Dewsbury Table Tennis Club was born out of the established long standing Dewsbury Table Tennis League.
The league was one of the strongest and most popular leagues in Yorkshire and since its beginnings back in the 1930's, many top players have played in the league.
Up until 2016, every year the league held a closed championships for the players and for posterity, here is a record of the open singles winners dating back to 1931.
Open Singles - 1930's
1931/32 D Rowley (YMCA)
1932/33 L Broadhead (Ravensthorpe)
1933/35 L Broadhead (Ravensthorpe)
1934/35 L Broadhead (Ravensthorpe)
1935/36 F Tiilloston (Hanover St)
1936/37 F Tiilloston (Hanover St)
1937/37 F Tiilloston (Hanover St)
Understandably, the league did not take place during World War Two and only resumed again once it was over in the 1946 season.
Open Singles - 1940's
1946/47 J Kilburn (YMCA)
1947/48 L Broadhead (YMCA)
1948/49 A Aspinall (Heckmondwike)
1949/50 L Broadhead (YMCA)
Open Singles - 1950's
1950/51 D Parkin (Nelson TTC)
1951/52 L Binns (BBA)
1952/53 D Greaves (Nelson TTC)
1953/54 AR Senior (Nelson TTC)
1954/55 AR Senior (Nelson TTC)
1955/56 S Laycock (Blackburn TTC)
1956/57 Barry Lightowler (Batley Miners)
1957/58 G Carrigall (Nelson TTC)
1958/59 David Lamb (Gilder Hall)
1959/60 David Laycock (Mirfield CC)
The 1950's saw the emergence of three key players - Barry Lightowler, David Laycock and David Lamb. All three would win the title several times and stay with the league for many years, influencing many youngsters to play on the way.
Open Singles - 1960's
1960/61 D Laycock (Mirfield CC)
1961/62 D Laycock (Mirfield CC)
1962/63 D Lamb (Nelson TTC)
1963/64 B Lightowler (Nelson)
1964/65 A Senior (BBA)
1965/66 A Senior (BBA)
1966/67 D Laycock (Miners)
1967/68 D Laycock (Miners)
1968/69 D Laycock (Miners)
1969/70 S Milnes (Headfield)
This decade was dominated by David Laycock who won the title six times. From memory, Dave was an excellent all round player whose defensive game was as good as his ferocious attack. The end of the 60's also saw the introduction of the legendary Stuart Milnes.
Open Singles - 1970's
1970/71 B Nash (Snapethorpe)
1971/72 S Milnes (Headfield)
1972/73 S Milnes (Headfield)
1973/74 S Milnes (Headfield)
1974/75 B Lightowler (Harrisons)
1975/76 B Lightowler (Harrisons)
1976/77 S Milnes (Headfield)
1977/78 S Milnes (Old Bank)
1978/79 S Milnes (Old BAnk)
1979/80 T Watson (Spenstead)
As the 60's was dominated by Laycock, the 70's very much belongs to Stuart Milnes, a defensive hard bat player who was like a brick wall. Virtually nothing could get past him. Two decades on, Barry Lightowler was still making his presence felt.
Open Singles - 1980's
1980/81 Mick Stead (Moorend)
1981/82 David Lamb (E Greens)
1982/83 Phil Tomlinson (Harrisons)
1983/84 Trevor Watson (Batley SC)
1984/85 Steve Stringer (FWS)
1985/86 Andrew Ball (Harrisons)
1986/87 Andrew Ball (Harrisons)
1987/88 Steve Stringer (FWS)
1988/89 Jim Thorne (Battteford)
1989/90 Jim Allen (Moorend)
No one person dominated the 80's, although there were multiple wins for Andy Ball and Steve Stringer.
Open Singles - 1990's
1990/91 Nick Ryder (Harrisons)
1991/92 Nick Ryder (Harrisons)
1992/93 Darren Page (Harrisons)
1993/94 Stuart Milnes (Back Lane)
1994/95 Richard Lightowler (Harrisons)
1995/96 Darren Page (Mirfield)
1996/97 Darren Page (Mirfield)
1997/98 Jim Allen (Back Lane)
1998/99 Richard Lightowler
1999/10 Richard Lightowler
The first two titles of the 90's we taken by Nick Ryder who retired for 20 years at the end of the 92 season and in 1995, Richard Lightowler took the first of his 13 titles and ultimately end up dominating the 00's and 10's.
Open Singles - 2000's
2000/01 Mark Land
2001/02 Mark Land
2002/03 Richard Lightowler
2003/04 Stuart Milnes
2004/05 Richard Lightowler
2005/06 Richard Lightowler
2006/07 Richard Lightowler
2007/08 Richard Lightowler
2008/09 Richard Lightowler
2009/10 James Brown
A decade dominated by Richard Lightowler but notably, 24 years after winning his first open singles, Stuart Milnes was to win his last in 2004.
Open Singles - 2010's
2010/11 Richard Lightowler
2011/12 Richard Lightowler
2012/13 Richard Lightowler
2013/14 Richard Lightowler
2014/15 Shaun Bibby
2015/16 Keith Powell
The last closed championships took place in 2016 and as I write this, the Dewsbury Table Tennis League is on a hiatus following the global pandemic. We sincerely hope to start the league again soon.
Comments