in 1921 I was
elected President and Mr. Payne Secretary (positions which
we both held for many years), and the new Association
came into being.
[This letter-header from April 1922 confirms as committee
members four names that feature elsewhere on this page
(Bromfield, Payne, Redmond, and a T D Davies; the latter
two for just the one season.) Although Davies is a fairly
common name, it would seem quite likely that this was the
Mr Davies who initiated the above correspondence.]
June: A specially balanced ping-pong table has been installed
in the wardroom of the Japanese battleship which is to convey
the Crown Prince of Japan back to Tokyo.198
Norwood News
8 July 1921
The latest form of amusement to be revived is the old-
fashioned game of ping pong, which enjoyed a great vogue
some 12 or so years ago. One of the prime movers in its
revival is Mr. Boden Redmond, of South Streatham.
In an interesting interview with a News representative,
Mr. Redmond gave some interesting particulars regarding
the resuscitation of the game.
“Ping pong went out of fashion some time about 1910, I
think,” said Mr. Redmond, “and there is a real effort now
being made for its revival.
“With other enthusiasts I got into touch with the remnants
of the old Ping Pong Association and the result is that clubs
are being formed all over London and the country in
general.
“I am endeavouring to get a large circle of good players
together to form either a large club to represent Streatham
and Norbury, or a series of clubs in the districts hereabouts
in preparation for the coming season, which will start in
September.
TOURNAMENTS AHEAD.
“Championships and open tournaments will be held, and
I hope to get many more members for the Streatham and
Norbury club, so that by September we will be able to send
good teams to meet others in different districts in London
and suburbs. …
“Up to the present our efforts have met with every
success, especially with lawn tennis players, for owing to
its being practically a winter pastime, it enables them to
keep their swing for the tennis season later on.
“I believe my name is being put forward as a
representative of the committee of the old Ping Pong
Association, which will be the parent body to which the
various clubs will appeal for decisions.” [30-year-old Henry
Boden Redmond could be contacted at “Torleigh,” 38 Glencairn
Road, South Streatham. He was a member of the PPA Executive
Committee for the 1921/22 season.]
Lancashire Evening Post
13 September 1921
RETURN OF PING-PONG. Ping-pong, which first raged
19 years ago, has come back.
Ping-pong clubs are
springing up in all parts of London and the country, with
inter-district matches among affiliated clubs.
Leeds Mercury
14 September 1921
Ping Pong Redivivus.
All our old games and pastimes would seem to be coming
into fashion again. Last night I chronicled a minor revival
of “diabolo.” To-night I must mention a genuine return to
popularity of ping-pong. Just as was the case nineteen
years ago, when the game was first introduced, and by
many called “table tennis,” ping-pong clubs are now
   40
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
springing into existence all over the Metropolis, and once
more tournaments and inter-district matches are being
everywhere arranged. Whether the revival will last as long
as the original craze remains to be seen.
Yorkshire Evening Post
16 September 1921
“ PING-PONG ” COMES BACK.
––––––––
“Ping-pong,” which was such a craze many years ago, is
coming into favour once again. In London, it has already
got a good hold. “There has been a fairly steady demand
during the last two or three years for ping-pong sets,” said a
Leeds sports outfitter to-day, “and that steady demand is
one of the pleasing features of the revival. It indicates that
the game has come to stay, whereas if there had been a rush
for sets we should have thought it was only a passing
craze.”
Ping-pong sets––two bats, three balls and a net with
posts––may be had for as little as 3s. 6d., while the more
elaborate sets go as high as a guinea or more.
Why this revival? Has it any connection with the tennis
boom? Our informant thought not. Badminton, he said,
was the winter tennis, but it required a considerable space,
and that was one of the reasons why it was not so popular.
“Ping-pong has been revived,” he said, “because there are
no new novelties to offer in the way of winter games that
can be played by a small party. …”
Norwood News
23 September 1921
As promised (see above), South Streatham Ping Pong Club
ran a Ping Pong Tournament in St Andrew’s Hall on 20th
September. H B Redmond lost 21-11 to A J Miller in the
Gentlemen’s Singles Final. “The play of the lady members
was of a high standard.”
Derby Daily Telegraph
20 October 1921
What’s in a Nickname?
Lawn tennis stands little chance of being a winter
evening’s pastime on account of the difficulty of lighting a
covered court sufficiently well to please expert players.
But its diminutive form, table tennis, is booming again,
and would stand a good chance of popularity if blessed
with a more serious name than ping-pong.
Probably the nickname will adhere, and kill the game,
which seems a pity.––“Daily Chronicle.”
9th November: A Sale of Work in Warminster Town Hall
included a Ping-Pong Tournament.199
Evening Standard
14 November 1921
Ping-Pong Revival.
“Ping-Pong clubs are being formed all over London, and
the old craze is coming back fast.” This is the assurance
given us by the secretary of the Ping-Pong Association,
which has just been revived after lapsing into a state of
coma somewhere about 1903.
