Bob Pearson writes: Table tennis had the good fortune that Johnny Leach was playing during its heyday. Before the second world war, the sport was mainly played in salons and country houses by the gentry in evening dress. After the war it was taken up enthusiastically by the working class and Leach epitomised the sort of player that thousands of devotees aspired to be. Not for him the raised clenched fist and hideous scowls to the coach's corner. Whether he won or lost, he would give a broad and genuine smile, then shake the hand of his opponent and pat them on the shoulder, with a word of praise or encouragement, before thanking the umpire for officiating. Leach and others have left their legacy to today's game, in which the common courtesies are still maintained, even in local league matches.
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