Ping pong, or table tennis, is an exciting and enduring game that has captured the hearts of people all over the world. From its humble beginnings as a parlor game to becoming an Olympic sport in 1988, this beloved game has a long and fascinating history.
The term ping pong is used both as an informal name and as a trademarked name for the game and its equipment. The word is derived from the onomatopoeia of the sound the ball makes as it hits the paddle and then the table. In its early days, champagne corks and golf balls served as the ball, rows of books constituted the net, and cigar boxes or wide-surface books were the paddles. Later, J. Jaques & Son Ltd trademarked the name ping-pong and started selling equipment to go with it. The company was stringent in keeping its rights and required that anyone using the name ping-pong use their trademarked equipment to play the game.
When playing ping pong, it is important to keep your eyes on the ball at all times. This allows you to better judge the timing of the shot and can help you improve your game. It is also important to keep your paddle low, so that you can hit the ball with greater power.
While the basics of ping pong are relatively simple, becoming a good player takes practice. Once you have the fundamentals down, you can experiment with different strategies to find the one that works best for you.