The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-06
ELKS Went DOWN
Easily Defeated by Topeka Club
at Ping Pong.
They Appeared to Be Nervous
and Excited.
KIDDER PLAYS WELL.
He Defeats without Difficulty
A. F. Williams.
The Second Match Will Be Play
ed Tonight.


elubmen swept the Elks team or it's
feet by decisive victories. The Topeka
players won ffty-eight games to forty
games for the Elks and took seven sets
against four for the B. p. o. E. play
ers.
The result of the first nights play
was q surprise to those who have been
watching the players during their six
weeks of training. 1t was expected that
the Elks would carry everything before
them from the start. The members OF
the herd believed that explicitly and
some of the men from the Harrison
street club admitted that the contest
might be close. The event was the first
ping pong match played in Topeka
The match Will continue until all the
players on the opposing teams have
met each other or until one side has
won the majority of the SETS The
match was played in the large library
rooms at the EIks' club. The sDeeta-
tors were seated about the outside of
the room and it was their duty to kick
the ball back when it rolled away and
to try and survive the evening without
dislocating their necks. The bitter feel
ing, which it was rumored existed be-
tween the partiSanS of the two teams,
was at least forgotten for the evening
Everything went off nicely without any
quarreIs with the umpire and the crowd
maintained perfect order. 1t was
demonstrated that lawyers, railroad
men, printers and bankers can play the
game in a scientific manner. Socially
the ping pong tournament was great
success. 1t beats dancing in summer
time for only ten men had to fume and
perspire and run the risk of heat pros
trations while the rest sat around IN
linens and fannels and slipped lemon
AIDES and famed themselves
The first surprise was when Pancoast
Kidder of the Topeka club defeated A.
Id ~
SO, 81 Mr.. Kidder played decidedly
steady game on the defensive Williams
tried the offensive and forced matters
from the start His play was fast but
not SO sure and steady as his oDoon-
ent's. Williams tried to hug and play
fast but Kidder kept the ball up III the
air. Williams was not used to this kind
of Play. The sIewness of the play
strung the two sets out over an hour
and half Kidder seemed better
trained and he withstood the strain and
fatigue of the contest while Williams
was greatly excited and his trainers had
TO keep him encouraged and stimulated
with ice water and chewing gum Dr.
ter the physical condition of the players
He inspected Williams after the contest
and found his heart action greatly frr-
creased. The result showed that Kid
der knew quite as much about ping
pong table as mortuary table
The next players to step up to the
mark were Theodore Hammatt, Of the
Topeka club, and Adrian Sherman, of
score of 60, SO. Sherman's play was
hard and fast but Hammatt handles his
vicious serves with remarkable aeeuf-
acy. Sherman was overturned and be-
came rather nervous under the intense
strain of the conflict and In trying to
place his returns he sent the eeiluloid
sphere to the floor too often
Dan Hammatt, for the Elks, defeated
George Crawford, of the Topeka club,
by the scoreof Ga, 6-3, the closest
mats serve was fast and Rugged the
net Crawford could not handle it and
Hammaft's out shoots were returned
wild
Things began to look rather bad for
the Elks. John Lord got red in the
face Charles Holiday called a council
of war Johnny Waters smoked two
stegies hand running VIII Alexander
the official trainer of the EIks' team,
called his players to a council of war.
He threatened tor blanket and hood
them and walk them round for exercise
if they did not calm down and play bet
ter He sent Lou Bronson into side
room for his last practice before MAX
ing his appearance in the contest John
ny Waters announced that the reason
the Topeka club men were doing so well
was that they were playing on their own
vanished redwood table while the
Elks' team was used to a green topped
table.
Frank Bennett was sent to the table
pitted against Herbert Armstrong. of
the Topeka club, with orders to win.
Bennett might have won if his foot had
not slipped. He was chasing the elusive
ball across the big rug when the rug
slipped and Bennett came near being
spilled He regained his feet but the
spectators were rude enough to laugh
and he did not regain his composuFe
and lost the match to Armstrong 6-3.
6-3 Both players served speedy balls
but Armstrong; play was the steadiest
and Bennett failed to place the ball on
the table. He was thinking about the
carpet where he slipped
The last bout was between Lou Bron-
son, of the EIks. and w. ]. Black of the
Topeka club. 1t was the hardest fought
contest of the evening. Bronson won
after a spirited contest by the score of
Sc 81, So. The general passenger
agent OF the Santa Fe surprised the
spectators with his ability to put up a
hard fight against Bronson whose
serves and returns were fast and just
over the net. Black served an easy cut
ball which was quite effective and he
handled Bronson's serves and returns
with accuracy The two played the only
deuce set of the evening. The reason
for this being the only exciting contest
OF the evening may have been for the
fact that Bronson and Black worked
OUT together LOT CO0pfE VI SetS just
before the contest Some claimed that
it was a hippodroFne affair all fixed up
to give the spectators at least one good
contest but this base charge is indiS-
nantly denied by the friends of both
parties 1t is rumored that unless this
slanderous statement is withdrawn that
Black will forever retire from the ping
pong table la Fitz-
The officials of the tournament are
Charles E Gault of the EIks, and W.
B. Story of the Topeka club. judges and
w. H Ruff. of the Elks. scorer. The
E.lks claim that their players were at q
disadvantage last night as the score
seems to indicate. and that the result
of tonight's play will be different
The Elks are standing by their team
although it's colefs are somewhat rum
pied. and are willing to back the play
ers with money. marbles or chalk. pre-
ferably chalk.