The meeting which decided to resuscitate the association
was held recently in London, when Mr. J. P. Bromfield, of
Shepherd’s Bush, was elected chairman, and Mr. J. J.
Payne, of 55 Biscot-road, Luton, the honorary secretary
and treasurer.
The association’s handsome silver challenge cup, open to
teams of five from affiliated clubs, is to be put up for
competition again, and Mr. Payne will be pleased to supply
handbooks and books of official rules to secretaries and
those thinking of forming clubs.
Whilst I have not yet found a newspaper report with the
exact date of the meeting, this can fairly safely be
assumed to be 7 November, 1921, as shown in the 1922
Accounts of the Ping Pong Association:
[With many thanks to Colin Clemett for this information.]
The Bystander
2 November 1921
Leeds Mercury
16 November 1921
Not “ Ping Pong ” Please.
A tear of sympathy for a very fine body of sportsmen is
surely evoked by the plea of the “Ping Pong” exponents for
the use of the more dignified term, “Table Tennis.” So
long as this most entrancing sport is known by the abhorred
title which I will not repeat, it is impossible, they say, to
get it taken seriously. It is their ambition, it seems, to
elevate table tennis to the exalted status enjoyed by tennis
proper, leading, no doubt, to the discovery of a Lenglen or
a Tilden, with a Wimbledon Championship into the
bargain.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Christmas: “Table games seem popular this year – improved
shuttlecock and ping-pong, table tennis, …”.200 [TTC 56, page 7]
    41
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Lincolnshire Echo
23 November 1921
There are indications of a revival of ping-pong, which was
a craze some fourteen years ago.
Manchester Evening News
24 November 1921
Boom inTable Tennis
Revival of Ping Pong.
PING-PONG, or as its new devotees prefer to call it, table
tennis, is being seriously revived this winter, and clubs are
rapidly springing up to further its popularity.
Many lawn tennis players find that it keeps their eye in
during the close season of their favourite sport, and also
supplies the exercise they miss so much, and so it finds
adherents of both sexes.
Local tournaments are being arranged, and it is quite
likely that public ones will follow in the same way as in the
time of the first boom.
Grave Enthusiasts.
It is noticeable that in the sports emporiums all manner of
different ping-pong racquets are being displayed, a sure
sign that the game is no longer considered merely a pastime
for children.
Enthusiasts gravely debate the rival merits of cork,
sandpaper, or wooden surfaces, and their preference for
light or heavy balls.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a craze for
table tennis to equal that of years ago, but it is certain that
this winter will find it very popular in the home.
Pall Mall Gazette
25 November 1921
Ping-Pong.
We used to laugh at ping-pong, but now we call it table
tennis, and the fact that the Prince of Wales played it on the
Renown has helped it a good deal.
Yesterday at the
Kensington Town Hall there were ping-pong competitions
in connection with the Surgical Supply Depot bazaar, and
Princess Louise, who opened it, was photographed at the
table, bat in hand.
Northern Daily Mail
2 December 1921
Pall Mall Gazette
30 December 1921
The Value of Ping-Pong.
When ping-pong first came into popularity there were
many derogatory comments on the uselessness of what
many described as a childish game.
But table tennis
deserves a much more flattering description.
Lawn tennis has long grown out of the stigma of being a
game only fit for schoolgirls;
Badminton is generally
recognised as a particularly strenuous form of indoor
winter sport; and ping-pong, when all is said and done, can
be made a very vigorous game, and one which will quickly
find out the weak spots in the physical condition of anyone.
Great efforts were made only recently to revive the game,
and a society was formed to consider the many points that
must inevitably arise before ping-pong is anything in the
way of an organised sport.
Irish Society (Dublin)
31 December 1921
A DEFUNCT AMUSEMENT.
Did ever a Humpty Dumpty suffer such a veritable “great
fall” as the once paramount Ping-Pong! A few years ago it
was a fever––a disease,––every house was infected by it,
and every individual had a touch of the malady, more or
less severely. Fortunes were said to have been made by it,
and lost over it, and now it is as dead as Queen Anne! It
died for want of a netting. People got weary of continually
grovelling on floors after balls, and nobody thought of
contriving a nice little loose cord-netting, to be affixed to
sides of tables. The public is decidedly fickle, nobody can
possibly deny the fact, but it is wonderfully steadfast to its
own comforts, and games that can be played without
requiring a hinge in the backs of players will be extremely
likely to “stay in.”
1922
Sport (Dublin)
4 February 1922
ALL-ENGLAND PING PONG CLUB.
So great has been the support of those who have
undertaken the task of reviving ping-pong that an All-
England club is now proposed. Mr. Austin F. Carris, a
member of the Ping-Pong Association Committee, writes
asking for help in obtaining a large hall or room, as near
the West End as possible, to take from 16 to 25 tables, for
the formation of such a club. There is a large number of
applications already for membership of such a club.
Nottingham Evening Post
16 February 1922
With the title of the All-England Ping-Pong Club, the
revived Ping-Pong Association is opening its headquarters
in London on Monday [20th].
