Who invented Ping Pong?

[IB66]

In answer to the question ‘who invented table tennis / ping pong, it was the English.
the game was originally called PING PONG, (which is indeed a trade name)
The Ping Pong Association formed around 1902 and disbanded around 1905. In 1921/22 the old Ping Pong Association was revived, but the name used was Table Tennis.

 

[James Z]

I fail to see how whole countries calling a sport by the name it is called is creating a bad image for the sport. That's like saying Europeans are creating a bad image for football because they refuse to call it soccer.

As I said it perpetuates the stereotype and it does not matter because in the most global sport word travels first

As far as football it is the REAL football & not soccer. American football is throwball (handball is taken twice) and kicker is the least respected player on the team. BTW I like American Football better than football now though my first sport was hockey (similar to football with no scoring & with 2 player off sides then) in my youth ( & that is not ice hockey if you know what I mean........yeah yeah I know field hockey is a girlie sport in USA) .

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

In answer to the question ‘who invented table tennis / ping pong, it was the English.
the game was originally called PING PONG, (which is indeed a trade name)
The Ping Pong Association formed around 1902 and disbanded around 1905. In 1921/22 the old Ping Pong Association was revived, but the name used was Table Tennis.

Before it was called Ping Pong, it was called Wiff Waff....isn't it: "Wiff Waff is about a 300 year old name for "ping pong"": https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Wiff Waff

 

[ILuvPingPong]

As I said it perpetuates the stereotype and it does not matter because in the most global sport word travels first

As far as football it is the REAL football & not soccer. American football is throwball (handball is taken twice) and kicker is the least respected player on the team. BTW I like American Football better than football now though my first sport was hockey (similar to football with no scoring & with 2 player off sides then) in my youth ( & that is not ice hockey if you know what I mean........yeah yeah I know field hockey is a girlie sport in USA) .

I have never had someone say anything regarding a negative stereotype about ping pong. I've seen a bunch of people have tables in their garages, play to 21 like old rules, but it's still the same game as table tennis, just without the coaching, fundamentals, or 'proper' technique.

I've never seen anyone have a negative stereotype about ping pong. People love playing ping pong everywhere around the world, and at least here in california, the people i introduce it to become more fascinated the more I show them different spins and fundamental techniques to improve.

I understand my experience is different than yours, but I don't think you should blame whole countries for not changing the name of their sport because you experience negativity in your relatively small diaspora. You can always work to change the image of ping pong/table tennis by educating the uninformed instead of being mad at a few ignorant people for having these negative stereotypes about your beloved sport.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

I have never had someone say anything regarding a negative stereotype about ping pong. I've seen a bunch of people have tables in their garages, play to 21 like old rules, but it's still the same game as table tennis, just without the coaching, fundamentals, or 'proper' technique.

I've never seen anyone have a negative stereotype about ping pong. People love playing ping pong everywhere around the world, and at least here in california, the people i introduce it to become more fascinated the more I show them different spins and fundamental techniques to improve.

I understand my experience is different than yours, but I don't think you should blame whole countries for not changing the name of their sport because you experience negativity in your relatively small diaspora. You can always work to change the image of ping pong/table tennis by educating the uninformed instead of being mad at a few ignorant people for having these negative stereotypes about your beloved sport.

I believe he is saying that the actual name "Ping Pong" causes the negative stereotype.

 

[ILuvPingPong]

I believe he is saying that the actual name "Ping Pong" causes the negative stereotype.

Is it a stereotype that can't be changed by showing people how amazing "ping pong" players can be? I don't think so. Thus my name @iluvpingpong and showing nothing but amazing ping pong/table tennis highlights.

I got introduced to the game at work, no serious club type players but everyone was competitive and the best players were a semi pro racquet ball player and a world ranked badminton player.

I started studying youtube videos and visiting local clubs and bringing those skills to work and soon enough after losing to like 17 different people I quickly became the best player in the office. Now people are learning loops, proper serves, how to warmup rally etc.

What I'm saying is, if you run into people who stereotype ping pong as goofy, either they can stay ignorant (I wouldn't want to know them anyways), or they are just uninformed and open-minded and you can help teach them the beauty of the sport. This makes much more sense than blaming whole countries of billions of people for calling a sport by the name they know it as. Take action instead of just allowing people to stereotype something you love. Not everyone will be open-minded, but who cares what those people think anyways.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Is it a stereotype that can't be changed by showing people how amazing "ping pong" players can be? I don't think so. Thus my name @iluvpingpong and showing nothing but amazing ping pong/table tennis highlights.

