Evening star., 1932-03-08
COLLEGE STUDENTS
GIVE IT A BIG PLAY
Country Clubs, Homes Hard
Hit-Intercity Battle on
Here Saturday.
nv r. n THOMAS.

/ -ng in for-ping pong!
Seriously? Well, no fatal
tiles are reported, but a boxer at
st. Johns College of Annapolis
was knocked blotto the other cay
when he lunged for the pellet and
hit everything on the premises but
Out at the University OF Mary
land the director Of intramuralS,
Leroy Mackert, got the thing
started as novelty and now can't
stop it as a big attraction.
ut spreads like measles" he COM
plains as other games are threatened
for the time being with a freeze-out.
Other institutions are afflicted SINH
larly.
Babe Ruth is an addict and never
wants for piaymates among those Dig
aggressive Yankees.
THIS part of the world las gone
i batty, literally. Country club folk
are ponging 1t to a fare ye well. In
private homes the game has made a
lot of people forget about bridge. II
the rage keeps up it will make rug and
furniture merchants forget the depres-
sion. Bigger and better-for-ponging
dining tables are the order OF the day.
Ping pong Is rough on rugs, hence a
new use for basement and cellar. Hail
of an ordinary cellar, set of with
beaver board and an extra light or
two wired in makes an ideal ping
plant. Board up the ceiling, stippie
the walls and gloss tie floor with
paint ard shellac and you have play
palace. Anyway, you'd never recognize
the old junk room.
Next Saturday, at the Shoreham
Hotel, a battle will be fought by the
best players of Washington and Phil
adelphia A tournament Is in progress
to determine the makeup OF the
Washington team, and If you neophytes
would see how ping pong Is played ny
people who really know how, drop IN
On the boys. They're full of tricks
you'll want to learn. for ping pong
they tell us, Is here this time to stay.
TT had its first fling in this country
i about 80 years ago after having been
the rage of Europe. 1t was treated
as a fad, however, and soon died out.
not to be revived seriously until recent
years. Last year national tourna-
fnent was held in New York In which
there were 369 entries from all parts
of the country and another is planned
Chicago and New York had it out in
a team match that was bigtime stuff
IN every respect, New York winning,
6 to 4. The Philadelphia Washington
AFFAIR is an outgrowth Of that contest.
These ping pongers are headed for an
tntercity league, sure as shootin
Ping pong as played now Is an Eng
lish adaptation Of an American inven-
tion Of the eos known as table tennis:
The English introduced the celluloid
ball that gave the game its name. When
hit with paddle the sound Is ping
when 1t strikes the table it's pong.
In the American game ball OF nght
texture covered with knitted web was
used.
no be q frst-class ping pong player,
i one must be agile as a monkey
and quick Of eye as hawk, ano
an hour Of fast play Is more than
enough exercise for the ordinary man.
Watching q match between experts,
one becomes goofey-eyed following the
pill Skill in applying English and
strategically placing the ball. as IN
tennis, is vital to success as pongist
Thousands took part in the European
contests Of the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, we learn
from Frank Menke's IAN Sports Record
Book" World championship duels were
held wherein England, France, Ger
many, Austria, Sweden. Czechoslovakia
Australia and the United States had
entries. The CzechS turned out 10 De
by far the best players.
In this country at present, the game
Is having the same sort OF inning II
enjoyed in England In It's INFANCY.
when, to quote Menke, 1t was rage
and "the fashionable set became de
luxe ping pongers. Private tournaments
were staged by social sets and public
contests were put on In Queens Hall.
The sport also took South America
by storm.
THE public is invited to next Satur-
J. days doings at the Shorehan. In
the afternoon at 2:30 an elimtn
alton tournament. including all play
Us Of both teams. will be played. At
$50 pm eight singles and two dou-
bles will be PLAYED as a team match
To obtain funds to defray expenses
of the visiting team and to send the
District champion to the national
tournament to be held in New York
Apri IS and 16 an admission fee OF
SO cents for the matinee and one iron
man for the night show will be levied
The Shoreham Ping Pong Club Is
the sponsor and also will have charge
of the District Open tournament to
be held March 25 and 26 on its tables.
Saturdays officials will be Capt. A. j.
Gore, Racquet Club; c. ]. Wilkinson
University Club; A. o. White, Edge
moor Club. and c. A. Rees, Shoreham
Ping Pong Club.
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