Pall Mall Gazette
21 February 1922
ALL-ENGLAND PING PONG CLUB
Owing to the revival of ping pong, the necessity of a
central club has been keenly felt.
This has now been
formed, with its title and headquarters as The All-England
Ping Pong Club, Slater’s Restaurant, 393, Strand, London,
W.C.2. The lower dining-hall at Slater’s Restaurant has
been specially reserved for the use of the club each
Tuesday and Friday evening, from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.
The entrance fee and subscription combined, for either
ladies or gentlemen, has been fixed at one guinea. If the
demand warrants it the club will be open every night during
the week. A competition will be inaugurated for the club
members only, to be played at headquarters. Within the
next week or two, an official announcement will probably
   42
EARLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
be made regarding the competition for the individual
championships.
Pall Mall Gazette
2 March 1922
JACK HOBBS PLAYS PING-PONG.
–––––––––––––
FILMED TO SHOW HOW IT IS DONE.
–––––––
Hobbs and Ducat, the famous Surrey cricketers, have
taken to ping-pong.
Together with B. I. C. Norton, the South African lawn
tennis player, who was beaten by Tilden in the
championship final at Wimbledon last year, and the two
Kent amateur cricketers, the brothers Bryan, they are to
form part of a team of ping-pong players to meet
Cambridge University next Thursday.
Further, Hobbs and Ducat have gone on the films as ping-
pong experts. They have been filmed in an exhibition
match, which will shortly be shown in the cinemas in the
weekly budget “Around Town.” …
Apart from its popularity in London, however, many
people at Cambridge have taken up the game, and recently
A. E. Evans, Christ College, defeated C. S. Ramaswami,
Pembroke College, in the final of the ping-pong
competition, for which there were nearly 150 entries. Mr.
Ramaswami is the well-known lawn tennis player and
cricketer.
Dundee Evening Telegraph
13 March 1922
PING-PONG COMES BACK TO FAVOUR.
––––––––––
A ping-pong craze is sweeping through the land, and
growing rapidly. There are probably as many as fifty clubs
in London formed to play the game.
In the roomy basement of a Strand restaurant (writes a
London correspondent) I found members of the new All-
England Ping-Pong Club at their devotions. There were a
dozen green tables, with the little green nets.
With two exceptions the players were men in shirt-
sleeves, but the club membership of about 100 includes
many of the fair sex.
The men were of all ages––from white-haired veterans to
young City clerks. Everyone was as serious as if he had
been playing chess.
On the loungers that lined the walls sat other players
resting.
There are athletes who are members of the club. Hobbs,
the Surrey and England cricketer, is a ping-pong enthusiast.
So, too, is Ducat, who, besides being an international
cricketer, has represented his country in the football field.
The tables were never idle, and I was told that the club
hopes next season to rent a hall that will accommodate
from 30 to 40 tables, for its membership is growing fast.
In a talk with the president I learned that preparations are
afoot for a big championship tournament in April that will
take from four to six weeks to run.
Hull Daily Mail
15 March 1922
Reading Observer
24 March 1922
PING PONG AGAIN.–
Ping-Pong, or table-tennis, a game that suddenly became
popular in 1901, is again coming into favour. The news
will not be altogether welcome to housewives who
remember the heavy wear and tear inflicted on dining-room
carpets and furniture during the craze twenty years ago. It
is better suited to basement rooms, or clubs, and as a
“parlour” game, it is apt to become a nuisance to people
naturally inclined for a quiet home life. Dozens of clubs
are being formed in London for playing the game, but the
season for indoor amusements is ending, instead of
commencing, and this seems rather against the prospect of
a new ping-pong craze.
References
129. Sunderland Daily Echo, 13 Feb. 1914.
130. Bournemouth Graphic, 13 Feb. 1914.
131. Sunderland Daily Echo, 21 Feb. 1914.
132. Coventry Eve. Telegraph, 1 Apr. 1914.
133. Western Times, 3 April 1914.
134. Exeter & Plymouth Gaz., 8 Apr. 1914.
135. Ballymena Observer, 10 April 1914.
136. Sunderland Daily Echo, 31 Aug. 1914.
137. Yarmouth Independent, 23 May 1914.
138. Boston Guardian, 1 August 1914.
139. Coventry E. Telegraph, 30 Nov. 1914.
140. Cambridge Ind. Press, 8 Jan. 1915.
141. Western Chronicle, 22 January 1915.
142. The Graphic, 6 February 1915.
143. Dorking Advetriser, 13 February 1915.
144. Western Mail, 19 February 1915.
145. Cambridge Ind. Press, 19 Feb. 1915.
146. Coventry E. Telegraph, 23 April 1915.
147. Western Mail, 23 April 1915.
148. Bexhill-on-Sea Observer, 8 May 1915.
149. Daily Mirror, 10 June 1915.
150. Preston Herald, 4 December 1915.
151. Wiltshire Times, 3 July 1915.
152. Yorkshire Evening Post, 22 Dec. 1915.
153. Western Times, 28 December 1915.
154. Bournemouth Graphic, 31 Dec. 1915.
155. Coventry E. Telegraph, 11 Nov. 1915.
156. Western Mail, 4 January 1916.
157. Huddersfield D. Exam., 10 Jan. 1916.
158. Leicester Daily Post, 13 January 1916.
159. St. Andrews Citizen, 22 January 1916.
160. Diss Express, 25 February 1916.
161. Daily Mirror, 16 March 1916.
162. Daily Mirror, 8 June 1916.
163. West Sussex Co. Times, 11 Nov. 1916.
164. Bournemouth Guardian, 23 Dec. 1916.
165. Northern Whig, 11 January 1917.
166. Bicester Herald, 19 January 1917.
167. Cambridge Ind. Press, 19 Jan. 1917.
168. Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 3 Apr 1917.
