History of Table Tennis

Like many other sports, Table Tennis began as a mild social diversion. It was probably played with
improvised equipment in England, during the last quarter of the 19th century. Though Table Tennis
evolved, along with Badminton and Lawn Tennis, from the ancient game of Tennis (also known as Jeu
de Paume, Real tennis, Court Tennis or Royal Tennis), the game was developed after Lawn Tennis
became popular in the 1880s.
Game manufacturers tried many experiments to market an indoor version of Lawn Tennis, including
board and dice games, Tiddledy Winks variations, card games, racket and balloon games and others.
New research by Steve Grant (Ping Pong Fever, 2012, USA) reveals that James Devonshire (ENG)
invented Table Tennis, so stated by John Jaques III in a 1901 interview published in The Echo.
Subsequently Alan Duke (ENG) found in The Official Journal of the Patent Office that

Devonshire applied for a Patent on October 9, 1885 for his "Table Tennis", the first known use
of that name
The Nov. 24, 1885 issue of the Journal shows Provisional Specifications were accepted
In January 1887 the Application is listed as Abandoned.

One quite feasible scenario is that Jaques paid Devonshire for his idea, ultimately becoming the basis
for Jaques' Gossima, released in 1891. However, the lengthy time factor is a concern, as mentioned
by renowned Jaques authority Michael Thomson (SCO). So one mystery solved begets another
mystery!
The 1887 catalog of George S. Parker (USA) includes an entry for "Table Tennis: This game is laid out
like a Lawn Tennis court, played and counted just the same, all the rules being observed." However,
this was a board and dice game by J.H. Singer (NY), whose name also appears on the catalog.
The earliest surviving action game of Tennis on a table is a set made by David Foster, patented in
England in 1890: Parlour Table Games, which included table versions of Lawn Tennis, Cricket and
Football. This game featured strung rackets, a 30mm cloth covered rubber ball, a wooden fence set
up around the perimeter of the table, and large side nets extending along both sides.
One year later famous game makers Jaques of London released their GOSSIMA game. This game
borrowed the drum style battledores from the Shuttlecock game, and used a 50mm webbed wrapped
cork ball, with an amazing 30cm high net that was secured by a belt-like strap under the table. Very
few examples have survived.
Neither of these action games were successful, due to the ineffective ball: the rubber ball had too
wild a bounce, while the cork ball had too poor a bounce. Jaques continued to advertise Gossima
throughout the 1890s, but it was not until c.1900, when the celluloid ball was introduced to the game,
that the concept of tennis on a table became successful. Steve Grant has traced the name Ping Pong
to an 1884 song by Harry Dacre. The distinct sound of the celluloid ball bouncing off the drum rackets
quickly led to the use of the same name. This can still be demonstrated today using the antique
rackets! As the name Ping Pong caught on, Jaques changed the name of his game to "Gossima or Ping
Pong" and soon afterward, to "Ping Pong or Gossima". Ultimately the name Gossima was dropped.
The game quickly caught on with the public, marketed under many different names:

Ping Pong or Gossima

Ping Pong
Table Tennis
Whiff Waff
Parlour Tennis
Indoor Tennis

Pom-Pom
Pim-Pam
Netto
Royal Game
Tennis de Salon
and others.

Gradually the two most popular names prevailed: Ping Pong, and Table Tennis. However, these
competing names caused some problems, as two associations were formed, and with different
rules for the game some confusion resulted. Ping Pong was trademarked in 1900 by Hamley
Brothers in England, and soon afterwards Hamleys became "jointly concerned" with Jaques.
They rigorously enforced the Ping Pong trademark, requiring use of their Ping Pong equipment
in tournaments and clubs. Parker Brothers, who acquired the American rights to the name Ping
Pong, similarly enforced the trademark. Eventually it became clear that for the sport to move
forward, the commercial ties had to be severed.

History of Arnis

The Philippines is an island nation rich in both culture and history. The Filipino martial art of
Arnis/Kali/Escrima has contributed to both the history and diversity of the Philippines. There
are an abundance of styles and systems of Arnis/Kali/Escrima that are taught throughout the
world to this day, that have survived and developed throughout the different regions, families
and teachers who have preserved what is sometimes called a complete martial art.

Arnis/Kali/Escrima was originally developed by the people native to the islands using simple
impact and edged weapons such as kampilans, rattan, swords, daggers, spears and other
assorted weaponry for combat and self defense. These weapons were also sometimes used as
farm implements.

The arrival of Ferdinand Magellans force in 1521 was met in battle with a group of islanders,
led by Raja Lapu Lapu, who defeated Magellan using only a bladed weapon. Magellans
armored and musket bearing conquistadors were overpowered by the fierce fighters and
retreated. The Spanish returned in the 1570s and this time the Philippines came under
Spanish rule unable to contend with the modern weaponry the Spanish used. The practice of
Arnis/Kali/Escrima was prohibited, but continued and was preserved through native ritual
dance, performance, and mock battles. Thus the arts were passed down in families from
generation to generation, honing their skill, speed, accuracy and agility.

The terms Arnis, Kali and Escrima are all used to refer to the Filipino martial arts. There has
been some confusion as to what word refers to which part of the martial art. It is believed that
Arnis, Kali, and Escrima are all a part of the same art and depending on the location, dialect
and type of training taught. Also, any of the three names may apply to a certain part of
training. One interpretation is that Kali is the mother art of Arnis and Escrima. Arnis focuses on
the knife, including dagger, sword, and any other form of bladed weapon. Escrima is based on
the baston or stick. It has also become very popular in the sport aspect of full contact stick
fighting.

To this day Arnis/Kali/Escrima has retained a strong Spanish influence not only in the names
and titles used in training, but in the impact it has had on Filipino culture. Filipino martial arts
continue to encompass a large range of weapons training and hand-to-hand combat, enriching
the culture of Filipino society. Thus the reference to it being a complete martial art.

Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino fighting arts founded by Remy Presas as a self-defense
system. Filipino arts are not really considered "martial" because they were used by the
average citizen to combat against invaders and such. His goal was to create an injury-free
training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis
systems. The term Modern Arnis was used by Remy Presas' younger brother Ernesto Presas to
describe his style of Filipino martial arts; since 1999 Ernesto Presas has called his
system Kombatan. It is derived principally from the traditional Presas family style of

the Bolo (machete) and the stick-dueling art of Balintawak Eskrima, with influences from other
Filipino and Japanese martial arts.

Arnis is the Philippines' national martial art and sport, after President Gloria MacapagalArroyo signed the Republic Act. No. 9850 in 2009. RA 9850 is a consolidation of House Bill No.
6516 authored by South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy Jr., and Senate Bill No. 1424 authored by
Majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri. RA 9850 is expected to help propagate arnis as a modern
martial art/sport that can compete with its popular foreign-originated brethren like taekwondo,
karate and judo. The Act mandates the Department of Education to include the sport as
a Physical Education course. Arnis will be included among the priority sports in Palarong
Pambansa (National Games) beginning 2010.

References:
http://www.ittf.com/museum/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Arnis
https://apobalintawak.wordpress.com/history/the-development-of-balintawak-and-eskrima/