Many players still had bats with pimples, as sponge rubbers had only been in for a couple of years.

The balls were two millimetres smaller than they are today and there was only a men’s division.

The annual weekend now has four divisions — men’s, women’s, girls and boys — but is still contested by the same four clubs year in, year out.

The clubs are Warrnambool, Hamilton, Mount Gambier and Horsham.

Hamilton’s Merv Donohue, now deceased, came up with the idea for the weekend and played with fellow club members Peter Humphries and Alby Baker against the four other clubs.

Humphries, 75, went on to play for Hamilton for 39 years before passing the baton to younger club members in 2000. 

But he still attends the weekend every year with his wife Jean, who has played a vital role in the administration of the tournament over the years.

The event was held in Warrnambool on the weekend and players celebrated 50 years since it first began.

“Merv Donohue instigated the shield weekend,” Humphries said.

“He saw it as a great idea to get the men’s teams from each of the three other places to compete for the shield. It was held in Hamilton the first year and it went from there, with each association hosting it every four years.”

Humphries said while there had been some changes over the years, the spirit of the competition had remained the same. 

Warrnambool has been dominant when it comes to the Donohue Shield, winning it for the 29th time this year.

“Warrnambool’s got the strength, the depth of players,” Humphries said.

“Back in the ’60s and ’70s Warrnambool had Des Brown. He had a stinking serve — if you got it back on the table he’d just come in and go bang. Then the Paulin boys  — Alistair and Chris — they played in the ’90s and then you’ve got Simon (Johnson).”

Jean spoke at the weekend about the history of the annual event. She spoke about Merv’s vision for the competition and said he would be proud the tradition had continued.

“There’s been great interest from the four clubs,” she said.

Humphries said he believed table tennis was a great sport.

“I still enjoy it. It’s a brilliant game to watch — it’s good for the reflexes,” he said.

While Humphries didn’t pick up a bat on the weekend, he still plays the annual country week tournament in Melbourne.

Warrnambool’s men’s team of Simon Johnson, Sam Bacchetti and Ben Taylor was too strong for Horsham in the Donohue Shield event on the weekend and Warrnambool’s Rebecca Cain, Sarah Lazzaro and Monique Patterson won the Beaurepaire Shield women’s event. Hamilton was runner-up. Johnson, Taylor, Cain and Patterson were undefeated on the weekend.

In the boys’ competition, Warrnambool’s Kieren McDowell, Hewett Missen and Joe Sycopoulis won the Farnden Shield, while Horsham was runner-up. 

Kieren was in top form, winning all his matches on the weekend.

Horsham won the Jenkin Shield girls’ event, with Paige Sanders, Jedda Heard and Emmalee Anton proving too strong for Warrnambool’s Georgia McDowell, Greta Dabizzi and Rathika Josy. 

Jedda was the top player in this division, winning all of her matches.

Warrnambool won the aggregate shield at the event.

The tournament will be held in Mount Gambier next year.