Issue 69 January 2013

Peter Charters – President, Hon General Secretary, Trustee. Colin

Dyke – Chairman, Hon Treasurer, Senior

British League Manager, Veterans National League Manager, Team Kit Manager, Trustee. Eric Van Looy – Membership Secretary, Welfare and Child Protection Officer, Events Organiser, Trophy Secretary. Nick

Heaps – Coaching Officer, Junior British League Manager, Junior and Cadet National League Manager, Trustee. Allen Pack – Building and Equipment Officer, Website Manager, Robot Master, Committee Member. Roger Woolven-Allen – Newsletter Editor. Richard Fifield – Assistant Treasurer. Andy Yon – Committee Member, Social Event Co-ordinator, Lost Property Organiser. Peter Bradley – Committee Member. Sylvia Bruton – League Play Co-ordinator, Reading League Secretary, Premier Club Contact, Clubmark Contact, Volunteer Co-ordinator. Allan Bruton – Bookings Secretary, Bracknell League Secretary. Brian Halliday – Club Discount Scheme

Coordinator. Marion Dyke – Cleaning Supervisor. David Duncan – Table Manager. Nigel Lynch – Auditor.

(Vacancies exist for Publicity Officer and Minutes Secretary)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Before I start the newsletter proper, I regret that I have to pass on

some very sad news. John Witt passed away on the evening of Thursday

17th

January. John, father of Karen, was Kingfisher’s first treasurer, a

post he held for eleven years. Our thoughts and sympathy go out to his

family at this time.

John’s funeral will be held at 1245 on Thursday 7th

February at Easthampstead Crematorium. Peter Charters

and Colin Dyke will attend but (and here I quote our President) “any other club members who were active during

John’s eleven years as treasurer (he remembered this period fondly) would be more than welcome, I'm sure.”

Please forgive this briefest of brief reports. A full obituary will appear in the next issue of Kingfisher News. Ed. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

First of all, the main reason for issuing this edition of Kingfisher News was to include a report about the activities of Colin’s Senior British League team. While waiting for this latest top event to take place, Yours Truly got on with the job of compiling some other articles that had already arrived in my Inbox. And then the recent dreadful weather saw the postponement of the SBL matches! However, as I had

a good percentage of this issue “under my belt” (so to speak), I decided to publish anyway. This was just as well because, as it turns out, some very interesting stories have since come my way – two or three of them from the most unexpected of sources – and it would have been a shame to have delayed things any longer than necessary.

I make no apologies for presenting Christine Basden’s weddings (yes, she has just had two of them!) as my lead article. Christine was one of Kingfisher’s original members (No 008 in old money) and, as many of you will know, was Editor of this newsletter before she shoved off to live in Spain. As they say in the newspaper trade, “Read All About It!” Christine’s latest, wonderful story appears immediately after this prologue. I am indebted to Geoff Davis (how many of you remember him?) for his very welcome story. However, even though he is as English as St George, I think that he has well and truly kissed the Blarney Stone. A charming bloke to the end and, although his invitation to visit is very genuine – as indeed is his skill at ballooning – I think that the rest of the article may, just may, be taken with a pinch of salt. You will also find, included somewhere in the following pages, something weird about Basingstoke (other than

Niall McGrane and Tony Reynolds, I hasten to add), a couple of articles about the new “Social Ping Pong” phenomenon, a fascinating letter from Jeff Huggins, a caption competition, a plea for umpires, a great report from Kung Fu Panda (has that got you intrigued?) and, sadly, the obituary of table tennis legend Marty Reisman. AND ONE AMAZING CARTOON!!! At this point, I should like to publicly express my gratitude to Hari Gehlot. I believe that one or two (hopefully, only one or two) members have been receiving past copies of this newsletter with slightly corrupted formatting. Hari has very kindly pointed me in the right direction and now I am an expert at saving and writing documents in PDF format – whatever that may be. I have it on good authority that any formatting problems are now a thing of the past. Many thanks, Hari! If you were a girl, I’d give you a big kiss. However, as you are a mere bloke, you will have to settle for a firm handshake and a nod of appreciation. (Stop press: When Hari heard about the possible threat of a “big kiss”, he

immediately went on holiday to India, thereby relying on his vastly inferior team-mates to win the Reading Division 1 title

without him. Ed.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(by Christine Williams – yup, that’s our special lady’s new surname! Ed.)

Most of you will know my table tennis background as a junior, senior and veteran and as a member of the Kingfisher Club – and that I moved to Javea on the Costa Blanca in 2009 – s o I won’t go into all that ! For some time, with his Editor’s hat on, Roger has been asking me for an update on my new life – and how, after

years and years as a single person, my yearning for a warmer climate has led me to find “Love in the Spanish Sun”! So here goes ...... I first visited Javea in February 2008 and again in October/November the same year, during which time I attended the local International Baptist Church and became a keen member of the walking group . After one walk in November 2008, the group, which included a guy called Stephen, I enjoyed a meal at the La Tosca Restaurant in nearby Gata and it was here that Stephen and I first became engaged in conversation and he told me that he was planning to move back to the UK. So when I moved to Javea in May 2009, I was quite surprised to find him still there! But it was not until January 2010, when Stephen had arranged for a group of the walkers to have an evening out at the Three Kings Parade in Javea Port (the Spanish equivalent of Christmas when their children receive their presents) that we found ourselves together for a coffee and then a

meal. Over the following two years our friendship became stronger and, in December 2011, to the delight of family and friends, we became engaged, and from that moment on, 2012 promised to be a year when our feet would barely touch the ground !

In February I had my right hip replaced – excellent medical attention – and I recovered well in the sun during March & April. Also Stephen had a new granddaughter. At the end of May we came back to the UK for Stephen’s youngest son’s wedding; saw my family and got caught up in the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations! Then it was back to the UK again to do a house swap with my daughter and her family in July/August for four to five weeks – got caught up in Olympic fever; saw family and friends and did most of the arrangements for our mid-October Registry Office Wedding. So, we were back to the UK yet again, this time for just four days and, with just close family in attendance, we were married on 13th October in Banbury (my sister lives nearby in Bloxham). Then two weeks later in Spain on the 30th October, we had a big open-air Wedding Blessing in Parque Montaner in the Old Town of Javea. The organising of two weddings in such a short space of time was quite challenging! The beginning of November saw

me back to see the Consultant when I was given the news that an operation was required on my left hip before Christmas – this one had already been done twice previously in the UK. I went into hospital on 12th December. Fortunately, this time I got away with a partial replacement and I recovered quickly – unfortunately the ligaments have been left extremely weak around my hip and I am encased in a brace from my waist to my knee – not a pretty sight! I may have to put up with this holding me together for a few more weeks yet! As yet we have not managed to get away for a few days honeymoon! We are hoping that 2013 will be a bit more relaxed, although we would very much like to go to Australia to see Steve’s eldest son and grandchildren (possibly later in the year) when I am fit enough to do the journey! Watch this space…

I wish all Kingfisher Members lots of successes in 2013 but, most of all; enjoy and have fun! ChristineChristineChristineChristine - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(By Colin Dyke)

Our team retained their creditable third position in Division 2B of the Veterans’ National League played on 26th and 27th January 2013 in Bristol. The squad were Derek Wood, David Roberts, Adam Ellis and Paul Ingham. I am indebted to Derek Wood who sent me the following report:

Well we all arrived safely at Bristol University despite the severe weather warnings. However all were suffering injuries of a sort, Adam tennis elbow, Dave tight hamstring, Derek tendonitis and Paul popping Ibuprofen.

Saturday Game 1 v Pitlane: Lost 4-2 First up was Pitlane; Paul had his first win over D Ayoola and Derek beat Peter Ballard. Adam fought tooth and nail against the VETTS Chairman Roy Norton but just lost in the fifth. That resulted in a 2-4 loss – not a good start.

Saturday Game 2 v Bristol Civil Service: Won 6-0 (walkover) We had the afternoon off, no game, so went to the pub to watch the footy – or was it to drown our sorrows? Bristol had withdrawn.

Saturday Game 3 v Ashford: Lost 5-1 Reinvigorated we returned to take on Ashford but perhaps we may have had too much beer as we lost 1-5. Adam, his elbow even sorer; caused by lifting pints; sat this one out. Dave beat Gordon Shaw but lost deuce in the fifth to Adamson, Derek also losing in five to the same player.

Sunday Game 4 v Redland Bats 2: Drew 3-3 Sunday was a complete turnaround. We first played league leaders Redlands. Dave won both and was brilliant in beating Steve Crosby and Adam beat their number two as well. In gaining a 3-3 draw we (as it turned out) stopped Redlands winning the division.

Sunday Game 5 v Hollingbury: Won 5-1 The final game was against Hollingbury who were winless and we strolled to a 5-1 win, Paul missing against their number Two. Overall a satisfactory weekend as we finished a creditable third.

