I Played Ping Pong with a 91-Year-Old, and Almost Didn’t Lose

iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at an effective 29mm — 1/15 sec, f/2.2, ISO 64 —
image data

Vernon and Anthony

their combined age is 103

I played a bit of ping-pong today with a family friend, 91-year-old Vernon Weingart. I almost didn't lose.

今日は９１歳の友達と一緒に卓球をさせてもらいました。

もうチョットで勝ちそうでしたが、結局負けました。


約十年前、高齢者オリンピックでアメリカの二位だった方です。
今でも強いです！

He was the USA National 2nd-place champion, back when he was younger (in
his 80s), and Ohio State Champion five or six times along the way. Some of his
trophies and medals...

iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at an effective 29mm — 1/10 sec, f/2.2, ISO 100 —
image data

He is the personification of “kindly grandfather type”, who walks slowly
and with purpose, always has a kind word and an easy smile.

We all knocked the ball around for a while, then as we were about to leave,
he suggested an actual game. A real game with Anthony wouldn't have been fun
(Anthony would have been utterly crushed), but I offered some hope that
he'd have to at least keep one eye open.

We decided on the best two out of three...

And suddenly his demeanor completely changed. Gone was the kindly smile,
replaced by eyes with laser focus and determination. Take no prisoners.
It was a shocking transformation, but in
retrospect it's unsurprising, given his competitive achievements.

iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at an effective 29mm — 1/15 sec, f/2.2, ISO 64 —
image data

I'm not great at ping-pong, but I'm not bad either. I can inflict some
wicked unpredictable spins, and at times can smash with thunderous power,
even from behind and below the table.

I won the first game after going to deuce.

He won the next two. Both games were close... I suspect that's how he crafted it, to keep
it interesting. He aced me on his serve only once.

We ended with a firm
“good game”
handshake, and a promise that I'll give him a better game next time.

But in my defense, he's not really 91 years old yet... his birthday is tomorrow.