Jim a key figure in local table tennis

Jim a key figure in local table tennis

27 January 2021

GROWING up in Strangford, close to the old Stella Maris Hall, it was always likely that Jim Ritchie would join the table tennis club so long associated with bringing on young players thanks to Leslie Sullivan — still known to this day as the ‘Sullivan Babes’.

The club, now the longest-serving in the Lecale Table Tennis League, not only produced Jim but also former stars Harry Dougherty, Mickey Swail, Raymond Shields and, perhaps the best known of all and still current number one, Joe ‘Roller’ McConville. 

Jim remains associated with Strangford, despite living for many years in Castlewellan. He has performed the role of club chairman, with his playing reduced to part-time due to the fact he suffers from arthritis in a finger.

He has played for Drumaroad in the past, and in more recent seasons for the former top club in Downpatrick, De La Salle.

Back in the days of the Lecale League’s Spin magazine, which was edited by the late and sadly-missed Gerry Carson, Jim provided ‘People in the News’ and ‘At your Service’ on a regular basis.

This was back in the late 1970s. Starting in 1984 he produced another magazine named Equipment Plus. 

At this stage, he was running his Table Tennis Services (NI) from his home in Castlewellan. However, as many will recall, for some years he ran Northern Ireland’s only table tennis shop in Irish Street, Downpatrick. He had a steady line of customers from near and far who came to make their purchases.

As all local players will of course know, Jim is the local man to go to for advice on what rubber suits individual players.

As one who has made use of his help and advice on many occasions, it is quite common to arrive in Strangford to play a match, or indeed in another local hall, and find Jim replacing rubbers. 

He has also given people from various local halls advice and has moved many on to pimpled rubbers in recent years, saving them money. A good many seasons back, Jim, anxious to give some of the Strangford club’s younger players a bit of extra publicity, wrote reports for the Down Recorder. 

As a close associate to the long-time secretary of the Lecale League, Pat Morgan, there was never any doubt who would replace Pat when he sadly passed away.

Since taking over, he has certainly done his utmost to keep the league going. He has brought in new clubs and written regular and well-received reports, as well as travelling to matches to take team photos.

As well as being a great supporter of the Lecale League over many years, he has also been a great supporter of the East Down Churches League.

He has attended and made donations for the league’s annual charity cup match, as well as being present at their annual presentation evening.

While Jim has been in regular action in recent seasons, he has proven that while form is temporary, class is permanent.

When called upon to help a local team out in the Belfast & District League, he has been the only player on the team to win a game.

As well as being a title-winning player, he has also proven he is a superb organiser as those that have attended the Lecale League’s 50th and 60th anniversary evenings know.

In fact, so many turned up at the 60th anniversary event that ‘house full’ notices had to go up.

He even ran out of anniversary mugs for those who had played in the league over the years.

While the Lecale League may not have as many teams as it did had in the past, the fact that it is still going is mainly thanks to Jim.

It is also worth noting that with his guidance, the many charity tournaments he runs every season have raised a lot of money for Marie Curie and provided some great action for players.

It is thanks to Jim and the late Pat Morgan that the league has been going now for over 60 years. Here’s hoping Jim will keep it going for many more to come when the current pandemic passes.