169. Yarmouth Independent, 26 May 1917.
170. Hertford Mercury, 28 July 1917.
171. Grantham Journal, 4 August 1917.
172. Thanet Advertiser, 15 December 1917.
173. Buckingham Advertiser, 29 June 1918.
174. Norwood News, 9 August 1918.
175. Hampshire Telegraph, 23 Aug. 1918.
176. Belfast News-Letter, 30 Dec. 1918.
177. Western Morning News, 24 Mar 1919.
178. Yarmouth Independent, 31 May 1919.
179. Norwood News, 4 July 1919.
180. Western Morning News, 1 Oct. 1919.
181. Sunderland Daily Echo, 1 Oct. 1919.
182. Sunderland Daily Echo, 4 Nov. 1919.
183. Yarmouth Independent, 8 Nov. 1919.
184. Cambridge Daily News, 20 Dec. 1919.
185. Sunderland Daily Echo, 23 Dec. 1919.
186. Yorkshire Evening Post, 20 Jan. 1920.
187. The Globe (London), 13 Feb. 1920.
188. Sunderland Daily Echo, 6 Mar. 1920.
189. Sunderland Daily Echo, 17 Mar. 1920.
190. Sunday Post (Glasgow), 21 Mar. 1920.
191. Sunderland Daily Echo, 29 Mar. 1920.
192. Leeds Mercury, 12 May 1920.
193. Uxbridge Gazette, 16 July 1920.
194. Dundee Eve. Telegraph, 13 Aug. 1920.
195. Western Morning News, 14 Oct. 1920.
196. The Sketch (London), 1 Dec. 1920.
197. Western Mail, 30 March 1921.
198. Hartlepool North. Mail, 29 June 1921.
199. Wiltshire Times, 5 November 1921.
200. The Times, 17 November 1921
   43
China sheet/4 stamps from the 1961 World Championships, Beijing.  This example
features a very rare error.  The red print is shifted down, so some of the text is missing.
The shift is more extreme than a previous example.  10,000 Euros on Delcampe.net !
Philatelic  Update
Not much to report due to lack of tournaments.
With great help of the Chinese TTA, the ITTF
re-started Table Tennis activity with the World
Cups in Weihai, and the ITTF Finals (formerly
Pro Tour Grand Finals) in Zhengzhou.  But no
philatelic items from these events!
Monaco  issued November 3, 2020,
for the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo 23. July
– 8. August 2021.
Face-value: 1,40 Euro.
Print in small sheets with 10 stamps.
The pictograms show sports disciplines in
which athletes from Monaco take part in
  44
 45
Two stellar pieces from the Jean Devys (FRA) collection
Gunther Angenendt (GER) sends images of the cover pages
of early Tisch-Tennis magazines.  Some great historic photos!
Photo from the 1931 World Championships in Budapest:  Jensen (SWE) vs Kelen (HUN)
  46
Photo from the 1933 World Championships in Baden-bei-Wien
  47
     48
Photo of the German women’s team, winners of the innaugural Corbillon Cup in the 1934
World Championships, Paris. L-R: Felguth, Muller-Ruster, Heim, Krebsbach, Hohnsch.  Not
shown, Bussman.  A talented team!
Photo of the finalists of the German national championships.  L: Felguth
(who defeated Bussman), and the winner, Krebsbach
 49
The two world’s best players, photo of the finalists in the 1935 World Championship men’s singles.
                              L:  Szabados, and the winner for the 5th time, Victor Barna.
   50
Photo from the 1935 World Championships in London.  L:  Krebsbach (GER), R: Kettnerova (TCH),
who defeated Krebsbach in the 1934 World Championships final in Paris.  Kettnerova went on to
win the 1935 crown over Magda Gal (HUN).
   51
Photo of Fred Perry(ENG), who at age 19 won the World Singles title in Budapest 1929.  Perry went on to a
highly successful career in Tennis, as well as establishing a sports clothing empire.
    52
A repeat of the photo of the playing hall from the 1933 World Championships in Baden-bei-Wien, (No. 4,
1933 edition), shown in anticipation of the upcoming 1937 World Championships at the same venue.
