Ping pong is one of the most popular in the world board games. It develops dexterity, reaction, and simply allows you to warm up after sitting at the computer for many hours. At the same time, not everyone knows about the history of this game and the most interesting facts associated with it.
1. Ping pong originated in England
The true origins of ping pong are unknown, but most historians say that the game originated in Victorian England. Venues on outdoors Tennis in Great Britain was often damaged by heavy rains, so the aristocrats preferred to play indoors. Initially, the salons used cigar box lids instead of rackets, and stacks of books acted as entrances.
There is also a theory that British soldiers invented ping pong in India or South Africa, and then brought their passion back to their homeland.
2. "Table Tennis" is a registered trademark
According to the International Table Tennis Federation, the first person to try to patent the parlor game was an Englishman named James Devonshire. He called the game "table tennis." But Devonshire, who applied for the patent in 1885, abandoned it in 1887. Other reports claim that Englishman David Foster patented the rules of table tennis in 1890.
John Jacques, founder of the English manufacturing company sports equipment John Jacques and Son Ltd, is credited with officially commercializing ping pong in 1901. He laid out the official rules for the game, which he called "gossima", and began selling equipment for the game. The name "gossima" did not catch on, so Jacques soon called the game "ping pong" because of the sound made by the balls.
3. Ping Pong is actually the same as table tennis
Jacques eventually lost the rights to the game to English distributor Hamley Brothers and American board game company Parker Brothers. When these companies began to own the name "ping pong", others who produced similar games had to come up with a new name. Players in many countries began to call the game "table tennis" (that's what the game was called in its early years). Separate associations for “ping pong” and “table tennis” arose; they even used different rules. Associations and games merged in England in 1901.
4. Ping-pong is especially popular in Asia.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the ping pong craze swept through Central Europe. However, the game's success was short-lived. The fashionable hobby was soon forgotten, although the game later experienced a revival in England in the 1920s. In 1926, the International Table Tennis Association was created in Berlin. That same year, the first World Table Tennis Championships took place in London. In Asia, the craze for the game began in the early 1950s. By the time the 1952 Ping Pong Championship was held in Mumbai, Asian players had already dominated the world stage.
5. The best ping pong player of all time is a Swede
Ping-pong was invented by the British, and the Chinese currently dominate this sport. However, the Swede Jan-Ove Waldner, who received the nickname “The Mozart of Table Tennis,” is officially recognized as the best player in the history of ping pong.
6. Return of popularity
Today, ping pong has a clear social focus. Many venues are springing up to host the game, with "ping pong bars" around the world competing with each other to be crowned the most "luxury table tennis resort". According to the International Table Tennis Federation, about 300 million people play ping pong in the world.
7. Olympic Games
Ping pong has become official Olympic form sports in 1988 during the summer Olympic Games in Seoul. Currently, competitions are held in several categories: men, women and teams.
8. Ping Pong Inspired Inventors
Daniel Thompson, inventor of the bagel machine, died in September 2015. Although he became famous for this culinary invention, Thompson also invented a folding ping pong table on wheels.
9. The game was used as a diplomatic tool
In the early 1970s, ping pong was used to improve relations between China and the United States. Much to the surprise of Western officials, American team- the world table tennis champion was invited to visit the People's Republic of China in 1971 to host the series friendly matches against Chinese team. The athletes became the first Americans to visit China since the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949. This led to a major shift in international relations and President Richard Nixon's trip to Beijing in 1972.
The attitude towards table tennis in the USSR was ambiguous. While it was quite popular among the people, officials did not take this game seriously until the 1950s, and therefore the development of this sport was somewhat hampered.
11. Quick game
Experienced athletes can send a ping pong ball through the net at speeds exceeding 160 km/h. In 1993, a world record was set when Jackie Bellinger and Lisa Lomas managed to throw a ball over the net 173 times in a minute.
12. Sports to burn calories
According to Weight Watchers, ping pong is one of the best views sports to burn calories. Beginners can expect to burn 200 - 350 calories per hour of play, while experienced players can burn up to 500 calories per hour, depending on activity during the match.
Table tennis is becoming increasingly popular: ping-pong rackets are selling like hotcakes, even preschoolers are learning to play, and any online sports store, in turn, offers a wide variety of products for this sport.
