billLASTINIT
Fri Sep 03 14:32:59 CDT 2004
Ken Briscoe wrote:
> "Frisbee®" <billLASTINIT@dasi-software.com> wrote in message
> news:O%23lQQ3dkEHA.3788@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>>
>> I started playing both table tennis and disc sports at the same
>> time, 1976.
>>
>> My only claim to fame is that I've played against (not necessarily in
>> tournaments) four different U.S. National champs, one of which said
>> "Great shot!" when I slammed one of his endless lobs way over his
>> head. He was the current U.S. champ at the time, and I felt like an
>> actual real athlete (for about five seconds).
>>
>> I haven't pinged a pong for years now. My raquet probably has
>> rotted rubber on it.
>
> I forget her name now, but back in 1998, I was on the verge of
> defeating the reigning women's Olympic gold medalist. She won gold in
> Atlanta back in 1996. In '98 I played in the Bay State Games, as an
> amateur. She was in the "Women's Masters" class, but she played
> countless games that day for fun againsts kids and adults alike. I
> came closest to beating her that day (out of all the "fun" games):
> 11-21. When I say "on the verge of defeating", I actually mean "not
> on the verge of defeating", but that's my table tennis claim to fame.
> On the bright side, I and a teammate silver-medaled our class in
> doubles. That was nifty. I also played one (yes, one) tournament for
> Syracuse University's club team. I went 1-1. </semi-sport memories>
Whoa... I had no idea anyone else in this NG even knew what table tennis
was.
I didn't name any names because I figured nobody in this NG would recognize
any of them. I used to play tournaments back in my college days, mostly in
Penna. Never was any good, really, but I played like eight hours a day,
which explains why I wasn't very successful at college. I actually started
in high school, though, and spent every free moment at the local college
playing the guys there. When I went into the USAF, I hit both table tennis
and disc golf heaven when I was stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, as
they had the first real disc golf course I had ever seen (9 holes), and a
serious table tennis club that played at... Ceasar's Palace. The V.P. of
Operations at Caesar's (Neil Smythe) was an avid TT fan, so we got to play
at the place where they have all the big-time sporting events. He even
managed to lure two top players to Vegas, gave them jobs, just so we'd all
have top-level players there. D.J. Lee (umpteem time U.S. champ from Korea)
and Attila Malek came to play there. Malek won his first U.S. Title the
same year he moved there. I got to play Danny Seemiller (the other umpteem
time U.S. Champ) while I was still in Tech school in Biloxi, MS when he was
doing an exhibition tour. He's the guy who I chop-killed a lob on. I knew
him from several times before, though, as he's also originally from Penna.
(Pittsburg) and I'd played in some of his tourneys and spent one summer at
one of his camps. I'd also played against (and managed to get a couple
points off of) the Bogan brothers, Eric and Scott, both of whom were U.S.
champs. Eric won his title at the age of 15, the youngest ever, and I got
to see it live in Las Vegas. Eric probably was the best TT player the U.S.
has ever produced.
See what you started? Don't get me started... I could talk about this stuff
forever.
$Deity I miss table tennis, and disc golf too.
--
Fris "Back to programming... <grumble>" bee®, MCNGP #13
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