On The Evolution Of The Ping Pong Table

Early ping pong tables were flawed in at least one major respect; the tabletop contained holes - the playing-surface looked more like the net. This necessitated enormous balls, balls big enough as not to fall through the table. However balls were often broken, hence the original meaning of the term ‘ball-breaker’: a physically demanding table that’s holes destroyed the player’s balls.

It's easy to see the some of the ways in which the modern ping pong table has evolved from its primitive origins: the legs - although still of the original folding kind - have become much sturdier: early designs of leg would often tremble, or buckle, even, during particularly heated exchanges; the net has relocated to the middle of the table (where it still provides a tricky hurdle for low-flying balls); the tabletop has become a single solid surface and as a result balls have shrunk. Finally, the modern ping pong table is much greener than its early forbearers. But don’t confuse that with recycling. 

To be continued...