Final Table: Ashford F48 A12 Pts 17 Redland F45 A15 Pts 17 Kingfisher F35 A25 Pts 11 Pitlane F33 A27 Pts 11 Hollingbury F19 A41 Pts 4 (Bristol withdrew)

Averages: Dave 11/14. Derek 5/12. Adam 5/12. Paul 2/10. Walkovers 12/12

More details can be found on http://www.tabletennis365.com/vnl - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi Roger You baited the trap and it worked! You lured me out of my boggy Irish hideout to write to Kingfisher News. Thanks (I think), for the mention in Kingfisher News but I do have to correct you. When I shouted down to farmer McGrane asking if he knew where I was, his actual reply was, “It’s hard to say.” So I landed and showed him the

map and he was right; I had landed in Aughaghnegna. It is very difficult to say but much easier after a few pints of Guinness. I still enjoy reading the Kingfisher News and the Reading newsletters to see who’s doing what and just to keep in touch with the hometown generally. It’s great to see so many of my peer group are still playing and how Reading still has a lot of talented youngsters making the grade. The photos are always good to look at too. It’s amazing how some you have aged! I have just got younger looking and haven’t aged a bit since moving away from Reading. (See photographic evidence for proof.) I have stopped playing table tennis this last three years mainly because of the distances involved in travelling to matches. The standard here compares generally to the lower half of Reading first division, top half of Reading two, but having said that, we could always put out teams that would beat the best of Reading by trawling around say a forty mile radius. On a personal note I retired from work in 2009 and now play another sport. Because I don’t work and have more “recovery time”, I train harder than I have ever done, three or four times a week, and apart from the arthritis which I have lived with for the past twenty years, am fitter now than I have almost ever been. I am still flying hot air balloons when weather permits and flew in Canada in last October and am off to France flying in July this year. Carol (my wife) and I run our house as a guest house, and often host

balloonists form the UK and have visitors from other parts of Ireland, America and Europe. It would be great to see a few of you “Kingfisher folk”. If anyone would like to come over take a look at our website www.cavanbedandbreakfast.com – “mates rates” will apply to all club members. If you wanted table tennis as well whilst you’re here then I will arrange that too – even a balloon flight could be possible. Just to make this email even longer, I have to tell you about a match I played in Northern Ireland a few years ago. By chance my team was comprised of three English blokes – myself and two others. The guys we were playing were all Irish, and one in particular was extremely good – a class or two above even you, Roger! There was no way we thought we could beat him fairly so my team mate suggested that we would try and psyche him out of it. My first team mate went on and shook hands with him at the start and whispered in his ear, “I hear that Éamon de Valera, your famous third president, was an ignorant moron”. The Irish guy looked at him and said, “Really? I didn’t know that”. He then proceeded to thrash my English friend in straight sets. When it was time for the Irish star to play again my second team mate tried a similar ploy and this time told the Irish lad, “I heard Éamon de Valera was a mindless chav.” The Irish lad looked at him and just said, “Really? I didn’t know that.” Once again the Irish chap proceeded to thrash my second team mate – again in straight sets. Soon enough it was my turn to play him. I shook hands at the start and this time I chose my words carefully. I looked him in the eye and said, “Did you

know that Éamon de Valera was an Englishman”? To which the Irish lad replied “So I hear. Earlier on your team mates were telling me just that.” I, too, was duly dispatched in straight sets…

Keep up the good work with newsletter and pass on my best wishes to “wifey” Lin and hopefully I might get to see you both or other Kingfisher members over here for a cheap holiday or weekend.

Best wishes, Geoff

PS: You should ask Colin Dyke for an account of his balloon flight in Devon with me – within thirty minutes of landing in the middle of nowhere, he was on table playing a Vets match! PPS: One of the accompanying pictures shows me taking off in my one-man balloon. Please

note that it's supposed to be like that and I didn't forget the basket! The other photo is of a famous aviator just before he published his latest book, "Woolly Armpits Flies Undone". - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I swiped the following snippet from the latest edition of the VETTS’ newsletter. It was signed “Ed” but, whether this refers

to Susie Hughes or Brian Halliday, I do not know. Brian told me quite a while ago that, as the months go by, Susie is talking on more and more of that magazine’s editorial workload. But, anyway, here it is: Gill Larking has sent me a cutting from the Basingstoke Observer, dated 11th July 2012. That rather eccentric front man Tim Wonnacott was filming Bargain Hunt at The Vyne in Sherborne St John, when they came across some previously undiscovered tiles in the 18th century Stone Gallery. They found that the tiles dated back some 600 years. Wait for it – here it gets interesting – alongside the tiles they found “a Victorian ping-pong set in plaster”. A researcher said that she thought that the preserved ping-pong set could date back to the 19th century. She went on to say that the Stone Gallery had been sealed with mortar in the mid-19th century and, before that, had been used as a playroom for the children of the then owner Wiggett Chute, so the set might have been put under the tiles as a prank. All the

objects are to go on display at a later date. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A mummy covered in chocolate and nuts has been discovered in Egypt.

Archaeologists believe it may be Pharaoh Rocher...

This strange new phenomenon called “Social Table Tennis” or “Social Ping Pong” is sweeping across the world. Indeed, my friendly

counterpart editor, Brian Halliday of the VETTS Newsletter, used it as his lead story in the latest issue of his magazine. “Counterpart editor”, I ask you… I’ll be comparing Brian and me to the editors of the Daily Mail or the Daily Mirror next!! Below you will find two newspaper articles, the first of which was kindly sent to be by Andy Yon. It was extracted from The Independent dated Saturday 19th January. Thank you, Andy. This one is all about the Bounce restaurant in London. The second article was discovered by wifey Lin in the January 18th issue of the Metro newspaper and concerns the marriage between the famous racket club SPiN and the worldwide chain of hotels named Standard. Brian suggests that the clientele of such venues are comprised mainly of the Hooray Henry brigade and that the whole thing is totally divorced from “proper” players such as you, me and, of course, Brian. He may well be right but it is interesting to note that at one of these places, on Saturday January 19th, Timo Boll took on the best players in Los Angeles in a four-hour challenge session. Mind you, I think that Peter Bennett or Allan Bruton would probably defeat the best in LA! Perhaps Herr Boll read a book or watched the TV while he was playing… But on to the articles…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - by Tracey

MacLeod

BOUNCE LOOKS DARK AND SEXY – two words not usually associated with table tennis…

(I’m not sure that I agree with Ms MacLeod’s last statement. Obviously the lady writer has never met the

“dark and sexy” Ramesh Gehlot. But I digress… Ed.)

Normally when I’m shown to a far-flung table in a deserted corner by the loos, I’m tempted to complain to the management. But never have I felt more grateful for a Siberian placement than at Bounce, where our table was for table tennis. Thanks to our isolation, the wild flailings, reckless volleys and inter-generational conflict of our family ping-pong game went largely unnoticed by the early adopters who fill this super-cool new bar.

Bounce is the latest development in themed socialising for jaded urban fun-seekers who demand more from a night out than a few drinks and something nice to eat. We’ve had bowling and burgers, and table football for hipsters; now, from the team behind All Star Lanes, prepare for ping-pong and pizzas. A cavernous former nightclub buried under a Holborn office block, Bounce looks stunning – dark and sexy, two words not conventionally associated with table tennis. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to find in Manhattan rather than just off Hatton Garden. Designers Russell Sage Studio have pulled off the same magic trick they achieved at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, making a bland, modern space feel like some rediscovered old light-industrial treasure, without any hint of the ersatz. Acres of ping-pong tables stretch off in all directions, surrounded by moodily-curtained corners, come-hither booths and enough reclaimed fixtures and fittings to stock a breaker’s yard. A monumental bar wraps around a corner of the room, giving it the feel of some Prohibition-era speakeasy, albeit one filled with suity men slamming small balls at each other. And floating above the playing area, for those whose preferred indoor sport is eating and drinking, there’s an attractive mezzanine restaurant area serving posh pizzas.

