Swindon Table Tennis League members are ready for a momentous season celebrating the league’s centenary with a host of special events and tournaments.

The festivities include turning back the clock in the longstanding annual Pickett Cup Team Handicap event, which for one season only will be played in the same format as the original league matches of 100 years ago.

Teams will consist of five players, with all playing all over one 21-up game (making 25 games per team match).

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Two other special tournaments are on the centenary calendar across what promises to be one memorable weekend.

The Dave Kethero Swindon Closed Tournament will see a return to the old-style one-day event for the traditional Singles and Doubles competitions (Senior, Junior and Veteran) on Saturday 21 March at Lawn Manor Academy. It is hoped to also include a couple of ‘fun’ events such as a sandpaper bat singles and a one-point knockout cup.

The following day, the Oliver Tarrant Centenary Tournament will be a special Singles event open to anyone who has ever played in the Swindon League. It will begin with large groups with everyone going forward to knockout matches based on group positions.

Only a current Table Tennis England Club Play membership (free of charge) is required for this competition at Lawn Manor Academy on Sunday 22 March.

On the social side, a special centenary celebration evening will take place at the NALGO Club on Tuesday 16 December, when players and ex-players can get together to reminisce over light refreshments. There will be a number of ‘sideshows’ such as typical pub games (and mini-table- tennis variations), displays of old equipment and trophies, photo timeline of multi-champions, plus a souvenir programme/memories booklet and ball.

The presentation and social evening on 3 June at The Goddard Arms Hotel will include the presentation of league trophies and the launch of the book, The Story of Table Tennis in Swindon.

This fully illustrated, approximately 120-page A4 colour book has been virtually complete for a while now and covers not only events in the town but also notable exploits by local players further afield. The intention is still to launch it at the Presentation Evening, with previews of a selection of pages at the December Celebration Evening.

The expected price is around £12 and anyone interested in buying a copy is asked to get in touch so print orders can be estimated. Please register your name with the author Alan Duke, or with any committee member or Club Secretary – and please spread the word to anyone you may think would also like to obtain a copy.