Oakland A's catcher Jhonny Pereda is one of many pro athletes who plays ping-pong. Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Justine Willard / Athletics / Getty Images This story is part of Peak, The ...
Table tennis and film have a surprisingly entangled history. Both depended on the invention of celluloid – which not only became the substrate of film, but is also used to make ping pong balls.