We felt we’d earned a carb-fest, after an hour of fierce play (or, more accurately, five minutes of fierce play and 55 minutes spent hunting under tables for lost balls). “I’m slick with sweat,” Harry announced appetisingly, as he flopped down at our table after trouncing the six-year-old. Too late, we discovered that of all the vintage ping-pongiana covering every wall, we had opted to sit next to some 1960s’ photos of voluptuous dolly birds playing in the nude. That certainly added a new dimension of awkwardness to a meal with two young boys. The menu, which is also available to order table-side, keeps things simple; some basic antipasti, a handful of mains, and a selection of hand-thrown pizzas from the enormous wood-fired oven. Only the pizzas were any good; the bases nubbly and just thick enough to hold with the fingers without risking the dreaded droop. Of our shared starters, shaved slices of raw courgette came ineffectually dressed with lemon and chilli, while burrata had been robbed of any of its creamy character by overchilling, and came with chunks of the kind of beetroot you snip out of a store-bought vacuum pack. Our only off-pizza foray was also a mistake; a Vesuvian cauldron of wild boar stew, the meat badly trimmed and tough as an old plimsoll, served with nothing more than a couple of slices of plain ciabatta. There’s a perfunctory selection of desserts, including an unseasonal Eton Mess – possibly in tribute to that great champion of wiff-waff, Boris Johnson – and a decent chocolate mochaccino (trans; mousse in a coffee cup). With coffees and a few beers, our bill for four topped £100; steep, given that the food was really just a side-order to the ping-pong. And with table-hire at £26 per hour in peak time, and £18 off-peak, it’s not a cheap night out. But it’s a fantastically fun one. The music is great, the staff upbeat and appropriately bouncy. Even at 6pm on the first Monday in January, the place was packed. Pushing through the excitable crown surrounding the exhibition table imported from the London Olympics, it was hard to spot anyone without a drink or bat in their hand, and a big grin on their face. As an event destination, Bounce would be as perfect for a first date as for an office party, though it probably helps if you can already play a bit. And I say that as the proud holder of a News of the World Table Tennis Diploma for most promising player of the week, awarded at Clacton Butlins in 1973. I’ve still got the certificate, if anyone from Bounce

would like to get in touch. Social ping-pong is apparently all the rage in the States, and Bounce looks set to get the scene going here. It’s the biggest thing to happen to table tennis in the UK since Chester Barnes rocked the game in the Seventies with his controversial square bat. If you stick to the pizza, you’ll eat pretty well there. And if it doesn’t roll out into a successful brand I’ll eat my bat.

(“BOUNCE” RATINGS by TRACEY MACLEOD: Food 3/5. Ambience 5/5. Service 3/5.)

(Cost: Around £20 per head, excluding drinks. Ping-pong tables £26 per hour peak time; £18 per hour

off-peak.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

JOIN THE PING-PONG PARTY AT LOS ANGELES’S HIPPEST HOTELS

It’s a marriage made in hipster heaven: America’s coolest racket club, SPiN, and the most stylish hotel group, The

Standard, have come to the table – and the net – to create LA’s first full-service table tennis social club at The Standard

Downtown. The ever-playful Standard has long hosted ping-pong tables at each of its hotels (Pippa Middleton took on owner Andre Balazs at his Sunset Beach hotel in the Hamptons last summer) but, with the arrival of SPiN, which takes up the entire second floor of the Downtown hotel, the game’s just got serious (ish). With eleven red-topped, Olympic-standard tables, pro teachers, DJs,

dancing, cocktails and Chesterfield leather sofas, it’s far more than just a sports club.

“It’s our special spin on a social club or a members’ bar,” says Jonathan Brickler, co-founder of the celebrity-

endorsed SPiN (Susan Sarandon is a founder member), which began in New York and now has outposts in Toronto and Milwaukee. “But, unlike members’ clubs, or some sports, ping-pong is incredibly democratic. It costs very little to play; the risk of injury is low; it stimulates areas of the brain, boosts concentration and reduces stress – it’s the dream sport.” Though SPiN at The Standard offers memberships for regular enthusiasts, with cut-price court rates, table reservation privileges and players’ networks, it’s also open to novice guests who fancy a knockabout and anyone else who wants to drop by for a game … or possibly more. The special ‘You scored’ room rates of just £35, available to members, allow for last-minute, late night check-in after success at the net.

(Court hire from £12 per hour. Annual membership from £310.) (Note: Looking at the tables in the above picture, it seems to me that, apart from the one in the front, one end of each of

them seems rather close to the wall. I can’t see Matthew Syed or Dave Barr coping with an 18-inch runback! But what

do I know? Ed.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We are delighted to confirm that Kingfisher has renewed its contract with Tees Sport up to the end of 2015. Tees

Sport provides kit for our British League and National League teams and provides members with generous discounts on

all clothing and equipment. We are continuing to work with Tees Sport on special projects and, if anyone has any ideas,

Chairman Colin would be pleased to hear from you.

Our appointed agent is Brian Halliday. Brian may be contacted on (0118) 972 2421, via email at brianhalliday2@aol.com or by Royal Mail at 2 Rowan Close, Sonning Common RG4 9LD. Tees Sport has agreed to supply Butterfly, Karlsson, Andro and Adidas equipment via Brian with a 25% discount. Donic equipment is available with a 20% discount while the remainder of Tees Sport’s merchandise (with the exception of tables) attracts a 15% discount. Tees Sport is a leading supplier of specialist table tennis equipment in the United Kingdom, offering a wide range of most of the leading brands. Tees Sport is the largest retailers of Butterfly specialist equipment and Butterfly is the leading brand of blades and rubber. World Champion Zhang Jike, European Champion Timo Boll, and most of the England Team use Butterfly blades and rubbers. You will find Tees Sport staff knowledgeable and helpful. All of their sales staff have been involved in table tennis for many years and have played the game to at least British League standard. The Company offers a same day shipment service for orders placed by telephone, internet or mail. Brian Halliday is the agent for Tees Sport in the Kingfisher Club and can place orders on members’ behalf, or provide advice, if required. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TRIPLE TRIUMPH FOR

WAINGELS IN COUNTY

CHAMPIONSHIPS

The following extract from Get Reading,

dated Friday 11th January 2013, regretfully did not identify the author:

Waingels College provided three of the winners at the Royal County of Berkshire Schools’ Individual Championships. Chris Johnson took the under-13 title; Daniel McTiernan triumphed in the under-16 competition, while his brother Liam was the only entry in the under-19 event. Players from schools in Reading, Caversham, Tilehurst, Woodley, Early, Wokingham, Bracknell, Newbury, Thatcham, Langley, Slough and Sunningdale took part in the championships at the Kingfisher club in Woodley. There were four new champions – Jamie Liu (The Hill), Katie Shepherd (The Abbey), Johnson and Daniel McTiernan. With just three entries, the boys’ under-11 event was played on a round-robin basis. The winner was eight-year-old Jamie Liu, who won both his matches, while Damon Critchlow (Caversham Primary) was runner-up.

The boys' under-13 and under-16 events each attracted 12 entrants. The top two players from two groups of six went through to the semi-finals. After winning all their group matches in the boys’ under-16 event, top seeds Daniel McTiernan and Leo Long (St Barts) won their semi-finals against Michael McAllister (Maiden Erlegh) and James Ellicot (Kennet) respectively. In the final, it was McTiernan who triumphed with a straight-sets victory, but only after a close opening set which went to deuce.

The under-13 event looked to be the most unpredictable with no clear favourite. However, the much improved Johnson was in unstoppable form in the semi-finals as he beat Reeshabh Hamal (Beechwood) in a battle of the left-handers. In the final he met Alex Squire (The Forest), who had beaten Ben Dylan (Little Heath) in the other semi-final. Johnson proved too strong for Squire and he made good use of his blistering forehand to record a 3-0 win.

The girls’ under-13 event featured two promising young players and it was the more experienced Katie Shepherd who won through 3-0 against a plucky Ellena Collins (Charters). She will represent the county at the national finals. The girls’ under-16 and boys’ under-19 events only had one entry each so Maria Tsaptsinos (The Abbey) and Liam McTiernan (Waingels College) automatically qualify for the national finals, which take place in Doncaster in April. Both will be among the top seeds and Liam will be hoping to repeat last season’s title-winning performance.

(The picture above, taken during the medal presentations shows the Under-13 finalists Alex Squire [left] and Christopher

Johnson with Maria Tsaptsinos and her father Dimitris, Berkshire Schools’ Secretary.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The following has been extracted from the Reading Post of 30th January 2013, author again unidentified: Reading are through to the national finals of the Carter Cup – the junior England competition. Daniel McTiernan, Sam Ricks and Joshua Gallen booked their ticket by winning Zone 6 at Ashford, Middlesex. They got off to a flying start by beating Staines 3-2.

McTiernan defeated Anthony Egan, while Ricks beat the higher-ranked David Rahbani. Reading were beaten in the doubles and Ricks lost to Egan, but McTiernan came from 0-1 down to beat Rahbani to seal the match. The Reading boys proved too strong for an inexperienced Aldershot team, winning 5-0. With McTiernan rested, Joshua Gallen joined Ricks and they lost only two ends in the match. Gallen was making his debut for the team and showed the form that justified his selection. Liam McTiernan, the Berkshire No 1 junior, will

join the Reading squad for the national finals at Wellingborough in June when they will be looking to win the competition for the second time in three years. Liam will also be playing in the ITTF Junior Swedish Open next month, having been entered by the ETTA. (The picture, from left to right, shows Sam Ricks, Daniel McTiernan and Joshua Gallen)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SIGN IN OFFICE LUNCHROOM: STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE

DRAINING BOARD.

