A "Racquet" Heard 'Round the World - the interntional popularity of table tennis - Brief Article

Parks & Recreation, Sept, 2000 by Michael R. Corwin

What weighs 2.5 grams and can travel at speeds over 100 mph? No, it's not the summer mosquito in your backyard.

What sport is played by more than 18 million Americans and is the most popular racquet sport worldwide? No, it's not tennis.

What activity once recorded 173 "hits" in 60 seconds? No, it's not the banner ad on your homepage.

Give up?

All the answers can be found within the game of table tennis. Yes, that's right: "ping- pong" (the name "ping-pong"[TM] is trademarked by game-maker Parker Brothers). But don't use that word around those who take the game seriously--a ball can travel at speeds over 100 mph. More than 18 million Americans play table tennis each year--with 2.9 million playing more than 25 times per year. In 1973, the Guiness Book of World Records documented the most hits in a 60-second table tennis rally --173 by Jackie Bellinger and Lisa Lomas of Great Britain.

Table tennis is a worldwide game. Sweden, China, and Korea are the world powers in table tennis today. The U.S. Men's Team is ranked 32nd in the world and the U.S. Women's Team is ranked 25th in the world.

The formal roots of the game of table tennis can be traced to 1926, when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) was founded in Berlin, Germany. Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, India, Sweden, and Wales were the founding members, and the United States became a member of the ITTF in 1933.

USA Table Tennis, formed in 1933, is the governing body for the sport of table tennis and is a member of the ITTF. USA Table Tennis is also a Group A member of the United States Olympic Committee and will be overseeing all the preparations for the U.S. Teams as they compete in the upcoming Olympic Games in Australia.

USA Table Tennis boasts more than 8,000 members (including me!) and works with a network of more than 200 clubs. More than 300 tournaments are sanctioned each year by USATT, in addition to the clinics, coaching programs, exhibitions and other services that they provide. USA Table Tennis can be reached online at www.usatt.org.

Many park and recreation agencies offer table tennis as a recreational option and some agencies have programs and competitions affiliated with USA Table Tennis. Table tennis is not a difficult game to learn to play in a short time; however, the nuances of speed, spin, and control do take lots of practice and patience. In fact, professional players often practice up to five hours a day.

Since we started out with a "mini quiz," let's end on the same note. What are the regulations for the size, shape and weight of a table tennis racquet? Give up?

Well, it's actually a trick question. There are no regulations for the size, shape, or weight of a table tennis racquet. I think that might be a question that you'll see on a future episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. And yes, you can use me as your "phone-a-friend" lifeline for any table tennis questions that have you stumped.