Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-21
HOME MADE PING-PONG.

Of all the indoor games that the writer has tried-and he has tackled about all of them--none have proved such jolly good fun as table tennis, or as the English call it, ''Ping-Pong.'
 A tirst-class ping-pong outfit with two rackets that are perfect little ten his rackets on a small scale, will cost about $4 at the shop. When it comes to very cheap set you can probably make at home just as good an outfit and maybe better.
 First, as to the rackets. In England the kind most favored have centers or parchment like a drumhead, from which the ball rebounds with that hum ming ping-pong sound which gives the game its name.
 The writer prefers the string racket. Pieces of rattan soaked a while in steaming hot water to make them very supple make good racket frames. A wooden handle, hollowed' out at the end with grooves for the rattan frame to it in is simply constructed. In string ing, the string used on a banjo would be about right. Two strings for each racket should be enough.
 These strings should be thoroughly soaked and then used while still wet Do not string too tight, for if you do when the strings dry and shrink they will pull the frame all out of shape. String first across and then up and down exactly as in regulation racket. In making support for your net a couple of yards of heavy telegraph wire will answer. Take each length and double and bend into shape. This of itself may not be quite stanch enough to hold the net taut. but by running cord from the top of one wire support down and under the table to the top of the other support, you should be able to obtain the necessary amount of rigidlty. The net itself should be about six inches high from the table. and should clear the table by enough to allow the ball to pass easily under It. Any material will do for the net though gauge or netting of sofne kind bound at the top with an inch or two of white tape is best As to the table itself, it should be simply a smooth and flat surface about 5x1O feet, or say 4xS feet.
 The game is played exactly as tennis Is played, except that there is but one court on either side of the net. If the ball strikes the very edge of table and so DOunces off in such a way that a re- turn is impossible, call it an "edger,, and serve over again.
 The method of scoring is the same as in tennis. One rule of the old game which is barred because of the narrow bounds is volleying A ball can never De returned except on the bounce Plckups. however, are allowable. An. other strict ruling of ping-pong is that no overhead strokes are allowed. tbe hand must never be raised above the height of the elbow. Also, the serve must be delivered from a point beyond the end of the table.
 The tennis experts and all-around athletes have devised a new sort of racket that makes this parlor game father strenuous and exciting affair.
 The racket is simply a wooden pad dle of about the same outside dimen- slons as the ping pong strung racket; that is about six inches in diameter roughly speaking-the handle being of any desired length.
 The paddle part is not of one piece With the handle, as it would break or split too easily. The handle is spliced on. The paddle-on one side or both- according to how you play, Is covered With emery cloth or paper glued on carefully. With this rough surface you can cut the ball or give the Law ford stroke in splendid fashion.
 As to balls. the best are those made or celluloid, which can be bought at any sporting or toy store for few cents apiece.
 This ping-pong is really a great game and we think it has come to stay The American Boy.