The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-18

tinctly a rich mans or woman's game. as
has often been supposed. but almost every
one may have a set. The sets are cheap
even as compared with tennis sets. Wher-
ever there IS room for a dining table there
is room for ping-pong, and the fascination
that the game now holds. especially among
the smart set, cannot be downed by warnt
weather.
Among the particularly good ping-pong
rooms in st. Louis. aside from the clubs,
are those at the D~rummond's. Miss Wick
hams and at the McNittrick's. Every eve-
ming ping-ponS holds sway. It is proper
nowadays for young ladies to take soma
form of physical exercise. and ping-pong
combines all the pleasure that they may
find in any exercise and affords all the
sport of play.
Ralph and Walter McKittrick. Arthur
Shepley and Dan Kirby are among the best
and most enthusiastic players in the city.
The Country Club and the Florissant Club
are utterly crazed over the game At pres
ent 1t holds the trumps over all other
games. and from indications it will be the
popular game of the summer at both clubs.
vi course, this does not mean that tennis
and golf and polo will not nave their de-
voices, but ping-pong will be the most fire.
Quently played game of the season.
The women of the city are as enthusiasts
tic as the men-possibly more so. and they
have their claims upon the attention of the
men and their sports. PinC-ponp looks and
sounds like n game that does NOT reuuIire
as much endurance and strength as other
sports and that is said to be the reason
tnat the women have taken it up. As a
matter of fact, it is as violent as almost
any game that is popular with many peo-
pie, but 1t seems so playful that the weaker
sex have seized upon it.
1t Is a fact that one business man of this
c:fy-a man of more than usual corpulencp.
mas reduced his weight by forty pounds
playing ping-pong. And If the truth were
Known. it is probably true that several
women have been enabled to become moro
syIph-like through the medium Of the game.
but that Is u matter concerning which
women will not talk.
women who are openly ardent players of
pinS-pong are not the ones of whom any
one can say they play to reduce their 4
weight. They are modern women in every
way, and have taken up the game not only
because 1T is the fad, but also because it
Is n game that enables them to keep in
good physical condition. 1t is proper no
longer for women to be weak and requiring
the attention of maids and men; but they
must be able to cope with the strongest.
Accordingly. they take as much exercise,
comparatively. as men. And ping-pong Of
fers them something in the way of a game
that has not been offered by anything
else.
Among the more prominent women PLAY
ers of ping-pong are Mrs. James Drum-
mond. Mrs. William Gregg. Mrs. Laurence
]. Moran. Miss Wickham. Miss Mitchell,
Mrs. r. q. Stanard, Mrs. W. II. Walker
and Mrs. Goodman King. Each OF these
has an elaborate ping-pong room fitted up
at her house. and parties are frequent. 1t
is not at all unusual for them to meet in
the morning and play arduously before
luncheon. 1t serves as an excellent appe-
tiZer.
The game was brought to St. Louis by
two people at about the same time. Mrs.
b. H. Semple OF Westminster place be-
came enamored of the game while abroad
last summer, and when she returned she
set up a table at once. Mrs. Sidney Walker
appeared on the scene at about the same
time, an enthusiastic player of the game.
That was its start in this city. 1t did not
take long to bring the sport to its present
position. but these two st. Louisans have
oeen instrumental in making it a fad
one of the best players among the women
Is Mrs Lewis Haywood. She has for sew
eral months been q devotee, and has ac-
quired remarkable skill in handling the
racquet. Mrs. John Fowler is another ex-
cellent player, and Mrs. Dan Taylor, Mrs
Campbell Smith and Mrs. Frank Hammer
are also in the first class.