On childhood sport.....

Brother Charles, 1960, first on the left, first row

****** NOTES.........will work on this later.

Rugby and football (soccer, that is) and cricket weren't for me. I guess I wasn't much of a team player. I'd rather be responsible for making my own decisions. Table tennis, truly an individualist sport, became my passion...............and the YMCA, next to Woolies on Market Jew Street, the place to play.

Starting around the age of 13, with Barna bat in hand, I played as often and as well as I could, two, three nights a week. There were so many good players around the YM...........my natural game was defence, and, in particular, I loved the feel of the body movement when, far away from the table, I sliced the attacking ball, imparting heavy, deep spin, then correcting the footwork, ready for the next chop, either forehand or backhand.

I won the West Cornwall singles and the County Junior Singles and doubles. I played at college and won the Midlands Singles and Doubles. I played competitively up to the age of 55, leaving my bat on the table when I left England for America.

Billy Northcott, me, John Bassett, ? Smith

1957 My first doubles and singles final. I played Billy Northcott and lost in both.

1958 lost to Billy Northcott again in the final.
1959 Lost in the semi final.
Went on to win it in 1960

What an athlete!!

Table Tennis names I remember; John Hellson, my brother's friend who introduced me to the wonderful game,  Joe Denley, the teacher who played penholder style, Bob Charlesworth, the county champion and a superb stylist, attacking and defending, Frankie Smith, defender, Billy Northcott, all-out attacker, John Basset, who never backed away from the table and hit everything as hard as he could, both wings. Successfully.

I played competitive table tennis up until the 19965-96 season when
 I decided to hang up my bat.

Tennis was the game for the spring and summer. I took up the game after watching Lew Hoad win Wimbledon. I played with my mum's old wooden racquet, and I used the same strokes I had learned playing table tennis.  Richard Hendry, my closest friend, was my tennis partner. I played mainly at school on the grass courts, not having the cash or social position to play at the snobby local tennis club.

I won the school singles title in 1959 and 1960.
Played up until 1985 when I lost interest in the game.......mainly because, I'm sure, the body wasn't able to do what the brain wanted.

******    Must get Richard Hendry and Tony Jasper to contribute to this.

Brother Charles, played tennis, too, and he's first on the left, front row, 1963