By Dave Schwab • Times of San Diego
Copyright timesofsandiego
OCEAN BEACH – Be prepared for all the back-and-forth action you can handle as Ocean Beach Woman’s Club holds its fifth annual pingpong tournament on Sept. 26.
The first match at the OBWC clubhouse. 2160 Bacon St., starts at 6:30 p.m. The 101-year-old club is one of San Diego’s oldest civic and philanthropic groups. All tournament proceeds support OBWC philanthropic endeavors.
“The OBWC Philanthropy and Social Justice Committee addresses systemic inequalities while promoting a culture of giving and community engagement,” said committee chair Paula Boyd.
“Specifically, we raise much-needed funds and volunteer to support valued organizations that serve our kids, families, seniors, the unhoused and their pets here in OB.”
Over the years, OBWC has helped pave streets, install sewers and streetlights, while acquiring a community rec center and public library and advocating for and securing year-round lifeguards.
The club also fundraises and volunteers throughout Point Loma.
“The competition is heating up,” said Susan Winkie, pingpong event coordinator and MC, who wears her trademark white tuxedo for the festivities. “Defending champ Raul Gutierrez is flying in from Florida (from a business trip) to put his title on the line and challengers from across Ocean Beach are ready to take him on.”
“I love playing table tennis,” said Gutierrez. “I heard about the tournament two years ago, but I was too late to sign up. However, I was able to sign up last year and won it. I’ve moved to Northern California since then. But I’m definitely going to make a trip down to defend my belt this year.”
Each year’s winner earns the Screwball Championship Belt and the traditional winning paddles.
Winkie noted the table tennis tourney not only increases in popularity each year, but is becoming a bigger part of the fabric of OB’s social scene.
“It’s really become one of OB’s great big parties with spectators there to cheer on the players,” she said, adding that the event “is very fluid, offering something for everyone, and has absolutely grown. I get people calling me all year long asking when sign-ups are for the tournament.”
Winkie noted the tournament is OBWC’s biggest fundraiser of the year, with funds raised benefiting five organizations the club handpicks annually in January.
“It’s one of the big pillars of the organization: friendship, sisterhood and philanthropy,” she said.
Winkie likes to wear a top hat with her tux and she likes to decorate it with something to highlight each event she MCs.
“Around Christmas, I put lights on the hat,” she said. “This year, given the club is 101 years old, I’m going with a ‘101 Dalmation’ theme (from the Disney movie).”
Noting she “discovered” her tux while shopping with her daughter at Buffalo Exchange, Winkie pointed out her all-white signature uniform “gives me some swagger, makes me feel like I’m bringing energy, enthusiasm and fun to the event.”
Of the annual pingpong tournament itself, Winkie called it “a tradition and people look forward to it. That really makes me happy.”
History of pingpong
In 1890, Englishman David Foster introduced the first game of tennis on a table. In 1897, the first national championships were organized in Hungary. It was in 1902 that the first official world championship took place.
In the 1950s, table tennis became integral in Asia. The Japanese excelled at the World Team Championships between 1954 and 1959 and have since provided several world champions. It has been an Olympic sport since Seoul in 1988.
The International Table Tennis Federation embraces more than 200 nations with 33 million members. Competitions, club tournaments or championships are organized throughout the world.
6 p.m.: Player sign-in and warmups.
6:25 p.m.: National anthem.
6:30 p.m.: First match. Then matches refresh every 15 minutes through the semis and then the final.
