| In spite of the fact that there are actually table | | | | fitting clothing. These were obviously meant as satire |
| tennis tournaments all over the world, especially in | | | | because of the fact that nobody took the game |
| China where table tennis is a major sport, the game | | | | seriously.Between 1905 and 1910 the game became |
| itself isn't really taken seriously by many people. We | | | | very popular in Europe until it finally made its way to |
| could debate on the why of this until our sun goes | | | | Japan, China and Korea where table tennis has |
| nova but we'll leave that debate for another | | | | become a way of life. Today, more than 4 million |
| time.Table tennis, or what we affectionately refer to | | | | people in China alone play table tennis and it is seen |
| as "ping pong", began as a mild diversion. It was | | | | as a very serious and competitive sport.In the |
| viewed with the same lack of seriousness as lawn | | | | meantime, after finding its way to the Asian |
| tennis and badminton. It became popular in England in | | | | countries, table tennis started to fade from the |
| the late 19th century. It was known under its | | | | European scene but in the early 1920s it was again |
| present name of table tennis and ping pong as well | | | | revived in England. By that time the name "ping pong" |
| as gossima and whiff-whaff. The name ping pong | | | | had actually become a registered trademark of the |
| was introduced by J. Jaques and Sons. The game | | | | game. However, the term table tennis was still |
| was named ping pong because of the sound that the | | | | retained for the more serious organizations where |
| ball made when striking the table when hit. At the | | | | table tennis was actually played for sport.Over the |
| time ping pong paddles were not yet invented. | | | | next 60 years table tennis actually developed into a |
| Instead they used vellum bats. In a very short time | | | | world wide sport but never really got the recognition |
| the game became a very fashionable craze. During | | | | that other major sports had gotten during the time |
| the period, there were many paintings made of | | | | except in the Asian countries. The game itself has |
| people playing table tennis, usually in a home | | | | remained relatively the same since the early days |
| setting.By the early 1900s, table tennis had already | | | | with the exception of the vellum bats being replaced |
| started to take on many of the characteristics of | | | | by what we call ping pong paddles. The paddles |
| the game that we know and love today. However, it | | | | themselves have gone through a few modifications |
| was still seen by most people as after dinner | | | | as far as materials they are made out of but for the |
| entertainment rather than as a serious sport. During | | | | most part have remained unchanged from their early |
| this period publications found it necessary to warn | | | | days.Table tennis may never get the respect that |
| people about what kind of attire they should wear | | | | some say it deserves, but most people who play it |
| when playing this game, such as not to wear tight | | | | do admit that it is a lot of fun, and also very hard. |