   53
The German women’s team, who placed second in the Corbillon Cup at the
1937 World Championships.   L-R:  Bussman, Schultz, Hobohm
     54
The German ‘Trio’ at the 1938 World Championships
in London.   L-R:  Hoffmann, Mauritz, Munchow
   55
The venue for the 1939 World Championships in Cairo,
the first World Championships held outside of Europe
   56
Trude Pritzi, who won the German Singles title 3 times and scored
the only point in the team match between Germany and Hungary
    57
Auction Action - Results & Trends
 58
Set of 6 magic lantern glass slides with Ping Pong theme.  Mr Peppercorn presents
his family with a Ping Pong set (slide 1, then chaos ensues (slides 2-5)), and then Mr
Peppercorn forms an Anti Ping Pong Club.  Sold for a reasonable 65 GBP
Glass magic lantern slides, illustrating how the balls roll under the furniture.  In the 3rd slide,
someone’s hand is caught in a mouse trap.  55 GBP
   59
This lot of 2 early sets sold for $368.  Above:  set by Williams of Paris.  Below:  Set by E.I. Horsman
of New York.  The rackets in the Horsman set are possibly not original to the set.
  60
3 early wood bats from the Gurney Collection.  5.5 GBP
Jaques cork bat, 4.3GBP
     61
Card 2 from the early Fairyland postcards set of 6, with ‘Birthday
Greetings’. $10 for card 2 and card 5 below in one lot !
Card 1 from the early Faiyland
postcard set of 6.  Excellent
condition except for a small
ding in the lower right corner.
85 GBP
Card 5 of the early Fairyland set of 6, with ‘Many Happy
Returns’ added.  Sold with card 2 above for $10
Clock trophy from a 1902 Ping Pong tournament at the Hotel
Continental in Berlin.  3.5 inches tall, sold for $88.  Steve Grant
reports that the clock is still working!
   62
One of a 12-card series of advertising cards for
Globe Metal Polish, 1902  99 GBP
No. 2 size vellum battledore  22.51GBP
Two vellum drum rackets, 38cm and 36.5cm.  Only 30 GBP winning bid!
  63
Two hand-colored cartoon illustrations from Punch magazine:  Ping Pong
Diplomacy (8 GBP), and Ping Pong in the Kitchen (11.5 GBP)
  64
Sterling silver enameled medal for the 1928-29
Cardiff & District Division 2.  $74
Pair of Slazenger bats, one side pimpled rubber, the other, vellum. 30 GBP
    65
Waseda University (JPN) Table Tennis team, c. 1920s.  8GBP
Scarce early Disney postcard, c. 1930s   $44
  66
Pressman (US) boxed set with drawing of a woman on one of the wood bats. $13.50
 67
Jaques boxed set with both Table Tennis and Ping Pong names
for the game. C.1930  11.5GBP
Marks Bros (US) set in fine wood box, sandpaper bats. $152
   68
Holiday greeting card  $1.25
      69
Aubrey Simons (1921-2014) signature bat,
20GBP.  Aubrey was an English international
who won a Gold medal in the 1953 World
Championship team event, and was
subsequently ranked World number 4.  He
represented England in 165 events!
Richard Bergman photo, inscribed. 42 GBP.  A postcard
with the same photo sold separately for $20
Seldom seen Spalding Ron
Sharman signature bat. 5 GBP
Ron won a bronze medal in the
1949 World Championships team
event, representing England,
along with teammates Richard
Bergmann, Johnny Leach, Victor
Barna and Aubrey Simons.
Foroma Wizard bat  100 GBP
   70
The case was advertised, but the surprise
inside was a classic Barna bat, the lot sold
for a bargain 25GBP !
Spalding blade named after Eric Findon
(1913-1941), who represented England in
the 1934 Swaythling Cup.  He was also an
actor, appearing in two feature films.  5 GBP
  71
Pair of Dunlop Barna bats with red
teardrop logo. Sold for only 31 GBP
Photo of legendary pool hustler
Minnesota Fats. $100
  72
Royal Bayreuth porcelain shaped like dice, flags over table
pattern.  A holder for matches or toothpicks.  $750
Dick Miles bat with promotional photo.  Dick was
10-times US Singles Champion.  $5
Japanese medallion, 1969 World
Championships, Munich.  8.60 GBP
Bergmann’s classic 1950 book,
Twenty-One Up, inscribed, 10GBP
Bergmann was a prolific autograph
signer, often dated with inscriptions
  73
   74
Pair of Biriba bats.  $18  Ubiraci  Podriguez da Costa, affectionately
known as Biriba, was a young sensation in Brazil, scoring many
great victories against top world class players.
Jaques ‘Tema’ hardbats  6GBP
Butterfly Secretin (1949-2020) bat $26  The French star won the World Mixed
Doubles with Claude Bergeret in 1977, and often staged entertaining exhibitions
with Vincent Purkart (FRA, 1936-2015).
     75
Butterfly Surbek ST sponge bat, $59.  Surbek (YUG) won the World Men’s
Doubles Championships in 1979 (w/Stipancic) and 1983 (w/Kalinic).
  76
Stiga Stellan Bengtsson  bat in original box.
102 GBP after 31 bids!
Stiga Alser $157 after 46 bids!
