1927-28 to 1938-39

1927

According to the ETTA Handbook 1927-28 the York and District Table Tennis Association was founded in 1927, with N.L. Allison as Secretary. York and District League is listed as one of the leagues registered for season 1927-28 recorded prior to October 31st 1927, and belonged to the Northern Counties area, along with Hull, Scarborough, West Riding and Whitby. On 3rd May 1927 the Yorkshire Evening Press reported on a tournament at the YMCA (see below) and there is a comment “It is hoped that a league can be formed next year”.

Prior to this there had been organised table tennis in York:

A tournament was held in the Exhibition Buildings from Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th April 1902, in aid of York County Hospital. It was organised by Graham Craig. There is a subscription board in the foyer of the York District Hospital with an entry for 1902: “Proceeds of ping pong tournament per Graham Craig £29-4-0”. Daily reports appeared in the Yorkshire Herald, which stated that there were five competitions: Ladies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Gentlemen, Children (under 16) and the Championship of Yorkshire. The number of entries for the whole tournament was “close upon one hundred and fifty”. The Yorkshire Championship was won by HA Dennis (Hull). He beat Hugh Leslie Creer (York) 21-22, 15-20, 20-17, 20-17, 20-17. Creer won the Gentlemen’s competition, beating J.C. Peters in the final, and the Mixed competition, beating R. Fisher in the final. The Ladies’ competition was won by Miss Creer, with Miss L. Baker second in a round-robin. J.C. Peters won the Children’s competition, with his bother, W.W. Peters, the runner-up. Hugh Leslie Creer (13/02/1881 – 03/03/1979) was a prominent local accountant and Sheriff or York (1934-35). The report says that he came into this tournament having won the Leeds tournament.

On 31st January 1907 the Yorkshire Evening Press reported on “Ping-pong at YMCA last night”:
YMCA 205 New Street Wesleyans 194
F Fox 25 WO Crowe 40
G Irvine 40 H Johnson 13
S Dutton 31 B Robinson 40
ER Keighley 40 EA Oxberry 33
TW Hudson 33 L Wetherley 28
JD Irving 36 GH Shillito 40

There are reports in the Yorkshire Evening Press of matches and competitions in the first half of 1927 as follows:

27/01/1927: Result of a friendly match between YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and Visitors (presumably all York men):
YMCA 601 (CS Baxter 126, A Taylor 109, JF Dallas 102, A Harrison 101, S Marquis 90, A Wilson 73)
Visitors 531 (R Thwaites 102, G Delittle 96, G Hazell 94, GA Lewis 89, Ellis 87, WT Forsselilis 63)

28/02/1927: York YMCA beaten in final of County YMCA competition by Huddersfield 443-611 at Leeds YMCA. The York team was FR Bulcock, GM Shacklock, WJ Davis, JT Dallas, G Bowling, R Taylor. Six players per team, each playing one set of five games, with aggregate points scored deciding the winning team.

03/05/2027: Results of an individual tournament at YMCA, who had donated a cup. There were 58 entries.
Semi-finals
Nick Allison beat FR Kay 21-9, 21-10, 21-3
Bert Keech beat GE Holmes 21-14, 19-21, 21-20, 21-15
Final
Nick Allison beat Bert Keech 21-13, 21-14, 21-10

1927-1928

The Yorkshire Evening Press (YEP) reported on 07/10/1927 that an inaugural meeting was held at YMCA the previous night at which representatives from eight clubs decided to form a league, and that the individual tournament held by YMCA last year, won by Nick Allison, would be held again. The following day it reported than the new league would be open to clubs within a six-mile radius of Guildhall and a few more clubs were required to complete the league. Teams would comprise six players and it was hoped to be in full swing by the first week in November.

In the ETTA Handbook 1928-29 the list of ETTA Officials and Members includes R.E. Jakeman (York). It also shows that he had taken over as Secretary of the York League. The ETTA Handbook 1928-29 has details for the 1927-28 season (see below).

The latest league table found in the YEP was on 20/03/1928. Matches were six players per team, each playing one set of three games, with aggregate points scored deciding the winning team.

The YMCA ‘A’ team that won the league beat the rest of the league 218-188 (YEP 26/03/1928). The YMCA team was Bert Keech, JT Dallas, Eric Bell, S Marquis, Roland Jakeman, J Etherington.

