George Hendry, 1920–2011

The comeback kid of pro table tennis

George Hendry’s table-tennis prowess hardly faded with age. In the 1992 U.S. Open, when he was 72, the onetime junior champion sensationally beat Peruvian star André Wong, earning a spot in the final 32. As Hendry warmed up for his next match, his opponent, a clueless Japanese 20-something, asked him to return to his seat before the game began. “The guy couldn’t believe he had to play this old man,” recalled table-tennis club official Rich Doza.

Hendry became obsessed with table tennis as a teenager in St. Louis, said The New York Times. He proved to be a natural at the sport and became one of the country’s top players at the age of 15. His success landed his picture on the Wheaties box, earning him $25 a month and a box of the breakfast cereal every day for two years.

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