After this table sport was born, the world began to call ordinary tennis table tennis to avoid confusion.
The history of the origin of table tennis is interesting. They say that one day some extravagant lover of this sport decided to set up a small court at home - right on the table. At first, such tennis was played with ordinary rackets and an ordinary heavy rubber ball. Soon special rules were invented for new game, and along with the rules, new accessories appeared.
Ping-pong rackets have become like miniature wooden spatulas, which are covered with pimply rubber pads on both sides. The ball also changed - it began to be made from celluloid, it became light - only 2.5 grams in weight.
Many people are wondering: why did table tennis come to be called ping pong? Perhaps the name simply echoes the sound of a celluloid ball hitting a table. Perhaps this name has something from Asian languages - after all, it was in Asian countries that this game received greatest distribution. According to experts, there is some truth in both explanations. The name “ping pong” was born when the English players, listening to the sounds of a bouncing ball, decided that it made just such a sound. Ping! - the ball sounds, bouncing off the racket, and pong! – bouncing off the table.
Using rubber pads
For the first time, rackets were covered with rubber with pimples in 1902. This trick made it possible to hit curved balls. Sponge rubber appeared later - in 1930. Overlays made from such rubber diversified the game, allowing you to play both defensively and offensively.
The effect of table tennis on health
If you have not yet decided whether to use the services of an online sports store to purchase table tennis accessories, don’t hesitate! Ping pong is very interesting view a sport that has a very beneficial effect on the health of players. Regular training develops the hand, helps to concentrate, and has a positive effect on reaction and attention.
According to experts, table tennis activates mental activity. It was noticed that close observation of the ball and the desire to achieve good results – the right way achieve success in intellectual types activities.
The Chinese are considered especially capable athletes. This phenomenon can most likely be explained by the enormous attention paid to this sport in this country. Here, ping-pong is taught almost from infancy. Six-year-old athletes participate in various competitions and amaze observers with their interesting techniques.
As you can see, table tennis has a lot of advantages, which means it’s time to start training!
Table tennis (ping pong) is an interesting and exciting sport. Interesting facts it is discussed in this article.
1.The idea of creating ping pong came from one of the big game lovers. He reduced the size tennis court and placed it on the table. The sizes of rackets and ball were larger than now.
2. As for the birthplace of table tennis, there is no consensus on this matter. According to various sources, ping pong appeared in the USA, India or China in the 17th century.
3.The name “ping pong” was coined at the beginning of the 20th century because of the characteristic sound of the ball hitting the table and racket.
4.The first official table tennis competitions took place in 1900 in London. 300 players took part in the tournament.
5.The average pace of table tennis is 40-120 beats per minute, but can reach up to 150 beats.
6.The longest point competition was recorded at the World Championships in Prague in 1936. Then 2 tennis players continuously threw the ball to each other for almost 2 hours.
1. How did it all start?
It is worth noting that on the walls of the Summer Palace in China today there are paintings from the Middle Ages, in which you can clearly see a game that strongly resembles ping-pong. Moreover, the Summer Palace is the residence of the emperors.
But in the modern world, the first table tennis competition took place in London in 1900. On a December day, a championship was held on the grounds of Westminster Abbey, in which more than 300 players took part. It is this fact that directly indicates the great popularity of this sport already at that time.
2. But you still have to run
According to scientists, an athlete must “run” from 4 to 7 km during one table tennis match. Therefore, it is not surprising that this sport is one of those that activate cardiovascular system. All the same scientists calculated that when playing table tennis, an athlete spends more energy than, for example, in basketball.
But if you take into account that the rotation of a ping-pong ball can reach 170 revolutions per second, and it flies at speeds of up to 170 km/h, it becomes clear why players spend so much effort during a match.
3. The biggest
The longest game is considered to be between Warren-Veyar and Laise-Fiya. These couples spent 101 hours, 1 minute and 1 second on the site. The record was recorded in 1979 in the United States.
But still, another record, set by two amateurs, appeared in the Guinness Book of Records. Two men - Richard de Witt and Rick Bowling, in front of spectators, hit the ball over the net with various shots for 10 hours and 9 minutes, without making a single mistake. This achievement was also established in the USA, but a little later - in 1983.
The longest game between singles players lasted 143 hours and 46 minutes (from 30.05 to 04.06 1983).
