Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-10
THE PlNC-PONG CRAZE.


occupied by the banquet and the ball.
Neither the first night of great
actress nor the opera excites one-half
as much interest as u ping pong match.
Ping pong, which is simply lawn
tennis adapted to table, is sometimes
called Whit whatf. 1t was played by
the Japanese years ago anu is still be-
ing played by them. In fact, the name
ping-pong was first started in japan,
and was occasioned by the peculiar
noise made by the ball striking the
nearly every country. The United
States seems to be one of the last to
be affected by the ping pong craze.
Some time ago the game of ping
pong was manufactured by Hamley
Bros, High Holborn, London, Eng,
and in short while all England was
crazy over it. Every club and private
house in London had game and, in
fact, person who could not play ping
pong was looked at askance. Last
season it was taken up by the finest
society in the United States, and
nearly all of the smart set are playing
tho game now.
Ping pong has also found it's way
into hundreds of less pretentious homes.
1t may be we'll Just here thoroughly to
describe the game for the benefit of
those who do not know exactly what
it is.
Ping. pong is game for young and
old people. 1t has proved the most
successful indoor game ever gotten out,
because it gives an agreeable amount
of physical exertion and is free from
the irksomeness of some of the other
social games that compel one to sit
still all tho time.
The game is played Just as lawn tents
is, only on table, and it requires a
great deal of skill. Tho usual measure
ments of the table are feet by feet
and feet by feet, but Just as much
fun may be had on smaller or larger
table. The height of the net is 634
inches. The remainder Of the game
consists of posts to hold the net when
stretched across the table: vellum,
string or wood rackets, and celluloid
balls. Ping rules are the same as
lawn tennis, with the few following
exceptions:
In ping pong only one ball is used in
serving, whereas in tennis two balls
are used. The ball must be hit upon
the first bound in ping pong, and may
not be hit upon the alternative of a
fly, as in tennis, upon the second
bounce or fly, as in tennis.
Ping, pong is for two players, but on
a large table four are able to play.
Here are the rules of the game,
which everybody should know thor
oughly before attempting to play
match:
1.-The game is for two players.
They shall stand one at each end of
the table. Tho player who first de-
livers the ball shall be called the
server, and the other the striker-out.
2. At the end of the first game the
striker out shall become the server,
and the server shall become the striker
out, and so on alternately.
8. The service shall be strictly I'M
derhand and delivered from beyond the
end of the table.
4. The ball served must drop any
where on the table top beyond the net,
and is then in play. If it drops into
the net or off the table it counts to the
striker out There is no second service,
as in lawn tennis.
). In serving, it is let if the ball
touch the net in passing over.
6. If the ball in play strikes any
object above or around the table before
it bounces on the table top itself met
or post excepted it counts against the
player.
7. The server wins a stroke if the
striker-out fails to return the service,
or return the service or ball in play
off the table.
8. The striker-out wins stroke if
the server serve fault, OF fails to re-
turn the ball in play, or return the
ball in play so that it falls off the
table.
8. No volleying is allowed; but as
long as the ball touches the table top
it is in play, and can be taken at half
volley.
10. On either player winning his first
stroke the score is called Is for that
player: on either player winning his
second stroke the score is called 30
for that player; on either player win
ming his third stroke the score is called
40 for that player, and the fourth
stroke won ny either player is scored
game for that player except as below.
IL. If both players have won three
strokes 40 in all the score is called
deuce, and the next stroke won by
either player is scored advantage to
that player. If the same player win
the next stroke he wins the game ifs
he loses the next stroke the score
again called deuce, and SO on, until
either player wins the two strokes i'm
mediately following the score of deuces.
when the game is scored for that player,
II. The player who first wins six
games wins set.
b. The game may also be scored by
points, 20 up. The players, in this
case, change the service after every
five points scored, like overs at cricket.
There Isl great deal Of science about
ping pong, and an expert player of the
game can place ball within an inch
of tho place aimed at. He can knock
the ball sideways at any degree, so
that it will be out of his opponents
reach. In fact, he can bat with the
racket with as much precision and as
much certainty as if he simply placed
the ball there with his hands.
Among the expert players will be
found ping pong tables covered with
green felt and marked like tennis
court, but this is not at all necessary.
as an ordinary dining table will answer
all purposes. One thing we'll to re-
member is always to see that the table
is moved a little to the side of the
room, so that it will not come directly
under the chandelier.
Fire in Delmar.
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