The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-09
Ping-Pone or Tab1e Tenni..

From the New York Mail and Express.
Ping-pong, or table tennis. as it is
being 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
fifteen years, it has only become popu-
lar during the past year.
1t would now seem as though half
the country is ping-pong crazy. The
game has been introduced into clubs,
and hundreds of hotels are also put
ting in tables for the amusement of
their guests.
The bats are made somewhat similar
to tennis racket, only about a third
as large, and are either strung with
catgut of stretched with a covering of
thin sheepskin. The sheepskin racket
gives a strange sound, from which the
game originally got it's name, ping
pong. The balls are made of very thin
celluloid and are white They have
considerable life or elasticity and are
very strong. \ Even when they are
driven against hard surface they will
rebound without injury to the ball. The
court is marked out on a piece of felt,
or table painted green. The latter
is generally as large as a fairly good
sized dining room table. The net is
stretched across the center of the court
and clamped on to the sides of the ia
BILE. The game is played the same as
outdoor tennis, with a few necessary
exceptions, and the server has but one
serve instead of two
The game is by no means confined to
this country. London society long ago
went wild over the new and now pet
pastime, and, like golf, ping-pong has
already set of terms that describe
the different plays. The ping-pong die
tionary to date is as follows:
Back-hand Play-The bat is grasped
with the knuckles outward. This style
is very useful for half volleying.
Break-See screw.
Courts-Ping-po pong table. Nine feet
long by five feet wide. Is divided in
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 a crouching posi-
ton.
Dead Ball-Tbe- ball is dead after the
second bounce from the time it leaves
the players racket and cannot then be
hit.
Diagonal Play-From corner to corner
diagonal play. 1t usually means brief
rallies.
Drive-A hard straight stroke with
no screw.
Fore-hand Play-The racket is held
with the palm of the hand facing the
ball. Good for drives.
Half Volley-Purely defensive. The
ball is taken at the moment of bounc-
ing and rebounds almost by it's own
impetus.
Left, in serving, the ball touches
the net and then lands in the right
court, it is a let and counts to no one.
In returns a let ball counts as usual
Rally-A long succession of returns.
Returns-A reply to service.
Screw-The spin on a ball impaired
by a drawing motion of the racket.
Causes the ball to curve in mid air, and
break at an angle.
Service-The first stroke at each
point; the players serve alternately.
Shoot-By giving top spin to a ball
it shoots instead, of rising after
bounce.
Smash-Impossible to take. The
whole course of the body is put into
downward stroke. 1t is somewhat
dangerous to attempt this stroke, as
the ball may miss the table entirely
Top Spin-Given by an upward
movement of the racket during the i'm
slant that the ball touches the sheep
skin; keeps the ball low and causes it
to shoot violently, like cricket ball
on a wet pitch.
Undercut-The reverse of top spin.
If severe will cause the ball to bounce
back again over the net. Checks the
speed of the ball, and may cause your
opponent to miscalculate it's where
abouts at the all important moment.
Ping-pong is a game that may be
readily learned by any one. Naturally
the tennis expert learns the game
quickly though he is by no means an
expert ct the start any more than the
man who played the lawn game. He,
like every one else, has to accustom
himself to the miniature rackets and
little spheres.