The Real Marty Supreme

In the winter of 1977, Ray Kennedy from Sports Illustrated explored the Riverside Table Tennis Club, a unique venue in New York City that attracted a mix of eccentric personalities and celebrities. The club's owner, Marty Reisman, was a former table tennis champion who, at 47, found himself back in the limelight as table tennis gained popularity in the wake of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy with China. This event not only revitalized interest in the sport but also highlighted Reisman's significance in its history. The club, with its eclectic atmosphere and notable patrons, served as a microcosm of the cultural landscape of the time, where sports and diplomacy intertwined, marking a pivotal moment in American sports history.