SIGN ON AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT.

The following snippets have all been extracted from Nigel Maltby’s excellent weekly Reading Post articles. Thank you, Nige! (Ed.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26

th December 2012: Our Lady of Peace A and

Kingfisher A look set to battle it out between them for the Reading & District League title. The Earley side currently hold a two-point lead over their rivals from Woodley, but they have played a match more. On current form, Sonning Common & Peppard A and Kingfisher B look most likely to be relegated. The two promoted sides, Kingfisher C and Sonning Common & Peppard B, are both performing exceptionally well so far. In Division 2, leaders Tidmarsh C are favourites for the title after beating second-placed Curzon Club A recently. But Curzon, Kingfisher D and Tidmarsh B could all still have a say in the title race. In Division 4, Wokingham B and Kingfisher H are the favourites for promotion, although Sonning Sports and Birch Copse A cannot be ruled out. Kingfisher I moved off the foot of the table with a fine 6-4 win against Tidmarsh D, thanks to doubles from Andrew Talaga and John Creighton and a Derek Crombie single.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16

th January 2013: Kingfisher C all but guaranteed their top-flight survival after

clinching an 8-2 victory over Sonning Common & Peppard B. Steve Murgatroyd scored a maximum and there were good doubles from Lisa Williams and Niall McGrane. The result moved Kingfisher eight points clear of the drop zone and only a few points adrift of mid-table Polish A, YMCA and OLOP C. In Division 2, Kingfisher E looked to be on course for victory after five games at Post Office A. There were victories for Allan Bruton and Pete Bennett against John Simmonds and Simon Hopkins.

But Simmonds’s scrambled 5-11 14-12 13-11 10-12 11-9 against Dave Gostelow eventually put Post Office on track for a 6-4 match win. Tidmarsh B continue to press for a top-two finish after a Dave Wise treble helped them secure an 8-2 victory against relegation-threatened Kingfisher F. Chris Webb and Mike Aistrop added doubles, while Leo Long gained two good wins for Kingfisher. In Division 3, Kingfisher G started their second half of the season with an 8-2 defeat at table-toppers Milestone A. John Tucker and Robin benwell both won three to ensure the home team’s winning run continued, although Benwell had to come back from two games down against Dave Duncan before winning in five – and Eric Holmes only lost out 10-12 in the fifth to Tucker. In Division 4, Kingfisher I remain in trouble after losing 6-4 to nearest rival Our Lady of Peace G. Dave Godfrey starred for OLOP with a fine treble, including a thrilling 11-13 7-11 12-10 11-3 11-8 comeback win over Andrew Talaga. In Division 6, a Roy Hull treble could not stop second-placed Kingfisher J winning 6-4 against Birch Copse C.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23

rd January 2013: Kingfisher A moved back to the top of the Reading and District League Division 1 after a 7-

3 home win over Tidmarsh A. But the best performance of the game came from Tidmarsh’s Sanda De Reimer who beat Hari Gehlot 7-11 11-5 9-11 11-6 11-6 and Tony Reynolds 11-9 4-11 11-9 13-15 11-9 on his way to a hat-trick. Our Lady of Peace C beat bottom side Kingfisher B 8-2 with hat-tricks from Danny Ricks and Neil Bird. And Kingfisher C had a brilliant 7-3 win at Reading YMCA, due to a classy maximum from Andrew Parker, while Steve Murgatroyd and Lisa Williams continued their fine form with two wins apiece. In Division 2, trebles by Lee Calcutt and Dave Wise saw Tidmarsh B beat Kingfisher D 7-3 in a tight match. Leo Long’s treble, which included a fine 11-9 10-12 11-7 9-11 11-4 win against Dan West, helped Kingfisher F out of the drop zone, as they won 6-4 at Our Lady of Peace D.

In Division 3, Kingfisher G beat Springfield A 6-4 with Dave Duncan, Allen Pack and Eric Holmes all winning twice. In Division 4, Sonning Sports A eased to an 8-2 win over promotion rivals Kingfisher H, with both Nigel Goodman and Bob Woodmansee starring with trebles. Sonning are now two points adrift of leaders Wokingham B and a point ahead of Kingfisher. In Division 6, second-placed Kingfisher J beat Springfield C 6-4 thanks to a Leigh Mahoney treble.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 30

th January 2013: Our Lady of Peace B were unable to do their A team any favours when they took on Reading

and District League leaders Kingfisher A. Their two-man team were beaten 9-1 to enable the Division 1 table-toppers to go two points clear of OLOP A in the title race, but Kingfisher have now played a match more. Tony Reynolds and Hari Gehlot both won twice for Kingfisher, while the OLOP point came from Bradley King, who managed a fine 11-8 11-9 2-11 3-11 11-9 win against Elson Costa. Polish A climbed into third place after a comprehensive whitewash of bottom side Kingfisher B, with Richard Rosinski, Steve Dobbins and Graham Diplock too strong for their opponents. In Division 2, OLOP D continued their climb away from danger at the foot of the table, Pu Zhang, Dan West and Chris West all contributing to an excellent 6-4 success over fourth-placed Kingfisher D. In Division 3, OLOP E managed a 10-0 win against Kingfisher G, thanks to trebles from Sam Liu, Siad Cole and Wendy Porter. In Division 4, a Bob Woodmansee hat-trick and doubles from Nigel Goodman and Dave Chard earned Sonning Sports A a 7-3 victory over Kingfisher I. Ken Robb played well for Kingfisher to win twice. In Division 6, Kingfisher J stayed in hot pursuit of unbeaten leaders OLOP I by beating Sonning Sports B 7-3 with Phil Cunnington, Diane Taylor and Gill Bennett all winning twice. OLOP I extended their 100% record to thirteen with a 10-0 win over Kingfisher K. Springfield D, with Adam Sheen getting a treble, won 8-2 against Kingfisher K, while BBC Club enjoyed a comfortable 9-1 win against Kingfisher K to move up the table. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I received the following letter, dated 2nd January 2013, from Jeff Huggins: Dear Roger

I know I keep promising to send you some items for your newsletters, but I can now officially confirm that you are one of my new year’s resolutions, so you are on the “To Do” list.

In the meantime, here is a news items from 1975, when I was just 19. This was when I won my only national title! It was all downhill from there. The reason for sending you this is that I heard from somewhere that Johnny Leach was making an appearance at our club, and it would be great to meet such a legend. If you are aware of this, could you please let me know.

I do have some better shots from the event deep in the family archives, and will send out a search party for them. They are really worth a laugh with hair and a hairband. Regards, Jeff.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Note: I fear that I know nothing about Johnny Leach paying us a visit [although the timing of this suggestion vaguely

makes some sort of sense at the rear of my peabrain] and I have been unable to root out any further information

regarding Jeff’s article, despite lobbing off a couple of emails in his direction. The “JS Journal”, today, is the in-house

magazine of the retailing giant Sainsbury but, as the text definitely refers to JS Symonds, this is obviously a red herring.

But the following article – and the accompanying picture above – are interesting indeed. Thank you for your

contribution, Jeff. Ed.)

FROM THE JS JOURNAL, dated March 1975:

Three out of three was the score for Margaret Bowyer at the JS table tennis tournament, held at the Michael Sobell Sports Centre, Islington, on March 9th. Margaret entered three competitions – the ladies’ singles, the ladies’ doubles and the mixed doubles – and she won the lot, helped by Jean Torr in the ladies’ doubles and Brian Brearley in the mixed doubles. Branch personnel officer at the Wolverhampton and Dudley branches, Margaret has gained representative honours for Staffordshire, and she has won many championships both locally in Wolverhampton and at county level. The tournament, the 24th organised by Brian Brearley, from Supply Control, was a marathon nine hours of table tennis as more than 100 entries were whittled down and the champions emerged. The top men’s trophy of the tournament, the JS Symonds cup for the men’s singles, was won by Jeffrey Huggins for the first time. He’s following in some very impressive footsteps – in 1939 the cup was won by Johnny Leach, who went on from working at JS to become world champion. Kenneth Haywood won the veterans’ title, making it four wins in successive years. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hey, how about this for a caption competition? I can just see Andy Yon in this outfit! All right, perhaps I can’t… I admit that this is no challenge to the National Lottery but I have at my disposal three 300 ml bottles of Budweiser for the winning entry. If the winner is under the age of 18, I shall commute the beer to four 500 ml bottles of Dr Pepper. Do you fancy having a go? If so, please study the picture on the left and then send me your suggestion/s by email to roger.woolven-allen@virginmedia.com. Good luck! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was talking to Hari Gehlot the other day and we were reminiscing about our

times at school. We told each other several amusing stories but the one of Hari’s that stuck in mind occurred when he went to primary school in the Indian state of Rajasthan. His teacher was desperately trying to instil some knowledge of arithmetic into his pupil’s brain. Teacher: If I gave you two cats and another two cats and another two, how many would you have? Hari: Seven, sir. Teacher: No, listen carefully… If I gave you two cats and another two cats and another two, how many would you have?

