When a United States ping pong team was invited to play in China in 1971 the term ’’ping pong diplomacy’’ was born.
The international breakthrough was celebrated at Santa Monica College last Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1, in a tournament featuring competitors from various countries.
The youngest player on the 1971 U.S. team was Glenn Cowan, an SMC student who has since passed away.
The weekend tournament was played in SMC’s Corsair Pavilion.