Two individual championships were played and reported by the Yorkshire Evening Press and Yorkshire Gazette (YG). It is not clear what the difference is between these two tournaments.

1. York and District Individual Championship, cup given by Business Men’s Council of YMCA (YEP 26/03/1928, YG 31/03/1928):
Semi-finals
Nick Allison beat AJG Miles 21-19, 21-19, 21-5
A Daggett beat FW Cook 21-17, 21-17, 21-17
Final
Nick Allison beat A Daggett 17-21, 15-21, 21-11, 21-11, 21-13
Allison won a cup, medal and a silver matchbox, Daggett received a silver pencil, Miles a tobacco pouch and Cook a cigarette case.

2. York and District League Individual Tournament (YEP 18/04/1928, YG 21/04/1928):
Final
Eric Bell beat HL Wickens 21-15, 19-21, 21-20
Losing semi-finalists were AJG Miles and JT Dallas.

York YMCA won the County YMCA competition (YEP 18/04/1928). They beat Huddersfield 341-310 at York in the final. The York team was Bert Keech, JT Dallas, HL Wickens, FW Cook Eric Bell, A Daggett. York beat Harrogate in the first round:

Melrose, who finished second in the league) entertained Whitby in a friendly match (YEP 18/04/1928). The match took place at the residence of Walter Hinchey (54, Melrosegate). Whitby won the match easily. In 1987 a report on the 60th anniversary of the Association in the Yorkshire Evening Press mentions this match and includes a picture of Dennis Cram and Bill Dodd in the bedroom where the match took place.

Peter Thompson wrote the following in the 1997-98 Handbook (Peter was the Handbook Secretary at the time). It refers to the first league season and mentions the match against Whitby:
“Some History
Thanks to help from David Poole, a very successful York player in the 50's and 60's, I have been able to fill some gaps in the records and learn something about the early days of the Association.
Championships had been held in York for some years when in 1927/28 a league was started, the teams being YMCA (2), Centenary Chapel (2), Peckitt Street Chapel, Holy Trinity, the Deaf Institute and Melrose. Melrose played their home matches in the back bedroom of 54 Melrosegate, at one end you had your heels on the fire curb, while at the other end safety had been improved by removing the door knob. In April 1928, Melrose entertained Whitby, a stronghold of the game (the English Ladies Champion was playing for them). Melrose lost, though what Whitby thought of the conditions is not known!”

1928-1929

There were seven teams in the league but no record of who won: YMCA (2), Peckitt Street (2), Melrose, Centenary, Deaf Institute.

An Open Tournament at Settlement was won by Eric Bell, beating S Marquis in the final (YEP 15/12/1928).

Yorkshire County Singles Championships were held at York YMCA (YEP 09/03/2029).

1929-1930

No records found.

1930-1931

No records found.

1931-1932

Clifton won the league, described as the first season of the “Red Triangle League” (YEP 26/03/1932). Each team was given a handicap. Matches were six players per team, each playing one set of three games, with aggregate points scored, plus the handicap, deciding the winning team.

The YEP (19/03/1932) reports that Clifton are to play Rest of League:
Clifton: CR Dale, C Nicholson, Roland Jakemen, J Farmer, JR Henderson, E Holgate
Rest of League: Bert Keech (YMCA), HH Best (Melrose), EE Wickens (YMCA), F Dodds (Railway Institute), W Timms (Old Priory), N Paylor (Deaf Institute)

Handicap Singles (YEP 26/03/1932)
Semi-finals
Bert Keech (0) beat A Harrison (4)
TE Dodds (0) beat J Jose (7)
Final
TE Dodds (6) beat Bert Keech (0) 21-17, 21-10, 15-21, 17-21, 21-15
Eric Bell is described as the holder of the Handicap Singles in the 1st round results (YEP 13/02/1932).

1932-1933

The Red Triangle League was the same format as the previous season: Each team was given a handicap. Matches were six players per team, each playing one set of three games, with aggregate points scored, plus the handicap, deciding the winning team. Deaf Institute won the league.