Stiga Kjell Johansson $159
Stiga ‘Flisan F’ hardbat  $87 after 26 bids
Book by Ron Crayden, The Story of Table
Tennis - the first 100 years.12 GBP
      77
Poster Iran 1989 TT tournament Shiraz   120 Euros
Plaque from the 1956 World Club
Championships, for D. Weeks, who
won a Club Singles event.
    78
Poster for the 1962 European Championships in
Budapest.  60 Euros.
Poster from the 1981 European Championships in
Topolcany   70Euros
Poster from the first European Championships in
Budapest, 1958.   180 Euros
Poster from the 1978 European Championships in
Duisberg, 1978   40 Euros
The many pins from Atlanta 1996 Olympic Table Tennis are plentiful and well known.
This postcard featuring the mascot Izzy playing Table Tennis seldom surfaces.  $3
Poster from the 1987
Balkan Championships,
Constanta, Romania
$87
    79
Günther Angenendt
Langacker 10a 44869 Bochum, Germany
+49-2327-77117   ttanpp@gmx.de
Pre-war World Ch Programs; all Tt items
German boxed sets & bats;  TT pins
Jorge Arango   jharango@une.net.co
Cl. 10 No. 25-103 Ap.116 Medellin Columbia
Philatelic & general TT items
Michael L. Babuin, PhD    USA
416 Charles Ct., Cary NC 27511
mikebabuin@aol.com
Pre-1905 books, old film copies, programs
Oliver Born   Germany
born4TT@freenet.de  www.old-butterfly.de
Old Butterfly rackets, especially Korpa
Keith Bowler   In Memoriam
Fabrice Chantriaux   France
10 Rue des Chevrefeuilles F-45130 Saint-Ay
02.38.88.82.11         Fax: 02.38.45.94.29
F.chantriaux@wanadoo.fr  Stamps, cancels,
Postcards, posters, old papers on TT
Colin Clemett colin.clemett@gmail.com
2 Watermill Court, 10 Springwell, Havant
PO9 1ED   UK      Historical documents
Fabio Colombo  Italy     drfabioc@gmail.com
www.colombofabio.com
Table Tennis books, World Rankings. Author
Seeking STIGA Stipancic rackets
Ron Crayden (ENG)   in Memoriam
Andre Demeure (BEL)  in Memoriam
Jean Devys    Residence La petite vigne,
20 rue Edgar Quinet, A16  F-59100 Roubaix
France  33.320828444  Fax: 33.320650849 TT
philately, cycling   jean.devys@orange.fr
Axel Dickhaus   Germany
Atzienbacherf Str. 88 D-51381 Leverkusen
+49 (0)2171 32108  Fax: 49 (0)2171.731478
axel.dickhaus@freenet.de  TT balls, phone cards
Alan Duke    alan-duke2@talktalk.net
2 Shapwick Close,  Swindon WILTS. England
SN3 3RQ UK     +44 (0) 1793 531234
History, music & photo record of TT items
Sergio Durazzano   durazzano@aruba.it
Via Girardini 8, 33100 Udine, Italy
0432.21105  Stamps & historical books
Winfried Engelbrecht    Germany
Virgiliastr.21 D-45131 Essen 49.201.78.6795
winfried.engelbrecht@imail.de    Philately:
Stamps, FDCs, Sheets, Postmarks, books,
phonecards, tickets, stickers, W.C. Programs
Romualdas Franckaitis       Lithuania
Rfranckaitis@gmail.com
Gao Yi-bin      15365036631@163.com
No.9 Xin Wen Road 21-905 Phoenix Tree Garden
Jiangning, Nanjing, Jiansu  P.R.China  211100
+8625 5212 3334 TT stamps, FDC, postcards
phonecards, coins, medals, pins, cancels
Roman Gelman     rgpinman@aol.com
24 Taverngreen Court, Baltimore, MD.  USA
21209   410 602 0267  Pins,,badges,medals
David Good    dgood42@yahoo.com
710 N.Waverly, Dearborn, MI 48128 USA
+1 313 278 5271   c.1900 sets, equipment,
ephemera, memorabilia
Scott Gordon USA  sgordon@hardbat.com
5340 Shelato Way, Carmichael, CA 95608
+1 916 978 0117  www.hardbat.com     films
Historic films,classic era hardbats, old books
Gordon Gotal   mim-borovo@zg.htnet.hr
Meduliceva 23 Zagreb 10000 Croatia
+3851 4848 687 Exch: TT pins, medals, post-
cards Acquire: WC & EC official badges
(Guest, organizer, player, press, etc)
Steve Grant      NY, NY   USA     author
Nyman455@yahoo.com
Ping Pong Diplomacy, Early 1900s TT
Esko Heikkinen   esko.heikkinen@sptl.fi
Vainamoisenkatu 9  B 17 Helsinki 00100
Finland  +358 50 62532 TT history, Stiga bats
Gerald Gurney      In Memoriam
Rex Haggett   rex.haggett@ntworld.com
