Elsie Spinning

Time for another Pacific Northwest Table Tennis history player profile. Elsie Spinning learned to play table tennis from her parents who both played. She entered her first tournament, the Tacoma Daffodil Festival while in Junior High winning the Junior High Singles division and teamed with Mary Beth Conners to win the doubles. In 1969 she entered her first U.S. Open and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Girl’s U-15 and U-17 Singles. In four other tournaments in 1969 Elsie won the Women’s Singles at the Canadian Open, Women’s Singles at the Seattle Seafair tournament, Women’s Singles at the Oregon closed, and the Junior Girls Singles at the Santa Monica Open. She ended the 1969 year ranked as the USTTA number 9 U-17 and the 6th ranked  U-15 Junior Girls player. In the 1970 U.S. Open in Detroit Elsie reached the finals of 3 events, finishing 2ndin the Girl’s U-17 “A” Singles, Women’s “A” Singles, and U-17 Mixed Doubles with her partner Philip Cheng. In the rankings for 1970 Elsie moved up to number 8 ranked in U-17 and 4th ranked in U-15 Junior Girls. At the 1971 U.S. Open Elsie and her partner Olga Soltesz made the finals of the U-17 Girls doubles, finishing second to Judy Bochenski/Jean Varker. Later in 1971 Elsie was part of the U.S. Juniors World Table Tennis Team that played in England. The 1972 U.S. Open in Long Island, NY Elsie teamed with Cindy Cooper to win the Girls U-17 Doubles this team beating the Judy Bochenski/Jean Varker team. She also made the finals of the Women’s “A” Singles finishing 2nd. In 4 U.S Opens Elsie made 6 finals, 1 semifinal and 3 quarterfinals. in 1972 she was ranked as high as the number 3 U-17 Junior Girl.