TABLE TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 13, 16 July 1934, Page 11

TABLE TENNIS

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Two years ago the game of table tennis, or ping-pong^ as.it is more familiarly called, was in.Aew Zealand little' aipi-'i than_a mild parlour game regarded with! derisive •tolerance by all but a very; few enthusiasts. Today' there are in""' Weiliuf;ton alone more than 140,-teams taking -part in a fortnightly competition, aid the New Zealand Table Tennis' Association formed only two months ago,, already represents more than 2000" players of the game in every, part of the Dominion. The game Ims gained a great hold in many parts of the -world —notably England, Europe, America, and Australia. The English Association has an. active membership of over 30,000, while: the>popularity o£ the.spovt in America is shown by the'fact {hat one of the largest hotels in New has devoted a hall Svith seating aeeommodntion for- 2000 people to. the' playing of the game. . ......

Anyone who was fortunate enough to «8« the exhibitions :giyen, Jast year bjp;-P; 'JS. Perry, tbe well-known tennis player (he is also an ex--vvorld champion of ts^in tennis), and F. H.. D. Wilde- (an English iiLteruational plaj-er):, will realise the degree p£ speed, stamina, and skill-necessary to a first-class exponent of the game. .'The terrific speed with whidi these-great flayers made the celluloid ball travel .arid the uncanny judgment with wliieli the>; placed it just over tho net froiu'fifteeii-feet behind the table would: convince even •■» heavj-weiglit Syrestler -that 'this is not a game for weaklings. Many of-the Domiiiion's foremost football and tennis players have taken up table tennis in .earnest,; arid it is ' significant that in Many' cases those who excelin those sporte are at the -head of the ladder in this.' ' V.

On September 3 and 4. New" Zeaiaivd championships will be"held :for the first time in Wellington. Leading players from Auckland to 'Dimedin are expected to appear in the hope of being the first to capture a. Dominion ' title. ' Previous local tournaments have already proved . that those who came to sebff remained to play. Many minds have yet to be' disabused o£the idea that the possibilities of tsMe tennis can be lul]y exploited on * c kitchen table in carpet slippers.