-
Tybie Thall Sommer
Courtesy of Tim Boggan Leah Thall’s younger, tennis-playing sister, 17-year-old Thelma “Tybie” Thall, made her first recorded t.t. tournament appearance at Cincinnati’s Feb. 8, 1942 Jewish Center Midwest Closed. She was a straight-A student and “the first girl in the history of [Columbus, Ohio’s] East High to win a varsity letter in the sport [of…
-
Pauline Robinson Somael
Courtesy of Tim Boggan Coincidentally, while the U.S. Team went to England for the 1948 World’s, Pauline Robinson made her first tournament appearance in Topics—at the Feb. Pennsylvania Open. She’d emigrated to the U.S. from England, for her family had “lived in Wembley until the early ‘40’s. Grandfather was Manager and Secretary of Wrexham Football…
-
Johnny Somael
Courtesy of Tim Boggan Johnny Somael first appears in Topics as an entrant in the 1941 Eastern’s, played Feb. 1-2 at Heurich’s Gym, 26th and D Streets, in Washington, D.C. His contemporary, Freddie Borges, tells me he “discovered” Johnny playing table tennis in a Brooklyn playground and (“Hey, kid, you oughta be playing in tournaments”)…
US Table Tennis Hall of Fame
Recognizing athletes and contributors in the sport of Table Tennis in the United States