Hari: Seven, sir. Teacher: Let me put it to you differently. If I gave you two apples and another two apples and another two, how many would you have? Hari: Six, sir. Teacher: Good. Now if I gave you two cats and another two cats and another two, how many would you have? Hari: Seven, sir. (A now angry) Teacher: Seven? Where on earth do you get seven from?!?! Hari: I’ve already got a cat, sir. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The following has been received from the ETTA: The European Veteran Championships is taking entries now for the 2013 edition of the tournament, which this time is being held in Bremen, Germany. More than 2400 players have already entered the 2013 European Veteran

Championships from 27th of May to 1st of June, 2013. The ÖVB-Arena has an incredible 132 competition tables and 30 practice tables which are all placed under one roof. Bremen welcomes back the World Veterans Championships after previously hosting the event in 2006 and the venue is now ready to host up to 3100 participants. The entry fee is €160 per person and you can register here

In the past, Chris Basden and Chris Pusey and, indeed, Yours Truly, have printed cartoons. But these have always been plagiarised from other sources. Accompanying this brief explanation,

though, you will find an original cartoon! Kingfisher member Gwynne Penny has sent me two cartoons with a promise of more on the way. The big difference from those of the past is that Gwynne creates her own cartoons – and they are absolutely brilliant! I am very, very envious – and very, very impressed! Her pseudonym (for want of a better word) is “Sneakles” and I asked her for the derivation of this word. Here, in her own words, is the explanation: “Our team at work play table football in our lunch breaks... It gets very competitive, as you can imagine! We've all ended up with table football nicknames – mine happens to be 'Sneakles' – they tell me it is because I play sneaky shots (angles, sidespin – all the things I struggle to do in table tennis right now!).

When I'm not playing Table Footy or Table Tennis, my other favourite pastime is drawing cartoons about the adventures of "Sneakles", "Bear" and "Purrkle” the evil cat (http://www.facebook.com/sneakles). “Sneakles”, like me, has recently taken up the sport of Table Tennis, and is finding it a steep but very enjoyable learning curve…” (These wonderful works of art are virtually unique and, because of that, I am going to limit you, dear reader, to

just one cartoon per issue. You can moan as much as you like, but that’s yer lot! Ed.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Regarding the Veterans’ Ranking lists, our beloved Kingfisher member Mark Banks

threw a gentle moan in my direction when he discovered, in Issue 68 of the Kingfisher News, that his name had unexpectedly been omitted. Now I have no practical way of automatically extracting our local players from these lists and I so I have to plough through the data manually – just hoping that I capture everyone. And so, following Mark’s “complaint” (which I have to stress was made in the most polite and complimentary fashion), I naturally assumed that the error was simply down to my own incompetence. But, when I re-examined the ETTA’s Over-40 list, I couldn’t find any mention of our esteemed Kingfisher A star at all. Considering that this is someone who has, in the past, beaten major stars such as Nigel Eckersley, Daniel Moses and Colin Dyke, I found this quite inexplicable… But he has resurfaced in the most recent listings, so all is now well. Before I progress to the latest lists, please be aware that I am a bear-with-very little-brain and, if you find you’re not where you should be, please accept my apologies. Such boo-boos will never be intentional. The following extracts have been taken from the VETTS’ lists (which I believe are complied by the ETTA) dated January 2013. Included are players not only from Berkshire, but also a few special others representing other counties. These latter people may well be remembered from their Berkshire, Reading and (especially) their Kingfisher days. Some of these “others”, of course, still play locally. VETERAN MEN (Over 40): 25 Dave Barr. 29 Hari Gehlot. 57 Andy Misseldine. 87 Mark Banks. 136 Dave Crowley. 145 Mark Scott. 167 Paul Beck. 174 Eddie Herrity. 181 Graham Outrim. 185 Keith Falconer. 201 Ian Cole. 209 Mike Rhodes. 226 Clive Banham. 229 Derek Wood. 234 Tony Brown. 241 Nick Heaps. 262 Keith Winter. (Gee; that last entry shows how age is creeping on! To me, Keith still looks like a schoolboy! Ed.).

VETERAN WOMEN (Over 40): 2 Sue Collier. 36 Denise Weller. 45 Sharon Mitchell. 89 Denise Rolfe. 93 Pam Spooner. 100 Carol Byers. 101 Wendy Porter. VETERAN MEN (Over 50): 68 Eddie Herrity. 76 Andy Misseldine. 81 Graham Outrim. 86 Mike Rhodes. 92 John Barclay. 102 Nick Heaps. 103 Derek Wood. 142 John Millward. 152 Clive Dawson. 156 Peter Bradley. 199 Dave Gostelow. VETERAN MEN (Over 60): 15 Dave Crowley. 16 Eddie Herrity. 19 Paul Beck. 27 Graham Outrim. 43 John Barclay. 52 Derek Wood. 56 Nick Heaps. 64 Tony Brown. 76 John Millward. 85 Peter Bradley. 89 Colin Dyke. 120 Clive Dawson. 126 Dave Gostelow. 152 Mike Dorrington. VETERAN MEN (Over 70): 1 Dave Crowley. 7 Tony Brown. 29 Peter Bradley. 32

Colin Dyke. 53 Dave Gostelow. 66 Mike Dorrington. VETERAN WOMEN (Over 50): 29 Sharon Mitchell. 32 Gill Knightley. 37 Denise Weller. 74 Diane Taylor. VETERAN WOMEN (Over 60): 14 Gill Knightley. VETERAN MIXED (Over 80): 15 Mike Dorrington. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Please find, below, the player averages for both the Reading and the Bracknell Leagues, as at 30th January 2013. I hope you find them of interest. READING DIVISION 1: Hari Gehlot

(Kingfisher A) 25/29 = 86%. Stuart Williams (Kingfisher A) 17/21 = 81%. Mark Banks (Kingfisher A) 17/21 = 81%. Elson Costa (Kingfisher A) 16/20 = 80%. Tony Reynolds (Kingfisher A) 18/23 = 78%. Andrew Parker (Kingfisher C) 10/18 = 56%. Steve Murgatroyd (Kingfisher C) 18/33 = 55%. Niall McGrane (Kingfisher C) 13/27 = 48%. Lisa Williams (Kingfisher C) 15/39 = 38%. Geoff Civil (Kingfisher B) 5/24 = 21%. Richard Fifield (Kingfisher B) 6/30 = 20%. Daniel Grover (Kingfisher B) 5/36 = 14%. Roger Woolven-Allen (Kingfisher B) 4/36 = 11%. READING DIVISION 2: Phil Mead (Kingfisher E) 15/18 = 83%. Leo Long (Kingfisher F) 21/26 = 81%. John Morris (Kingfisher E) 7/9 = 78%. Ivor Hardman (Kingfisher D) 19/30 = 63%. Trevor Organ (Kingfisher D) 17/29 = 59%. Colin Dyke (Kingfisher D) 16/28 = 57%. Allan Bruton (Kingfisher E) 13/27 = 48%. Ashish Bahuguna (Kingfisher F) 10/26 = 38%. Peter Bennett (Kingfisher E) 7/21 = 33%. Sharon Mitchell (Kingfisher D) 7/23 = 30%. Michael Houghton (Kingfisher F) 6/23 = 26%. Dave Gostelow (Kingfisher E) 6/33 = 18%. Mike Dorrington (Kingfisher F) 1/9 = 11%. Steve Woolnough (Kingfisher F) 1/12 = 8%. READING DIVISION 3: Allen Pack (Kingfisher G) 21/30 = 70%. Dave Duncan (Kingfisher G) 11/21 = 52%. Eric Holmes (Kingfisher G) 10/27 = 37%. Carol Byers (Kingfisher G) 5/15 = 33%. Rogerio Albelo (Kingfisher G) 5/15 = 33%. READING DIVISION 4: Jean-Noël Thepaut (Kingfisher H) 23/23 = 100%. John Creighton (Kingfisher I) 9/12 = 75%. Nils Wedi (Kingfisher H) 16/30 = 53%. Ken Robb (Kingfisher I) 9/18 = 50%. Joaquin Munoz Sabater (Kingfisher H) 9/21 = 43%. Gianpaolo Balsamo (Kingfisher H) 7/18 = 39%. Gabor Radnoti (Kingfisher H) 9/24 = 38%. Andrew Talaga (Kingfisher I) 7/26 = 27%. Derek Crombie (Kingfisher I) 3/29 = 10%. Derek Spicer (Kingfisher I) 1/18 = 6%. Phil Cunnington (Kingfisher I) 0/3 = 0%. READING DIVISION 6: Leigh Mahoney (Kingfisher J) 25/29 = 86%. Gheorghe Milea (Kingfisher K) 13/17 = 76%. Phil Cunnington (Kingfisher J) 15/20 = 75%. Gill Bennett (Kingfisher J) 14/21 = 67%. Diane Taylor (Kingfisher J) 19/29 = 66%. Simon Lang (Kingfisher K) 13/23 = 57%. André Bartlett (Kingfisher J) 12/24 = 50%. Jean-François Gueganton (Kingfisher K) 5/18 = 28%. Stuart Mitchell (Kingfisher K) 4/30 = 13%. Glenn Carver (Kingfisher K) 0/21 = 0%. Piotr Kuchta (Kingfisher K) 0/11 = 0%.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BRACKNELL PREMIER DIVISION: Graham Outrim (Kingfisher C) 17/17 = 100%. Jeff Huggins (Kingfisher B) 3/3 = 100%. Phil Mead (Kingfisher A) 22/26 = 85%. John Willcocks (Kingfisher A) 20/27 = 74%. Ivor Hardman (Kingfisher C) 21/32 = 66%. Trevor Organ (Kingfisher D) 21/33 = 64%. Allan Bruton (Kingfisher C) 20/34 = 59%. Ashish Bahuguna (Kingfisher D) 15/26 = 58%. Richard Fifield (Kingfisher B) 9/16 = 56%. John Morris (Kingfisher A) 10/18 = 56%. Allen Pack (Kingfisher D) 14/27 = 52%. Jeff Huggins (Kingfisher C) 9/18 = 50%. Peter Bennett (Kingfisher B) 12/26 = 46%. Colin Dyke (Kingfisher B) 9/21 = 43%. Geoff Civil (Kingfisher A) 9/21 = 43%. Michael Houghton (Kingfisher D) 12/30 = 40%. Allen Pack

