Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-03-27
TO PLAY PING-PONG.
Another Description of the Game Now
Becoming Popular.

OO'''~
Becoming Popular.
Ping-pong, or table tennis, as it IS be-
ing called OF late, IS rapidly working
its way into the good graces OF the
american people, Although the game
has been played off and on for the past
hfteen years. it has only become pop
uqr during the past year.
1t would now seem as though half
the country is piug-pOng crazy. The
game has been introduced into clubs,
and hundreds OF hotels are also putt
ing in tables for the amusement of
their guests.
The bats are made somewhat SIM
liar to tennis racket, only about
third as large. aud are either strung
with catgut or stretched with 1t cover
ing of thin sheepslin The sheepskln
racket gives strange sound, from
which the game originally got its
name, ping pong. The balls are MADE
al very thin celluloid and are white.
They have considerable life or elias
ricity and are very strong. Even
.nen they are driven against hard
surface hey will rebound without
injury to the ball. The court is
marked out on a piece of felt, OF a
table painted green. The latter is
generally as large as fairly good
sized dining room table. The net is
stretched across the centre OF the
court and clamped on to the sides of
the table The game is played me
same as outdoor tennis. with a few
necessary exceptions. and the server
has bat one serve instead OF two.
The came is by no means confined
70 This country. London society long
a.,o went wild over the new ana now
pet pastime, and like Golf, ping-pong
has already a set of terms that des-
clibe the different plays. The ping
pong dictionary to date is as follows:
Back-hand PIay-The bat is grasped
with the knucIles outward This
style is very useful for half yolloying.
Brcak-See screw.
Ping-ponS table. Nine feet
long by five feet wide. Is divided i'll
middle by the net
Crouch Smash-An invention OF the
English champion. An overland
stroke made at the edge OF the table,
the player being at 4 crouchinG posi-
II,u
Dead baIl-Thc ball is dead after
the second bounce from the time it
lrarcs the players racket ana cannot
Then b. hit
Diagonal Play From corner to cor
ner diagonal play It usually means
brief rallies
nrive-A hard, straight stroh" with
10 screw.
Fore-hand Play-The racket is hold
with the palm of the hand taCln- tie
ball. Good for drives.
Has NoNcv-Purely defensive. The
ball is taken at the momort OF bounc-
ing and rebounds almost by its own
npetUs,
Left. in SERVING the hal touches
rhn ret and then lands il tho right
court il is let aud counts 10 no o>".
IN ~eturns a ball counts as usual.
Bally-Along succession of returns.
Returns-A reply to service.
Screw-The spin on a ball impaired
by drawing motion of the racket,
Causes the ball to curve in mid-air
and breaks at an angle
Serrice-The first stroke at each
point, the players serve alternately,
Shoot-By giving top spin to hall
it shoots instead Of rising after a
bounce.
Smash-Impossible 10 take The
whole course of the BODY is put into
downward stroke II is somewhat
DANGEROUS to attempt this stroke. as
the bali may miss the table entirely. (
Top Spin-Given by an upward I
movemert of the racket during N" f.
instant that the ball touches the d.