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Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=30493		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  RadivS [ 07 Oct 2016, 07:35 ]
Post subject:  Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
I remember when the rule of different colors for each side. Makes sense for the oponent to see what side you serve with, and what to expect.

But why only red/black is allowed is not clear to me.

Why not other comboes, as long as it is easy to see the difference.
Would make the sport a bit more colorful!!
Author:  BeGo [ 07 Oct 2016, 12:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
RadivS wrote:
I remember when the rule of different colors for each side. Makes sense for the oponent to see what side you serve with, and what to expect.

But why only red/black is allowed is not clear to me.

Why not other comboes, as long as it is easy to see the difference.
Would make the sport a bit more colorful!!

Please dont answer, the rule off ITTF said bla bla bla. They are made and mandated by the ITTF committee back then. :D

I am curious, why they pick Red and Black, not any other colour combi.

I did not remember any ITTF official statement about it. :D :D :D

my hunch is, the ITTF President is an AC Milan fan. :P

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Author:  haggisv [ 07 Oct 2016, 13:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
Yes I agree with you... there is no reason they can't include other colours. But the ITTF make the rules, and they're not (really) accountable to anyone, so that's the way it is.
Author:  iskandar taib [ 07 Oct 2016, 17:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
I don't agree that they're "not accountable". There is quite a bit of input into rules, delegates from many countries are involved, and in the end a committee made up of several people representing several nations makes a decision. While it doesn't seem fashionable to say so, it's not like there's some dictator out there handing out decrees like some people make it out to be. Is there politics involved? People voting in the interests of their own nations? Of course. But how else would you want things run? Would a dictator be better? Maybe crowd-source the rules, let those who shout loudest on social media determine the rules?

Why did they decide on red and black? Maybe because the alternative was worse. Remember you have to actually write clearly defined rules that can be enforced. From what someone posted earlier, the two color rule came in two stages. The first two color rule allowed any two distinct colors, what happened was some people started using dark purple and black (anyone remember the original plum-colored 729?). You also have the problem of color-blind people, red+green would be indistinguishable for them. Supposing someone came out with yellow sheets (remember the original Yasaka Tornado)? Orange sheets? How about a red+orange bat, or a red+yellow? You'd have to write a long rule, listing allowed vs. non-allowed combos, with definitions of allowable colors and shades, and there'd be people trying to game the system. So I think they chose black+red just to avoid the mess - after all, those were already the two most common colors being made.

Iskandar
Author:  RebornTTEvnglist [ 07 Oct 2016, 17:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
Perhaps most rubbers around the time of the 2 colour decision, red and black were the primary colours being made? I know green was another colour for rubbers back in time, but perhaps they decided black and red were starky different enough to give greatest contrast. Maybe there was even some science in it, although this is ITTF we're talking about, so probably not :P :lol:
Author:  RebornTTEvnglist [ 07 Oct 2016, 17:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
Imagine of they made sheets of white rubber :o

Now imagine of you could use White LP :devil: :lol:
Author:  iskandar taib [ 07 Oct 2016, 17:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
Somewhere in the Hardbat section is an article on what hardbat rubbers were available back in the 1930s/40s/50s - apparently MacCrossen was importing it (and Hock was buying it from them), and there WERE white or grey sheets. And if I recall correctly, they weren't cheap - maybe $3-4 a sheet when people were making $30 a week and gas was 10 cents a gallon.

Iskandar
Author:  so_devo [ 07 Oct 2016, 20:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
RebornTTEvnglist wrote:
Perhaps most rubbers around the time of the 2 colour decision, red and black were the primary colours being made? I know green was another colour for rubbers back in time, but perhaps they decided black and red were starky different enough to give greatest contrast. Maybe there was even some science in it, although this is ITTF we're talking about, so probably not :P :lol:


I would say that they were the 2 most common colours at that time. Amber was also around (magic carbon, tornado) and a little before there were green and blue inverteds (MK V for sure) along with brown and other colour hardbat/classic rubbers.

I can see the logic in the rule. Players will always push the boundaries of any rule, and I could imagine someone finding 2 colours that were a little tricky to distinguish at speed; green and blue maybe? It is easy to criticise the rule makers but in this case it makes sense to me.
Author:  kim biceps [ 07 Oct 2016, 21:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
I remembered the hard bat days with both blue and green pips out rubbers.

But yeah if you allow any colour ppl will get funky with it like rainbow mix colour, brightest neon, hot pink, wood colour, gold, reflective mirror like, chameleon colours at diff lighting you know just on top of my head i can see it could be a problem once ppl try to push the edge of the colour realm.
Author:  dazzler [ 08 Oct 2016, 03:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
way back I had a green one,maybe they stopped green/blue because they are the same colour as tt tables?
Author:  kim biceps [ 08 Oct 2016, 03:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
dazzler wrote:
way back I had a green one,maybe they stopped green/blue because they are the same colour as tt tables?


that too. imagine white blade, white rubbers both sides, wearing whte gloves, playing white balls, against the white walls. invisible shots everywhere
Author:  so_devo [ 08 Oct 2016, 06:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
White in clothing seems to be allowed more than it used to be.....was a big no no back in the day!

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Author:  LordCope [ 08 Oct 2016, 07:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
My dad had a bat with green inverted rubbers. I remember it clearly. And I've played with a green hardbat rubber before.


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Author:  Knuckle Ball [ 08 Oct 2016, 18:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
I still have my Sriver Killer rubber from the early 80s and it is dark almost plum colored. Still works fine, as "spinless" as the day I bought it :lol:
Author:  Red [ 09 Oct 2016, 03:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: Why only red/black rubber combo allowed?
My guess is red/black was chosen for simplicity-reasons and to prevent hassles. Otherwise a dark and a bright side could have been chosen as well, with a somewhat harder to explain definition of what exactly bright and dark is.
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