WHO was the best ping-ponger in town - Ken Tirebuck or the late Bill 'Bumper' Leyland?

The question's been rattling around the pint pots since I carried a flashback picture featuring the old table tennis heroes of St Helens, posing with their trophies in 1947.

Tommy Taylor of Preston had fuzzy memories of his losing encounter with Bumper . . . "it was over so quickly that it was like a blur." A bit of a shock to T.T. who was himself regarded as a decent player. "I'd never been trounced like that before.

"My point is that Ken Tirebuck must have been a truly wonderful player if he got the better of Bumper. I've been visiting St Helens and can tell you that your item caused quite a stir in at least one local pub as to who was the town's best-ever player."

ANYONE else able to add to this bat-flashing debate?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.