(Kingfisher C) 1/3 = 33%. Roger Woolven-Allen (Kingfisher A) 8/24 = 33%. Ashish Bahuguna (Kingfisher C) 1/4 = 25%. Sharon Mitchell (Kingfisher B) 4/24 = 17%. Allan Bruton (Kingfisher B) 1/6 = 17%. Michael Houghton (Kingfisher B) 0/6 = 0%. Michael Houghton (Kingfisher C) 0/3 = 0%. Trevor Organ (Kingfisher B) 0/3 = 0%. BRACKNELL DIVISION 1: John Creighton (Kingfisher E) 11/21 = 52%. Dave Duncan ((Kingfisher E) 13/26 = 50%. Ken Robb (Kingfisher E) 13/32 = 41%. Derek Crombie (Kingfisher E) 1/20 = 5%. Gill Bennett (Kingfisher E) 0/6 = 0%. Derek Spicer (Kingfisher E) 0/8 = 0%. BRACKNELL DIVISION 2: Gill Bennett (Kingfisher F) 11/24 = 46%. Sylvia Bruton (Kingfisher F) 2/6 = 33%. Helen Sparks (Kingfisher F) 5/18 = 28%. David Wells (Kingfisher F) 6/24 = 25%. Gwynneth Penny (Kingfisher F) 3/36 = 8%. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few months ago, my good friend Peter Knightes, who hails from the Lone Star state of Texas, sent me a New

York Times article about table tennis legend Marty Reisman. You may remember that I printed this story in Issue 63 of the Kingfisher News. Peter has now sent me another clipping, this time concerning poor old Marty’s demise. I don’t know how many of our more mature members have actually met Reisman (I believe that Brian has) or have even played against him. I bet that quite a few old-timers on the English vets’ circuit will certainly remember him! Whether you have personally met him or not, I take sad pleasure in reproducing the following story, dated December 8th 2012, again extracted from The New York Times:

MARTY REISMAN, 82, DIES; A WIZARD OF MARTY REISMAN, 82, DIES; A WIZARD OF MARTY REISMAN, 82, DIES; A WIZARD OF MARTY REISMAN, 82, DIES; A WIZARD OF TABLE TENNISTABLE TENNISTABLE TENNISTABLE TENNIS

A national champion, and a showman who won and lost millions

Marty Reisman, a wizard at table tennis, the sport in which he captured national championships, won and lost fortunes on wagers and moved crowds to laughter – sometimes using a frying pan as a paddle – as an opening act for the Harlem Globetrotters, died Friday in Manhattan. He was 82. The death was announced by Table Tennis Nation, an organization he founded two years ago to make his sport even more fun. Cooper Fallek, its chief operating officer, said the cause was complications of heart and lung ailments.

Known as “the Needle” for his slimness and quick wit, Mr Reisman travelled the world to hustle movie stars and maharajahs, winning enough to become a three-time millionaire – and losing enough to be a three-time former millionaire. Once, when an 11-year-old asked for a lesson, he suggested a side bet. “I took on people in the gladiatorial spirit,” he said in an interview with The New York Times in March. He was good enough to win 22 major table tennis titles from 1946 to 2002, including two United States Opens and a British Open. Many consider him one of the 10 best ever to play the game. In 1997, at 67, he became the oldest player to win a national championship in a racket sport by winning the United States National Hardbat Championship. In an interview with Forbes magazine in 2005, Sir Harold Evans, the writer and editor, who is a table tennis aficionado, credited Mr Reisman with “the greatest drop shot ever seen on the face of the earth.” Mr Reisman cut a flamboyant figure. He favored Borsalino fedoras and Panama hats and fashionable, bright clothing. Before beginning a game, he habitually removed a $100 bill from his roll to measure the net. He talked fast,

forever promoting what he termed “the Reisman myth.” His signature trick was breaking a cigarette in half from across the table. If the bet was large enough, he would play sitting down. If it was very large, he would play blindfolded. He had a cause bigger than himself, however. After the Japanese player Hiroji Satoh showed up with a new kind of paddle to beat Mr Reisman at the world championship in 1952 in Mumbai, then known as Bombay, Mr Reisman crusaded against it. The old kind of paddle, called a hard bat – the one Mr Reisman liked – was covered with a thin layer of pimpled rubber. The new one had smooth, thicker rubber and no pimples, and propelled the ball at greater speeds. He lost the argument; the new model became the game’s standard.

Not least of his objections was that the newer paddle was relatively soundless; he liked to react to the whack of paddle hitting ball, in the manner of an outfielder running at the crack of the bat. “Before, there was a dialogue between the two players, wherein a 6 year old child could understand the difference between offense and defense,” Mr Reisman told The Times in 1998. “Today a point is made or lost within an imperceptible twist of the wrist.” Table Tennis Nation promotes a version of the old fashioned paddle, one covered with sandpaper rather than rubber. The thinking is that sandpaper rackets foster longer volleys. “This racket is the purest reflection of a player’s ability,” Mr Reisman said. For 20 years, starting in the late 1950s, Mr Reisman operated the Riverside Table Tennis Courts at 96th Street and Broadway. It became as famous in its orbit as Stillman’s Gym was in prize fighting. Dustin Hoffman, Kurt Vonnegut, David Mamet and a group of violinists from the Metropolitan Opera were regulars. Bobby Fischer found relief from the rigors of chess there. Freddie the Fence, Herbie the Nuclear Physicist and Betty the Monkey Lady were institutions at Riverside. Usually lurking in a little back room was Mr Reisman, hoping for a challenging match with a worthwhile wager. In 1972, The New York Times Magazine described him as “coiling and uncoiling in preparation for the occasional mongoose foolish enough to challenge him.” Martin Reisman, the son of a cabdriver, was born in Manhattan on 1 February 1930. He told Forbes that he came to the sport after a nervous breakdown when he was 9 years old and found it soothing. He was city junior champion at 13. Soon he was hustling for real money at Lawrence’s Broadway Table Tennis Club at 54th and Broadway, a former speakeasy with bullet holes in the wall. At 16 he was touring England with a three-man exhibition team. Three years later, he and Doug Cartland became the opening act for the Globetrotters. They played “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with frying pans, and hit balls across the net with the soles of their sneakers. His betting ways got him in trouble once when he was 15. Participating at the national tournament in Detroit, he had placed a $500 bet on himself with a man he thought was a bookie, dropping five $100 bills into his palm. The man turned out to be the head of the United States Table Tennis Association. Police officers escorted Mr Reisman from the tournament. He is survived by his wife, Yoshiko; his daughter, Debbie Reisman; and several grandchildren. Mr Reisman once marvelled that he had built a career around a game usually played in the basement next to the clothes dryer. “A funny way to spend a life,” he said.