I got introduced to the game at work, no serious club type players but everyone was competitive and the best players were a semi pro racquet ball player and a world ranked badminton player.

I started studying youtube videos and visiting local clubs and bringing those skills to work and soon enough after losing to like 17 different people I quickly became the best player in the office. Now people are learning loops, proper serves, how to warmup rally etc.

What I'm saying is, if you run into people who stereotype ping pong as goofy, either they can stay ignorant (I wouldn't want to know them anyways), or they are just uninformed and open-minded and you can help teach them the beauty of the sport. This makes much more sense than blaming whole countries of billions of people for calling a sport by the name they know it as. Take action instead of just allowing people to stereotype something you love. Not everyone will be open-minded, but who cares what those people think anyways.

You are still missing what James is saying. You read what I wrote. I don't think it matters what you call it. \

But he is saying that calling the game/sport by the name Ping Pong GIVES IT A BAD REPUTATION and that the actual name of the SPORT that you are describing IS TABLE TENNIS and NOT ping pong. It has nothing to do with showing the skills. He is saying that even if you were an amazing player, you using the term ping pong to refer to TABLE TENNIS is a problem.

Again, I don't care which versions of table tennis people play. I don't care what name they use. But, there are people who say, exactly as James is saying, that if you call it Ping Pong, you are doing a disservice to the sport by calling it that because THE NAME IS A PROBLEM in itself, and it makes no difference how skilled someone is, that the name gives the sport a bad name.

You can decide for yourself what you think. But you may as well try and understand what James is saying. Because you are answering a totally different question in both of your posts where you thought you were answering his issue.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

When did Ma Long turn into a cunning linguist ?I pointed out that it is not just one person. It is most of far east ( Chinese , Japanese , Korean , Vietnamese etc) who negate all their great work to promote tabletennis by creating a bad image for the sport with the use of this phrase

There are more of us here in Asia that call TT as Ping-Pang than the whole combined population of USA. If the majority says so, who are minority to say otherwise?





p/s Just kiddin.

p/s/s: But please, see it in a different context. In my country which is part of Asia, in my native language, TT is called Bola Ping-Pong and it is the official name of the game in my native language. It is totally weird to call it Tenis Meja which is the direct translation of Table Tennis. Although Tenis Meja is the linguistically correct way to call it, but to us native speaker, it just sound weird.

p/s/s/s: It is very interesting to know that in USA, the term ping-pong & TT can carry difference connotation; where Ping-Pong player means they are purely recreational hobbyist and TT means professionals / serious competitive players. I learned something new today.

 

[James Z]

There are more of us here in Asia that call TT as Ping-Pang than the whole combined population of USA. If the majority says so, who are minority to say otherwise?

I TOTALLY agree with you because majority of table tennis players, who are two winged loopers, want all pips & anti gone.
After ITTF takes care of that first we can discuss what you bring up.

 

[James Z]

p/s/s: But please, see it in a different context. In my country which is part of Asia, in my native language, TT is called Bola Ping-Pong and it is the official name of the game in my native language. It is totally weird to call it Tenis Meja which is the direct translation of Table Tennis. Although Tenis Meja is the linguistically correct way to call it, but to us native speaker, it just sound weird.

I disagree because the offcial name itself is wrong when it includes a formerly trademarked name like ping pong.
Spanish call it Tenis De Mesa & is that weird ? I don't think so.
I undeestand you have historically used the phrase ping pong incorrectly for table tennis & that must be corrected by international consensus. It may not create a bad image in your country but overall worldwide it gives a bad image and lot more in places like USA . I understand this is not a problem in your country but it is wrong. Sorry.

 

[DukeGaGa]

As I said it perpetuates the stereotype and it does not matter because in the most global sport word travels first

As far as football it is the REAL football & not soccer. American football is throwball (handball is taken twice) and kicker is the least respected player on the team. BTW I like American Football better than football now though my first sport was hockey (similar to football with no scoring & with 2 player off sides then) in my youth ( & that is not ice hockey if you know what I mean........yeah yeah I know field hockey is a girlie sport in USA) .

Actually, it was the British came up with the name soccer, but clearly people have forgotten about it.

Linguistically creative students at the University of Oxford in the 1880s distinguished between the sports of “rugger” (rugby football) and “assoccer” (association football). The latter term was further shortened to “soccer” (sometimes spelled “socker”), and the name quickly spread beyond the campus. However, “soccer” never became much more than a nickname in Great Britain. By the 20th century, rugby football was more commonly called rugby, while association football had earned the right to be known as just plain football. Meanwhile, in the United States, a sport emerged in the late 19th century that borrowed elements of both rugby and association football. Before long, it had proved more popular than either of them. In full, it was known as gridiron football, but most people never bothered with the first word. As a result, American association-football players increasingly adopted soccer to refer to their sport.

