Raymond Hinchliff winning the first of 10 Closed Championship singles titles in 1950.

It was a case of history repeating itself at the Huddersfield and District Table Tennis League Championships on Wednesday 19th April. The champion Harry Yates the Huddersfield Town footballer, was defeated in the final of the men’s singles event by Raymond Hinchliff in two straight games.

During the past few years, since the re-organisation of the competition, there has not been a champion who has managed to keep the title for successive seasons. It was Hinchliff who had most of the running about to do in the first game, but his recovery shots were superb, and this evidently took some of the confidence from his opponent, who however, still persisted in his normal forcing game.

Yates in the end had to give way to Hinchliff’s remarkable retrieving shots, after the game had fluctuated in a point for point affair from 10 all, at 21 – 19 Yates never played in anything like his usual form in the second game, and Hinchliff proved a comfortable winner at 21 – 12.

Yates and Hinchliff

Miss Audrey Bray retained her women’s singles title without difficulty against Miss M. Sykes in the final, winning 21 – 17 21 – 16. The youths title was won by Alan Land, who managed to wear down R. Sheard in the final by his persistant defensive play. In the men’s doubles the holders, J. Senescall and R. Hinchliff were beaten in three games after winning the first at 21 – 8, by H. Yates and H. Fletcher. Hinchliff partnered by Miss M. Jameson, won the mixed doubles, beating Yates and Miss Bray in another three game match.

    Results
      Men’s Singles
R. Hinchliff bt H. Yates   21 – 19  21 – 12
     Semi Final
Hinchliff  bt  G. Cowgill  21 – 10  21 – 17
Yates bt  L. Brook 18 – 21  22 – 20  21 - 16 

       Women’s Singles
Miss A.Bray bt Miss M.Sykes 21 – 17  21 – 16

       Youth’s Singles
A.Land  bt  H.Sheard 17 – 21  21 – 14  21 – 19 

      Mixed Doubles
Miss M. Jameson & Hinchliff bt Miss A. Bray & Yates   16 – 21  21 – 15  21 – 19

       Women’s Doubles
Miss A. Bray & Miss M. Jameson bt Miss Mrs E. Davies & Mrs M. Sykes 21 – 17  21 – 8

      Men’s Doubles
H. Yates & H. Fletcher bt R. Hinchliff & J. Senescall    8 – 21  21 – 15  21 – 16

      Semi Final
Yates & Fletcher bt Cowgill & Holt          21 – 8  21 – 15
Hinchliff & Senescall bt O’keefe & Brook  21 – 16  21 - 10