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Anyone who knows me knows I love the game. It’s a fun sport that can be played indoors, it’s great exercise and you can play it your whole life. What’s not to love?

The name is officially called “Table Tennis.” The less formal name is “Ping Pong,” which happens to be owned by Parker Bros. Serious players say they are playing Table Tennis, but I prefer Ping Pong for three reasons:

Ping Pong is what the game sounds like. The ball off the paddle and then off the table produces a sound that approximates “ping” and “pong”. The name that describes the sound, the feeling and vibe is the one I prefer.

Ping Pong sounds more fun than Table Tennis. I put a lot into the game but I like the looseness that Ping Pong connotes. I don’t want to dress in formal whites and concern myself with clearing proper inches of toss on serve. I want to put back a few beers and have fun.

It’s the name I grew up with. I never said, “Hey dad, want to play some table tennis before dinner?” No, I said, “Dad, wanna play some ping pong?” Nostalgia. Tradition. The legacy of the basement.

I also prefer Bob to Robert and Vicki to Victoria. But that’s just me…