The Table Tennis Heritage Museum

By Tim Titrud

The New Table-Tennis, boxed set made in 1902, with pair of sheepskin vellum drum battledores and very rare cloth covered celluloid balls. One of the finest early sets extant.

Table Tennis has a wonderful museum that you can only visit on the Internet at www.tabletennismuseum.com. Chuck Hoey is the curator of the Table Tennis Heritage Museum collection. The Collection is diverse and well rounded, featuring equipment, art, fine jewelry, and many other interesting pieces that show the beginnings of the game we love.

I will let Chuck Hoey describe himself and his museum.

“I developed an old-fashioned chopper/pick-hitter style game back in my college days, preferring a Hock hard bat. But the sponge players were very difficult to compete with, though I used anti-spin for a while. I haven’t played in a long time because of a recurring lower back injury that I sustained in a tournament. So, I became a collector and historian instead!

“I’ve compiled the collection over the last thirty years. It started gradually, progressing from a casual hobby, to a strong interest, to a great passion ... and finally to utter servitude – often requiring many personal sacrifices to pay for all the acquisitions. The collection goes well beyond the usual technical (equipment) coverage, focusing on vivid evidence of society’s love affair with the new game, and it’s blossoming into a world-class sport.

Spalding’s Table Tennis boxed set from 1902, with superb color lithograph and elegant pair of cane bamboo rackets with single piece of vellum embedded in the racket head.

“Work on the website began about seven months ago; version 1 became operational in August 2001. I update the site almost every day with new acquisitions or fine tuning the captions. The site recently expanded to eighteen sections to better group related items and to facilitate maintenance. I have a software engineering background from many years ago, but the new technology is a humbling learning experience. The result is a unique blend of antiquarian and hi-tech.

“As a former player my favorite items in the museum are early fine quality bats – the website showcases some amazing varieties. I also love the old boxed sets with their beautiful color lithographs ... and the ball pick-up devices ... and the porcelains and cards ... and ... well, I guess I love everything in the collection, except for the loathsome sponge bats, which have mutated the game to the point that the average tournament rally lasts about 4 strokes. What fun!?

Very rare hand-held scoring device from 1902, using lawn tennis scoring method.

“The collection is currently viewable only on the website. I am looking for sponsors who can provide a good home for the collection, so that people can enjoy what I’ve created – the world’s most comprehensive documentation of the origins and evolution of the great sport of table tennis.

“Currently, I am seeking early fine-quality bats, a good example of a Macrossen bat, and early sponge bats from the 1950s (plain or textured thick sponge, with no rubber layer on top). Also the pin from the 1950 World Championships at Budapest continues to escape my grasp – can anyone help?”

You may contact Chuck via email at Curator@tabletennismuseum.com, if you have any questions. I am sure you will find the museum to be an interesting educational experience.