4. How many titles can you earn in your career?
The most titled athlete in ping pong is Victor Barna (1911-1972). He has 15 world champion titles to his name. As for women, their most famous athlete is Maria Medyanski (1901-1979). She managed to win world championships 12 times.
A remarkable fact is that in 1958, the national table tennis championship in Jamaica was won by Jay Foster, who was only eight years old at that time.
5. Table tennis and health
It is not surprising that such an interesting and popular look sport also brings benefits to people. So, thanks to ping pong, vision improves. The mechanics here are quite simple - the eyes, which must follow the moving ball, are constantly fixed on a dynamic object, due to which training takes place eye muscles Therefore, myopia and farsightedness are prevented.
It is thanks to these properties that many foreign ophthalmologists prescribe the game of table tennis as one of the ways to treat vision diseases. In particular, this applies to those who spend a lot of time in front of a computer monitor.
6. Assistant in cosmonaut training
It is noteworthy that table tennis is used on a regular basis to prepare astronauts for flight. This is due to the fact that ping pong is a great activity for developing reactions. Moreover, table tennis is recommended for hockey goalkeepers, baseball players, and epee fencers. In other words, for those athletes where reaction and quick decision-making are especially important.
You should not refuse such exercises, even if you are not an athlete, since a quick reaction will help you in everyday life.
7. Table tennis or ping pong
Now this sport is called differently: some prefer the name table tennis, while others use only the phrase ping pong. Moreover, the second name of this sport appeared only in 1901 thanks to a combination of two words: “ping” is the sound that a ball makes when it hits a tennis player’s racket, and “pong” is the sound when it bounces off the table surface.
Table tennis is one of the most popular and accessible entertainments today. Probably everyone has tried their hand at it at least once. But how much do we know about the exciting sports game?
Here are just a few interesting facts:
The second name, “ping pong,” appeared relatively recently, in 1901. The reason is extremely simple: these are the sounds the ball makes when it hits the racket and then the table surface.
The first official competition was the London Championship, which took place at the end of 1900 on the grounds of Westminster Abbey. The tournament is a clear confirmation of the popularity of the game. About 300 players took part in it.
Even on the walls of the imperial Chinese Summer Palace there are medieval paintings depicting a game reminiscent of modern table tennis.
During a standard five-set match, a player runs on average about 4-7 km. That is why even such table entertainment can easily pass for cardio exercise. During a vigorous game, a player sometimes expends more energy than in basketball.
The speed of the ball can reach 170 km/h, and rotation - up to 170 revolutions per second.
The most decorated player is Victor Barna, who has 15 world champion titles. The most famous athlete is Maria Medyanski, with 12 world championships.
The longest recorded party took place in the USA in 1979 and lasted 101 hours, 1 minute and 1 second. The longest game between single players lasted 143 hours and 46 minutes.
Another record was set in 1983 in the same USA by Rick Baulig and Richard de Witt, amateurs who kicked the ball for 10 hours and 9 minutes without making a single mistake.
The record holders for the number of Summer Olympic Games in which they took part are Jorgen Persson, Jean-Michel Sayev and Zoran Primorac, each 7 times.
In 1958, the Jamaican national championship was won by 8-year-old tennis player Jay Foster.
The most famous European champion is Jan-Ove Waldner, who is nicknamed the Mozart of table tennis. He started training at the age of 6, and already at 9 he became the champion of Sweden in his category.
Table tennis in practice
Table tennis is not only fun and interesting. Regular classes have several very real advantages:
Vision. Table tennis - great exercise for myopia, farsightedness and during rehabilitation after surgery. During training, the eyes constantly focus on the moving ball, which is better than any exercise. This is also a good preventive measure for anyone who constantly works at a computer.
Reaction. Table tennis perfectly develops reaction, concentration, agility, plasticity and coordination of movements. Such training is included in the program of athletes whose field is in no way related to tennis. For example, in the program of boxer Vitali Klitschko.
Cardio. Active and active play strengthens the cardiovascular system, and with it - respiratory system and leg muscles. Ping-pong also increases endurance and promotes development. fine motor skills, trains hands and arms.
At our Taor Karpaty base you can try your hand at a new hobby, compete with friends and have fun playing table tennis.
