IT WAS a game that became popular in at least one school 50 years ago.

Padder tennis was similar to lawn tennis, but was played on a small court and with wooden bats.

This picture was taken at a tournament at Woodstock Primary School in 1968.

Headmaster John Brucker said at the time: “Real tennis rackets would be much too heavy for small children and a large court would be too big. This game gives them an idea of how to develop strokes and teaches them the rules.”

Memory Lane this week

Forty children took part in a knockout competition, playing matches after school. The champion was Richard Gosnell, who beat a boy called Farrant 7-5 after trailing 5-1.

Padder tennis is said to have been invented in New York more than a century ago. It is also known as paddle tennis when paddles are used in place of traditional rackets.

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