(Note: The first picture shows Reisman playing in 1960 and the second shows him playing, in a New York

building basement, in a match against Sir Harold Evans, in 2008) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here are the major table bookings, looking forward until the end of February 2013. Rather obviously, bookings can and do change as time goes by, so please double-check with the website before trotting down for a practice! Please note that I have omitted the Tuesday and Friday Clubs (1000-1230) because everyone is welcome at these sessions!! JANUARY 2013: Wednesday 30

th 1700-1900 Junior Coaching/Practice. FEBRUARY 2013: Friday 1

st 0850-0950 School use. Saturday 2nd

County match, one table from 0930. Sunday 3

rd 0900-1800 Intertown tournament, all tables. Monday 4

th 0850-1100 School use. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. Tuesday 5th 1515-1645

Bulmershe After School TT Club. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. (Note that there are three league matches this evening). Wednesday 6th 1700-1900 Junior Coaching/Practice. Thursday 7

th (Note that there are three league matches this evening). Friday 8th

0850-0950 School use. Saturday 9

th 0900-1600 R&DTTA Closed Championships. Sunday 10th

0900-1600 R&DTTA Closed Championships. Monday 11th 0850-1100 School use. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching.

Tuesday 12th 1515-1645 Bulmershe After School TT Club. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. Wednesday 13

th 1700-1900 Junior Coaching/Practice. Thursday 14

th (Note that there are three league matches this evening). Friday 15th 0850-0950

School use. Monday 18th 0850-1100 School use. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. Tuesday 19

th 1200-1900 Junior Training Camp. (Regular participants of the Tuesday Club should note that they may be heaved out at 1200 prompt!!). Wednesday 20

th 1700-1900 Junior Coaching/Practice. Friday 22nd 0850-0950 School use. Saturday 23

rd 0900-1600 R&DTTA Closed. Sunday 24

th 0900-1600 R&DTTA Closed. Monday 25th

0850-1100 School use. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. Tuesday 26

th 1515-1645 Bulmershe After School TT Club. 1700-1900 Junior Coaching. (Note that there are three league matches this evening). Wednesday 27

th 1700-1900 Junior Coaching/Practice. Thursday 28th (Note that

there are three league matches this evening). - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - READING LEAGUE

DIVISION 1

KINGFISHER A

Nothing exciting to write about this time round, particularly with all the miserable weather around at the moment. KF ‘A’ still level pegging with OLOP A. We have two postponed matches still to play – OLOP A and SC&P A. So it looks like a thriller at the end of the season due to the postponed OLOP A match. PS: Provided we don’t slip up with Polish again!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - READING LEAGUE

DIVISION 1

KINGFISHER B

Hi Roger, Your requests seem to be coming round even more frequently than ever! Surely one mid-season report and one at the end is enough? Anyway, on this occasion I empower you to put in a few words to the effect that we're still at the bottom and likely to stay there! (if you wish)... I think I've got out of bed the wrong side this morning! Grumpily, Geoff. (Thank you, Geoff! As you know, all contributions are very gratefully received! Ed.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - READING LEAGUE

DIVISION 2

KINGFISHER E

We are in a somewhat precarious position standing, as we do, at seventh out of ten, but a mere one point above the bottom team. We need to find a few more points from somewhere; my previous prediction of a surge while I am away on holiday is not going to happen as I am no longer going away! Work to do I think!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BRACKNELL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

KINGFISHER A

A bit like Aston Villa we have suffered league defeats and a cup exit to lower league opposition since the last newsletter. Our cup campaign ended with a 5-4 defeat to Broadmoor D where the handicap differences proved to be just too much. We followed this with hard fought 6-4 defeat to our C team before losing 9-1 against table topping OLOP A who had all their big guns out. We are still vying with our C Team for second place and it looks like it will go right to the end of the season before we know who will finish runners up to OLOP. The highlight of the last few games was Roger, yes Roger, playing THREE excellent-looking backhand smashes against OLOP A. All those hours of practice are finagling paying off and I am looking forward to seeing some more backhand smashes next season. (When I received this report, I wrote back to John asking him if the word “finagling”

should really be “finally” and was, therefore, simply a typo. He replied, confirming that this was so. However, a little

later on, he sent me yet another message, which follows… Ed.)

I have just googled “finagling” and, to my amazement, I have found that it is a real word which was why it did not come up in my spell check. It means to obtain something by devious or dishonest means, so perhaps I was correct in the first place and you have purloined someone else’s backhand smash. Maybe you should put a note in the newsletter to say that if anyone has suddenly found they can no longer do a backhand smash they should contact you and you will give it back to them. I will have to remember “finagling” the next time I play Scrabble. John.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BRACKNELL LEAGUE

PREMIER DIVISION

KINGFISHER C The "C" team are currently in second place just above our "A" team. However our super sub is not scheduled to play for a few weeks so we could find ourselves in our true position a bit further down the table.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BRACKNELL LEAGUE

DIVISION 2

KINGFISHER F

LIFE AT THE BOTTOM OF DIVISION 2

Just over half way through the season and yet to gain that elusive team win, but Kingfisher F are having an enjoyable season. For myself and David, it's our first season and the learning curve is steep, but we've both managed to win some matches, which is encouraging. Last week we played away at Pinewood: Helen, David and myself from Kingfisher F versus Alan, Gary and Simon from Wokingham D. Now that we're starting to meet players for the second time in the season, it's interesting to see how scores compare to last time round. Helen and David both won their matches with Gary, whilst I managed to take my match with Alan to the fifth game (having lost in 3 straight games to him last time round). Simon and Helen had a good match, with Helen taking the first two games. Simon fought back hard to take the next three. David and I played the doubles and managed to win one of our games, but not the match. Final score was Kingfisher F: 2, Wokingham D: 8.

On to the next one, and who knows, maybe we'll get that first team win, maybe not, but either way, I'm sure we'll have some enjoyable table tennis! GwynneGwynneGwynneGwynne (Note: Gwynne is not the captain of this team; indeed it can honestly be said that Kingfisher F hasn’t really got one. My

thanks to “Sneakles” for her input – very much appreciated! Ed.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hi Roger, You asked for some contributions... Here, then, is the report from the match played between Polish A and Kingfisher C on Tuesday 29th January 2013, sent by me (Murgy) to our team captain (Niall):

CC = Captain Croc (Niall McGrane – he's always carrying some injury) KFP = Kung-Fu Panda (Steve Murgy – due to large build and playing in a bandana) 5SF = Five Set Fairy (Lisa Williams – usually manages to lose her games in the fifth with remarkable consistency) TBW = The Bat Whisperer (Andrew Parker – holds his bat up to his mouth when receiving serve in some bizarre ping pong ritual)

Hi CC! There were some good positives to take from tonight's match: 5SF beat Richard Rosinski for the first time and just missed out in the fifth with some awesome counter-hitting and smashing against Nick Heaps (yeah, the fifth – real surprise, huh?), plus TBW played some great ping pong to beat Nick Heaps and give Steve Dobbins a decent game

(well, only the first game to be precise which he won at a canter; after that SD moved things up a gear and gave a really great display of quality defending, mixing spin and float with wicked control and accuracy. I had a night of mixed emotions, beating Richard Rosinski easily with enough luck for two Nialls and just running out of steam against Steve Dobbins's ultra-solid defence. I played Nick in the last match of the night with the score at 6-3

to them. It was 1-1 in games and I was 10-9 up, when I shaped up to play a forehand winner and mid-stroke felt my hamstring give up on me and went on to lose that game; in true Kung-Fu Panda 'never say die' spirit, I played on with one leg and no forehand. I somehow got to 10-9 up in the fourth before again (stupidly) trying to play a forehand winner and crashing it into the net – with pain subsequently racing through the back of my upper leg. Being really frustrated with a poor shot selection in the circumstances, I 'did a 5SF' and slapped my bat against my thigh in anger – it turns out I have a bit more power that 5SF and it was enough to break my bat handle. So I ended the night with all-round misery followed by a rather gingerly drive home without being able to use my car foot pedals in anger! Final score 7-3 to Polish and I'm now concerned about both my 200-mile round trip drive to Leicester tomorrow and my ping pong match in Basingstoke in the evening with just one good leg and a brand new blade and rubber (luckily I ordered some new equipment recently, “woohoo” to me). I don't think we should be too disappointed with the score line, especially as a scruffy, miserable,

northern Steve Dobbins always looked like his class was going to shine through and win three, plus he was always going to heavily contribute in the doubles too. Ho hum... Kung Fu Panda (aka Steve Murgy)

