Dagwood, the table-tennis-playing cat

From an AP story that circulated in August 1951 (example here):

PORTLAND, Ore. — This cat made such a pest of herself when Ted Matson tried to play table tennis that he finally put her on one side of the net and let her try the game on her own. That was six years ago, and the cat, Dagwood, has been playing ever since. She's adept at both the two-handed smash and the one-handed volley.

This cat was obviously born before her time. In the age of YouTube she would have been a global celebrity.

Update: Thanks to mindful webworker who found a video of Dagwood on YouTube. And as Cezar noted, it seems that Dagwood appeared on an episode of MASH. So I guess she kinda was a global celebrity.

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 22, 2014
Category: Sports | Cats | 1950s

Comments

Yeah, but could the cat keep score?

Posted by KDP on 10/22/14 at 02:15 PM

i think he showed up on an episode of Mash

Posted by Cezar on 10/22/14 at 03:24 PM

Awww what a great kitty!!

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 10/22/14 at 08:33 PM

Ah, but Dagwood IS on YouTube. There was this weird old-fashioned thing called flim or something.

http://youtu.be/z_ydtv4IVG8

Along with some more modern feline players. Searched YouTube for "ping pong playing cats."

Howdy, weirdos. Lost track of this site for a long while but recently found my way back. Glad I did.

Posted by mindful webworker on 10/22/14 at 09:10 PM

Wow, that is great! Thanks for finding it mww and welcome back we missed you.

Posted by Patty@work on 10/23/14 at 09:14 AM

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.