Also, the term football can also mean “ball sports played on foot”, not just “ball sports played by kicking the ball”. There is no conclusive evidence for either explanation, so please don’t just assume things.

 

[DukeGaGa]

I disagree because the offcial name itself is wrong when it includes a formerly trademarked name like ping pong.
Spanish call it Tenis De Mesa & is that weird ? I don't think so.
I undeestand you have historically used the phrase ping pong incorrectly for table tennis & that must be corrected by international consensus. It may not create a bad image in your country but overall worldwide it gives a bad image and lot more in places like USA . I understand this is not a problem in your country but it is wrong. Sorry.

The trademark is Ping Ping, not 乒乓 or Ping Pang, sounding alike but in a different language doesn’t mean the trademark is valid in that other country 🤣

 

[James Z]

Also, the term football can also mean “ball sports played on foot”, not just “ball sports played by kicking the ball”. There is no conclusive evidence for either explanation, so please don’t just assume things.

How may sporst you know that are not played using the foot. Football is a sport primarily played using the foot. American football is a sport primarily played with hands, But that does not mean either sport does not use other parts of the body. You just want to make up stuff for argument's sake primarily because you lose your mind when someone says something remotely tiny bit that souds negative about Chinese LOL
.

 

[James Z]

The trademark is Ping Ping, not 乒乓 or Ping Pang, sounding alike but in a different language doesn’t mean the trademark is valid in that other country 🤣

https://secureyourtrademark.com/blog/common-word-trademarks-ping-pong/

 

[DukeGaGa]

How may sporst youknow that are not played using teh foot. Football is a sport primarily played using the foot. American football is a sport primarily played with hands, But that does not mean either sport does not use other parts of the body. You just want to make up stuff for argument's sake primarily because you lose your mind when someone says something remotely tiny bit that souds negative about Chinese LOL
.

lol I wish I made these up, I’m just quoting people who have done their research. I’m not like you just coming up with weird stuff and treating everything that disagrees as rubbish. And by your logic, why are not snooker and pool called table ball, since they’re played on a table? Or maybe that sounds too similar to table tennis, then why not stick ball? Oh wait, baseball is played using a stick, so maybe base ball should be called glove ball since most of the players wears a glove and only one player at a time uses a stick? It’s just a name people came up and agreed upon, if you have a problem then that’s your problem, not everyone else’s.

And why do soccer or football have anything to do with China? Or is that your goal you just leaked, to talk rubbish about China?

 

[DukeGaGa]

https://secureyourtrademark.com/blog/common-word-trademarks-ping-pong/

Yes? None of that says anything about 乒乓 being a trademark in China.

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

When did Ma Long turn into a cunning linguist ?
I pointed out that it is not just one person. It is most of far east ( Chinese , Japanese , Korean , Vietnamese etc) who negate all their great work to promote tabletennis by creating a bad image for the sport with the use of this phrase

Using quick Google searches, the sport is called takkyū in Japan, taggu in Korean, and bóng bàn in Vietnamese. So to blame "most of far east" seems like an easy position to take in order to blame an entire demographic

 

[igorponger]

Well, there were disputes a lot within the International TT Federation about admissible racket coverings to play with. Japanese were strongly in favour of 8 mm sponge, while many other countries solely wanted hardbat pips-out 2 mm. This all ended with a happy compromise in 1959.

https://m.vk.com/@umpire2-nastolnyi-tennis-kak-ukroschali-bardak-i-anarhiu-v-sporte-19

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

 

[IB66]

Before it was called Ping Pong, it was called Wiff Waff....isn't it: "Wiff Waff is about a 300 year old name for "ping pong"": https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Wiff Waff

I’ve heard the term Wiff Waff used a couple of times!!! It’s probably from around the same time period likely slightly earlier.
The first trade mark name may be ‘Gossima’ circa 1880 by the French game company Jacques Games, the game was a failure!! So they relaunched later under the name Ping Pong and trademarked it as Ping Pong in 1901,
Got this from “The Telegraph’ in an article where Boris Johnson had made a speech in Beijing and Boris suggested that the Olympics was bringing Ping Pong or Wiff Waff ‘home’ The Telegraph claim Boris was wrong to use the term Wiff Waff (whiff whaff) as the original name!!! It should have been Gossima!!! News to me!!!
Apparently Slazenger went with the name Whiff-Whaff !!!