(As I didn’t have a photo of Steve to accompany the above article, I asked him if he could supply one – “amusing” if

possible. He immediately sent back the picture you see above. I did NOT expect that! Great stuff! Ed.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Please be reminded that, if you would like to sell, buy, swap or donate something through these pages, do not hesitate to contact me. My address, as I’m sure you have worked out, is roger.woolven-allen@virginmedia.com.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Very attractive enamelled Kingfisher lapel or pin badges, suitable for sports bags, bat cases or, as the name suggests, for the

lapels of your track suits. Let everyone know which club you are proud to play for! £2 each. Please contact Colin Dyke on 0118 978 3770 or via email at colindyke@waitrose.com.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - We are delighted to have negotiated a deal with Tees

Sport to supply members with a Club Shirt which should be available for quite a period of time. It is available in four colours and it would look good if your team all turned out in a Club Shirt of your chosen colour. The shirt will be the Tees 2 Shirt and comes in colours black, red, navy or light blue, each with different colour features. It is made from 100% Micro Dry fit Polyester which allows air circulation and absorbs perspiration. It will have the Kingfisher

name on the back plus Butterfly and Tees Sport logos. We have negotiated a price of £21.25 each which is well below catalogue prices and includes all lettering, logos and postage. If you want to personalise them with your own name or team name on the back it would cost 25p per letter extra. The new Tees 2 shirt can be found on the Tees Sport Website – there is no

catalogue available for the current season as yet. The shirts must be ordered direct by you from Tees Sport by post on the forms available in the Clubhouse. Alternatively Colin Dyke or Brian Halliday can email you a form by request or you can download one from our own website. Any queries on these shirts can be referred to Colin or Brian.

Tees Sport Website: www.teessport.com Kingfisher Website: www.tabletennis365.com/Kingfisher Brian Halliday: 0118 9722421. Colin Dyke: 0118 9783770

OLDER READERS MAY RELATE TO THIS!!

OCEAN VIEW RESTAURANT

A group of chaps, all aged 40, discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they would meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the waitresses there were gorgeous. Ten years later, at age 50, the friends once again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they would meet at the Ocean View restaurant because the food and service were good and the wine selection was excellent. Ten years later, at age 60, the friends again discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they would meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they could dine in peace and quiet and the restaurant had a beautiful view of the ocean. Ten years later, at age 70, the friends discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they would meet at

the Ocean View restaurant because the restaurant was wheelchair accessible and had an elevator. Ten years later, at age 80, the friends discussed where they should meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed that they would meet at the Ocean View restaurant because they had never been there before. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Colin Dyke kindly forwarded me the following information, originally sent out by Lisa Williams. I think it is more-or-less

self-explanatory. However, Lisa says that most of these places have already been taken but, if sufficient interest is shown,

another course may well be run in the future. Why not give it a go? Ed.)

TRAINING SEMINAR FOR NEW UMPIRES South and South East Course

Saturday 16h

March 2013 at 10:00am to 16:00 pm Venue: Aldworth Science College, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 6HA

Why become an umpire?

The experience of most table tennis players with regard to umpiring is probably in local league matches where the primary function is to merely call out the score. But is this really what being an umpire is all about? Can umpiring really be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience? The course looks at the role of an umpire. How to prepare a court for the match, check players equipment and clothing, how to do match

procedures, the service laws, decide each rally as a point or a let; call and show the score correctly and learn the hand signals. Umpires need to know, understand and apply the rules and regulations consistently. How would you like to have the best seat in the house? Just imagine what it would feel like to be the umpire for a final at a National Championships or better still, to umpire the top world players and on television too! Yes, this really could be you!! So, how do you become an umpire? The career progression for an umpire is:- COUNTY UMPIRE → NATIONAL UMPIRE → INTERNATIONAL UMPIRE You can start your umpiring career by booking a place; completing pre-course learning material/test paper and attending this seminar to train to be a County Umpire. During the day you will have an opportunity to be assessed as an umpire and take the written test paper using reference materials. To qualify you will then

need to satisfactorily complete match assessments at approved events. Organised at the request of the Basingstoke League To book places please return the form below by post or e mail to Lisa Williams no later than Thursday

28th

February 2013. Contact by phone : Tel: 07817 727024 (m) lwilliams@etta.co.uk only 12 places available.

This course is provided free of charge……all we ask is that you attend if you book a place and then we would hope you would want to be involved in umpiring at events.

Training Seminar for New Umpires

Application Form

Name:

Address:

Date of Birth: _________________________

Telephone Number:

Mobile Number:

Email Address: @

TT Club and League (if any)_____________________________

Signed: Date:

Closing Date –Thursday 28th

February 2013

Please return by post or e mail to:

English Table Tennis Association Queensbury House Fourth Floor, Havelock Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1HF

lwilliams@etta.co.uk

(He’s behind you… Oh, no he’s not… Oh, yes he is…)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - John Willcocks kindly forwarded me this notice from Allan

Bruton:

Please note that the closing date for rule amendments for discussion at this season’s AGM is 31st March 2013.

Any amendments need to be sent in to Allan Bruton (Acting Secretary ) in writing by this date. Regards, Allan Bruton, (Acting Secretary, BWTTA) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(I received the following brief note from SBL

Kingfisher Team Captain Colin Dyke. Ed.)

“Regrettably the Senior British League Premier Division matches scheduled for Sunday 20th January at BATTS Harlow had to be postponed due to

the weather. These will now be added to the programme of matches for the final weekend to be played at Ormesby Club, Middlesbrough on 23rd and 24th March 2013. More news later.” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Well folks, that’s it for a while. The next issue, hopefully, will include a complete Kingfisher SBL report and a full obituary concerning poor old John Witt. Absent in this issue is the usual quiz. Although I hope to reinstate it shortly, I am afraid that I have run out of time. I must be on a choo-choo-puff to Devon first thing Friday morning (today is Wednesday) and I am playing tennis all

day tomorrow. I know, I know, this retirement lark is sheer hell, but someone has to do it…

Aldworth Science

College, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG22 6HA

On

Saturday 16th

March 2013

10:00am – 4:00pm

Despite the moaning from my good friend Geoff (he didn’t really mean it, did he??), I should like to say how much I value your input. Everything that comes from YOU, rather than from ME, helps make this newsletter OUR newsletter – and that, in my opinion, is how it should be. And you are not disappointing me! More and more stuff is hitting my Inbox in recent weeks and I really do appreciate it. Thank you. Until next time, then, I wish you an enjoyable time playing our sport of table tennis. I am personally losing much more than I am winning (something tells me that I might, just might, be in the wrong division!) but I really love playing. I hope that you do, too. And thank you for belonging to Kingfisher – probably the best club in the world. Be seeing you…

RogerRogerRogerRoger - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Kingfisher Table Tennis

Club was inaugurated on 19th March 1987 and opened on 8th January 1988. It is an accredited FOUR-STAR PREMIER CLUB bringing great benefits to the Club and its members. The Club

also has SPORT ENGLAND CLUBMARK status. More information can be obtained from Sylvia Bruton on 0118 901 9119. The Club aims to cater for all standards of play but actively encourages and trains younger players and has good

links with The Bulmershe School in whose grounds the clubhouse is situated. Any information regarding coaching at the Club can be obtained from Nick Heaps on 0118 901 7819. The Club enters teams in the local Berkshire leagues as well as the National leagues. League play starts in September each year and tends to finish some time in April. There are many internal events as well, including the Club Championships, the Grand Prix evenings, a pre-season Grouping Tournament and the very popular Thursday evening Club nights. For members old enough (or lucky enough!) to have some free time on midweek mornings, The Tuesday Club and The Friday Club offer some great practice opportunities. The Friday Club tends to consist of players of a slightly higher standard, but there are no rules. Apart from participants having

to be Kingfisher members, that is! Both Clubs start their sessions at 1000, unless rare school bookings call for minor ad

hoc amendments. Any membership queries should be directed to Eric van Looy on 01628 621322, while other queries should be addressed to the Chairman, Colin Dyke, on 0118 978 3770. And, of course, until they throw me out, please feel free to send your Kingfisher News stuff to me! My email address, in case you are unsure, is roger.woolven-allen@virginmedia.com and my telling-bone numbers are 0118 947 8833 and 07771668881. Colin, I believe, still has one or two Kingfisher pin badges in his possession. At £2 a throw, these are a real snip! CLUB OFFICERS and COMMITTEE: President Peter Charters. Chairman Colin Dyke. Hon Treasurer Colin Dyke. Hon Gen Sec Peter Charters. Coaching Officer Nick Heaps. Membership Secretary Eric van Looy. Club Welfare Officer Eric van Looy. Committee Members Andy Yon, Allen Pack and Peter Bradley. Finally, remember the web! Kingfisher’s website is in the hands of some real experts (mainly Allen Pack and Nick Heaps) and is always worth having a squint at. The address is www.kingfisherttc.co.uk but, if you bung “kingfisher ttc” into any search engine, you are bound to find what you are looking for. Enjoy!