RUSSELL ALGIE HONOURED

Evening Star, Issue 23335, 3 August 1939, Page 7

RUSSELL ALGIE HONOURED

SELECTED FOR TABLE TENNIS TRIALS MAY REPRESENT DOMINION IN AUSTRALIA Will Dunedin provide tile South Island’s sole representative in the Dominion table tennis team to leave Wellington for a month’s tour of Australia on September 1? . There is every possibility, and local .“ fans ’’ are, not unreasonably, excited over the, prospect. The likely member of the'team! is Russell A. Algie, 17-year-old captain; of the St. Clair Table Tennis Club. Algie has received word to fly to Wellington, to-morrow morning to participate in the representative trials there. After these trials the team will be picked, and it is felt here that Algie is almost a certainty. In the trials he will play for a Wellington or Hutt Valley team. He is the only South _ Islander approached to participate in the trials. Algie has put up an impressive record in the last year or two. He was the Otago singles champion in 1937-38, and again in 1938-39. He was also Southland champion, 1937-38. He is undoubtedly one of the Dominion’s outstanding players, and possesses a match temperament second to none. He will be accompanied by his elder brother, who will act as manager to him on this venture. Algie is a promising cricketer, and has been playing first grade for Dunedin for the last two seasons. Competent local critics predict a splendid future for this medium left-hand bowler, who is also the possessor of a good batting eye. 1 Table tennis has grown rapidly in popularity lately. As many as 66.000 people were attracted to the five days of play in the world championships held at Wembley in 1938. In Dunedin the game is very popular, as is proved bv the numbers wbo packet! the Town Hall to witness the exhibition games between Barna and Beliak, tbe two Hunn rian stars'who toured New Zealand last year.