27 Meadow Close, Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire, CV37 9PJ  England
+44 (0) 1789 269352       Philately
Russ Hamilton Arkansas, USA
J.russ.hamilton@gmail.com   214-673-6164
c1890-1902 vintage sets, books, unusual items
Barry Hayward     UK
19 Little Hardwick Road, Streetly
West Midlands  WS9 0SD   TT books in English
barry_hayward@LHRstreetly.freeserve.co.uk
Website: https://tabletennislibrary.co.uk
Chuck Hoey   Honorary Curator, ITTF Museum
museum@ittf.com    ittfmuseum@yahoo.com
Art bats, unusual bats, historic photos,
Important medals, museum quality items
Martin Holland   mjh44now@yahoo.co.uk
44 Victoria Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
England  BA14 5JU  TT postcards & trade cards
Rolf Jaeger  USA      In Memoriam
Dean Johnson        USA
3404 Holly Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 478 3605   djab2b@aol.com
Jean-Francois Kahn   France
49 rue Leonardo da Vinci, 77330 Ozoir la
Ferriere        jfkhan70@gmail.com
+33 1 40779762  TT philately: imperf stamps,
sheets, color proofs, minister/artist sheets,
errors, postmarks, meters, FDCs, specimens
Christian Klaus   Möllersdorf, Austria
christianklaus59@gmail.com
TT stamps, cancels, postcards, autograph
cards, FDCs, historic photos, magazines,
Newspapers, score-lists, books, posters …
Jan Kleeven    sjangkleeven@planet.nl
Margrietstraat 63    6373 NN Landgraaf
Netherlands  Pins, flags, pennants, stamps,
Phonecards, stickers
Matti Kolppanen     Finland
Kollekannaksent 12E, FI-02720  Espco
 matti.kolppanen@kolumbus.fi
TT history, TT postcards
Randy Koo       Netherlands
Torenwacht 37, 2353 DB Leiderdorp
+31 071 5417413   randykoo@gmail.com
Stamps mint, postmarks, red meters, FDC
Hans Kreischer   +34965698195
Avenue les Comargues 21, Busot-Allicante
03111 Spain  hanskreischer@hotmail.com
www.ttmuseum.nl
Kevin Lau   USA kevintennis@yahoo.com
Philatelic, pins, coins, memorabilia, souvenir
& decorative items
FRANCESCO LUCESOLI    Italy
VIA DEI FAGGI 16
I-60018 MARINA DI MONTEMARCIANO
Stamps, FDC, special postmarks, varieties
Caron Leff       Ft. Myers, FL   USA
csleff@aol.com      Table Tennis pins
Collector Directory
 80
Francis Leibenguth   France   +33951966614
1 résidence des Hauts de Villebon 91140
Villebon-sur-Yvette stanfl54-hardbat@yahoo.fr
Vintage bats (esp hardbats), vintage sets
http://raquettes-collection.blog4ever.com
Jorgen Lindh      joli@mbox303.swipnet.se
Egnahemsgatan 13D S-43242 Varberg SWE
Steve Luck, 12 Liskey Hill, Perranporth,
Cornwall TR6 0ET Phone: 07860 446209
steve@stevelucktennis.com racket sports,
rowing, billiards, croquet, archery ...
Fabio Marcotulli        Venezuela
lailagalvez@yahoo.com
Barna rackets, TT items from all eras
Hubert Menand
hubert.menand@laposte.net
President, AFCTT (French TT Collectors)
Eldon Mohler    eam2@ix.netcom.com
1820 E.Warm springs Rd.
Suite 112 Las Vegas. NV 89119 USA
Fax: +1-702-453-8472
Erik Kenneth Muhr   England UK
2 Highgate Hill, Hawkhurst KENT TN18 4LB
01580 752676   History of Table Tennis
ken.muhr@btinternet.com
Rudolf Mueller     Germany
Bahnhofstr. 58 D-57250 Netphen 02738-
1461 Stamps, cancels, letter, error, red
meters     r-mueller-netphen@t-online.de
Jan Nusteleyn   Netherlands
Weserstraat 21, 9406 VP Assen  0592-
356050 e-mail: nleyn@hotmail.com
Stamps, mint perforated FDCs red meters,
cancels WC, EC, EC-Youth, Top-12
Robert Op de Beeck
In Memoriam
Florian Pagel    Germany     flo.p@gmx.net
Older Banda, Stiga, Joola, Butterfly, Imperial
Park Jeong Kye   fifaball@hanmail.net
PO Box 555 Busan 48931 KOREA South
Postmarks, stamps, postcards
Gregory Pinkhusovich
Apt.10, h.2 Sheshet Ha-Yamim Str
Ariel 40700 ISRAEL   +972-54-3394739
gpinkhusovich@gmail.com
 TTpins, badges, medals, coins
Laszlo Polgar    Hungary
klpolgar@hotmail.com
Early World Ch items,Barna,Bergmann,
Bellak,Szabados,Anna Sipos,Rozeanu,Ehrlich
and Dolinar. Table Tennis plus chess.