A three-way exhibition series between Pontefract, Whitby and York was held at York YMCA (YEP 02/02/1933). It was organised by RS Oloman in aid of the Malton Typhoid Relief Fund. Pontefract were a player short so Bert Keech guested for them in their match against Whitby. York’s matches were as follows:

Draw for the Individual Handicap semi-finals on 20/04/1933 (YEP 19/04/1933), but no record of results:
W Thomson (YMCA), H Paylor (Deaf Institute), C Nicholson (Clifton), B Fearn (St Pauls)

1933-1934

The league was the same format as the previous seasons: Each team was given a handicap. Matches were six players per team, each playing one set of three games, with aggregate points scored, plus the handicap, deciding the winning team. New Earswick won the league.

Handicap Singles (YEP 24/03/1934)
Semi-finals
JW Moor (9) beat Bert Keech (-2) 100-72 (21-12, 21-14, 21-13, 16-21, 21-12)
Eric Bell (-2) beat H Paylor (8) 102-90
Final
Eric Bell beat JW Moor 93-91
“JW Moor showed much promise in his first season”.

1934-1935

Individual handicaps replaced team handicaps in the league, which was won by Leeman Road. Latest table to be published was at the start of the second half of the season (YEP 25/01/1935).

1935-1936

Individual handicaps were again used in the league, which was won by School of Commerce.

A report and scorecard of a top-of-the-table match between Deaf Institute and School of Commerce shows how the scoring system worked.

The first annual supper of the York Red Triangle Table Tennis League was held at the Davy Hall. The semi-finals and finals of the Handicap Singles was played and there was a full report and cartoon in the Yorkshire Evening Press (15/05/1936).
Semi-finals
Derek Shaw (Commerce) (5) beat T Lumley (New Earswick) (4) by 28 points
R Russell (Clifford) (12) beat S Masheder (YMCA) (12) 100-90
Final
Derek Shaw beat R Russell 105-81

In a report of the Handicap Singles first round draw on 07/01/1936 it says that JM Moor appeared in the last final of the competition, presumably 1934, suggesting it was not held in 1934-35.

1936-1937

There were no handicaps in the league. Matches were five players per team, each playing one set of three games, with aggregate games deciding the winning team. There were two divisions of ten teams. YMCA won Division 1. In Division 2 Settlement defeated Clifford after both teams finished on 32 points.

Latest league tables (24/03/1937)

Knock-out Handicap Cup 1st round draw (YEP 22/01/1937) says that there were 55 entries. Each match is 5 games at home and 5 games away (21-up), with the player drawn first having the choice to play home or away first. Aggregate scores decides the winner. Lowest handicap is -7 and highest is 5. There are no records of the results.

1937-1938

The league had the same scoring system as the previous season. There were eight teams in Division 1 and eleven teams in Division 2. In Division 1 Settlement ‘A’ and Railway Institute both finished on 26 points and Railway Institute won the play-off 11-4 at Deaf Institute (YEP 01/11/1938). In Division 2 Settlement ‘B’ and Clifford both finished on 34 points and Clifford won the play-off 12-3 (YEP 01/11/1938).

Latest league tables (24/03/1938)

Knock-out Cup draw (YEP 19/01/1938) outlines the same format as last season, but no records of results.

1938-1939

The league had the same scoring system as the previous two seasons. There were ten teams in Division 1 and twelve teams in Division 2. In Division 1 Railway Institute ‘A’ and Grange ‘A’ both finished on 34 points and Railway Institute ‘A’ won the play-off 8-7 after being 6-0 down. In Division 2 Old Parkgrovians, Tanghallians and Acomb Adult School all finished on 38 points and in the play-offs Acomb Adult School beat Tanghallians 8-7 and Old Parkgrovians 10-5.

Latest league tables (24/04/1939)

Individual Championship (YEP 20/03/1939) was played at Deaf Institute. 8 players played in a round-robin:
JR Shaw and WR Greenstreet won 6, WB Shaw 5, George Bagshaw 4, J Chivers 3, R Martindale 2, C Nicholson 1, C Lord 1.
JR Shaw beat WR Greenstreet 21-19, 16-21, 21-17 in the play-off.

Individual Handicap Knock-out final (YEP 24/04/1939):
R Jenkins (Centenary) (6) beat JR Shaw (Railway Institute) (-7) 98-58 (aggregate score over 5 games of 21-up).