A Comprehensive History of Table Tennispresented by the ITTF MuseumStay tuned ... this page under development
Like many other sports, Table Tennis began as a mild social diversion. It wasprobably played with improvised equipment in England, during the last quarterof the 19th century. Though Table Tennis evolved, along with Badminton and LawnTennis, from the ancient game of Tennis (also known as Real tennis, Court Tennisor Royal Tennis), the game was developed after Lawn Tennis became popular in the 1880s.
Ancient woodcut showing jeu de paume game, published in 1576
Game manufacturers tried many experiments to market an indoor version of LawnTennis, including board and dice games, Tiddledy Winks variations, card games,racket and balloon games and others. The first use of the name "Table Tennis"appeared on a board and dice game in 1887 by J.H.Singer of New York.This probably accounts for the mysterious entry in the George S. Parker gamecatalog of the same year: "Table Tennis: This game is laid out like a Lawn Tenniscourt, played and counted just the same, all the rules being observed."
The earliest evidence extant of an action game of Tennis on a table is a setmade by David Foster, patented in England in 1890: Parlour Table Games, whichincluded table versions of Lawn Tennis, Cricket and Football. This game featuredstrung rackets, a 30mm cloth covered rubber ball, a wooden fence set up aroundthe perimeter of the table, and large side nets extending along both sides.
One year later famous game makers John Jaques of London released their GOSSIMAgame. This game borrowed the drum style battledores from the Shuttlecock game,and used a 50mm webbed wrapped cork ball, with an amazing 30cm high net!
Neither of these action games were successful, due to the ineffective ball:the rubber ball had too wild a bounce, while the cork ball had too poor a bounce.So the concept was shelved until 1900, when the celluloid ball was introduced tothe game. Jaques revived the older Gossima game but changed the name to "Gossimaor Ping Pong". The name Ping Pong was derived from the sound of the ball bouncingoff the drum battledores, each of which had a slightly different sound. The higherpitched sound suggested Ping, the lower pitch, Pong. This can still be demonstratedtoday using the antique battledores!The game quickly caught on with the public, marketed under many different names:
Ping Pong or GossimaPing PongTable TennisWhiff WaffParlour TennisIndoor TennisPom-PomPim-PamNettoRoyal GameTennis de Salonand others.
Gradually the two most popular names prevailed: Ping Pong, and Table Tennis. However,these competing names caused some problems, as two associations were formed, and withdifferent rules for the game some confusion resulted. Ping Pong was trademarked in 1900by Hamley Brothers in England, and soon afterwards Hamley became "jointly concerned"with Jaques. They rigorusly enforced the Ping Pong trademark, requiring use of theirPing Pong equipment in tournaments and clubs. Parker Brothers, who acquired the Americanrights to the name Ping Pong, similarly enforced the trademark. Eventually it became clearthat for the sport to move forward, the commercial ties had to be severed.
Like many other sports, Table Tennis began as a mild social diversion. It wasprobably played with improvised equipment in England, during the last quarterof the 19th century. Though Table Tennis evolved, along with Badminton and LawnTennis, from the ancient game of Tennis (also known as Real tennis, Court Tennisor Royal Tennis), the game was developed after Lawn Tennis became popular in the 1880s.
Ancient woodcut showing jeu de paume game, published in 1576
Game manufacturers tried many experiments to market an indoor version of LawnTennis, including board and dice games, Tiddledy Winks variations, card games,racket and balloon games and others. The first use of the name "Table Tennis"appeared on a board and dice game in 1887 by J.H.Singer of New York.This probably accounts for the mysterious entry in the George S. Parker gamecatalog of the same year: "Table Tennis: This game is laid out like a Lawn Tenniscourt, played and counted just the same, all the rules being observed."
The earliest evidence extant of an action game of Tennis on a table is a setmade by David Foster, patented in England in 1890: Parlour Table Games, whichincluded table versions of Lawn Tennis, Cricket and Football. This game featuredstrung rackets, a 30mm cloth covered rubber ball, a wooden fence set up aroundthe perimeter of the table, and large side nets extending along both sides.
One year later famous game makers John Jaques of London released their GOSSIMAgame. This game borrowed the drum style battledores from the Shuttlecock game,and used a 50mm webbed wrapped cork ball, with an amazing 30cm high net!
Neither of these action games were successful, due to the ineffective ball:the rubber ball had too wild a bounce, while the cork ball had too poor a bounce.So the concept was shelved until 1900, when the celluloid ball was introduced tothe game. Jaques revived the older Gossima game but changed the name to "Gossimaor Ping Pong". The name Ping Pong was derived from the sound of the ball bouncingoff the drum battledores, each of which had a slightly different sound. The higherpitched sound suggested Ping, the lower pitch, Pong. This can still be demonstratedtoday using the antique battledores!The game quickly caught on with the public, marketed under many different names:
Ping Pong or GossimaPing PongTable TennisWhiff WaffParlour TennisIndoor TennisPom-PomPim-PamNettoRoyal GameTennis de Salonand others.
Gradually the two most popular names prevailed: Ping Pong, and Table Tennis. However,these competing names caused some problems, as two associations were formed, and withdifferent rules for the game some confusion resulted. Ping Pong was trademarked in 1900by Hamley Brothers in England, and soon afterwards Hamley became "jointly concerned"with Jaques. They rigorusly enforced the Ping Pong trademark, requiring use of theirPing Pong equipment in tournaments and clubs. Parker Brothers, who acquired the Americanrights to the name Ping Pong, similarly enforced the trademark. Eventually it became clearthat for the sport to move forward, the commercial ties had to be severed.
No comments:
Post a Comment