Alberto Prieto  USA
alberto@valortabletennis.com
Robin Radford       rjradford@xtra.co.nz
16 St Edmund Cr   TAWA, Wellington, NZ
+64 04 232 5672
TT cartoons, comic strips, clip art
Jose Ransome
”Conifers” Church Lane ORMESBY
Middleborough TS7 9AU ENGLAND
01642 322223 ajransome@aol.com
Geoff Reed    In Memoriam
Helmut Reinhardt
Friedrich-Voss-Platz 19,
D-24768 Rendsburg, GERMANY
H.Reinhardt-Stral@kabelmail.de
Ortwin Schiessl    Austria
Lascygasse 14-16, A-1170  WIEN
ortwin.schiessl@aon.at   table tennis
philately: Stamps, sheets, FDC, postmarks
Lutz Schoenfeld        Germany
selling Table Tennis items on ebay: pongiste
e-mail: rulusch@t-online.de
Luigi Simeoni       In Memoriam
Harry Sintemaartensdijk   Netherlands
Julianastraat 8,2651 DP Berkel en Rodenrijs
0031 105114621 harry.smd@kpnmail.nl
Tischtennis Aufklebers/stickers
Tang Gan Xian     P.R.China
tangganxian2013@163.com
Qin Hu 4-35-104, ChangShu 215500
+86-512-52722359 TT stamps, FDC, pins
postmarks, postcards, phonecards,tickets,
Marc Templereau    France    afctt@free.fr
16 Hameau des cerisiers 38150 Roussillon
Secretary, AFCTT (French TT Collectors
Assoc)  https://afctt.wordpress.com
Collections : stamps, FDC, players postcards,
autographs, programs
Michael Thomson
1 Kinnoull Terrace, PERTH
PH2 7DJ SCOTLAND UK 01738 622052
thomsonmfamily@blueyonder.co.uk
Jaques and history of Table Tennis
Solazzi Tonino   solton66@virgilio.it
Via Millefonti 6 / 5 10126 Torino, Italy
0039 3668744426 Table Tennis pins
www.tabletennispins.weebly.com
Hans-Peter Trautmann    Germany
Siegfriedstr. 17 64385 Reichelsheim
hpt@hptrautmann.de
Stamps mint, perf + imperf, sheets, color
proofs, minister/artist sheets, postmarks,
errors, red/blue meters
Graham Trimming      44(0)1628 529609
Rosemount Juniper Lane
Wooburn Green, Bucks HP10 0DE England
 graham.trimming@virgin.net pre-1939 TT
items, esp c.1900s. Acquire: Gossima 1891;
early unusual items; early World Ch items.
Damir Uzorinac      Croatia
Prilaz Gjure Dezelica 20 10000 Zagreb
Damir.Uzorinac@pliva.hr 38598474982
Books, pins, stamps, cancellations
Russ Walker     e-mail = ?
4316 Irving Ave N, MPLS MN 55412 USA
+1-612-522-7905
Early 1900s equipment & boxed sets
Diane & Harvey Webb   England
Dianek1414@hotmail.co.uk
+44 (0)1424 216342
English related photographs, programmes,
books, post cards. General - pin badges
Yao Zhenxu
Room 401 Unit 1 Building 2
No. 4 Dongsikuaiyu South Street
Chongwen District, Beijing 100061, China
+86-13911990508 cttayao@china.com
TT stamps, FDC, postcards, coins, pins,
phonecards, postal material, tickets etc
Jos Zinkstok      Netherlands
Neckarstraat 8 NL9406 VN ASSEN
+31 592 350486 Fax: 0031 592 355861
j.zinkstok@poveia.nl      www.poveia.nl
TT cancellations, stamps, vignettes, on real
used, letters/covers/cards, FDC
Anton Zwiebel       In Memoriam
  81
Collector Directory
Published by:   Chuck Hoey     e-mail: ittfmuseum@yahoo.com
No part of this journal may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher
New Discoveries, Old Treasures
by Jorge Arango  (COL)
‘How to Play Ping Pong’ (Table Tennis) by Torikai Eijiro,
Tokyo. Ogawa Shoeido. 1903.  36pp[2]. 16.7 x 9.3cm.
Japanese text.
Seller info:
Torikai also wrote books on lacrosse, hockey and
baseball in 1902.  This is a translation from a book in
English as there are a list of numbers and expressions
used with Japanese translations.
In Japan, table tennis started becoming popular in
1902 when Tsuboi Gendo, reportedly the first
gymnastics instructor in Japan, brought a table tennis
set back from his stay in England.  No references found
to this guide anywhere.
Our friend Jota Ito notes that a booklet entitled ‘Ping
Pong’, by Takuo Ito, was published in November, 1902.
It is possible this is a handbook that was included in a
boxed set, as it has no price details
Please help find these books for the Museum !
An illustration from the book.  Note the
perforated wood bat.  There have been a few
boxed sets found with this type of bat.
See page 27 where Jorge shows that this image
was adapted from another illustration.

根据文章,1902年11月日本出版了一本什么样的乒乓球书籍?