Mark Johnson Player Page

    Mark was first introduced to table-tennis when in service in Germany during the early 1970s.  He beat all challengers at the table until one guy came with a sponge racket which was unzipped from a paddle case.  When he unzipped the case, Mark already felt beaten and needless to say, was beaten handily.  Mark did not play with sponge rubber until the early 1980s when his brother took Mark to the Student Union at San Jose State University.  Basketball had been his sport of choice until that point.  He played table-tennis regularly at SJSU for about three years before going into table-tennis semi-retirement and getting into fitness.  He picked up his paddle again about five years back and has been regularly whacking a little ball since.

  Mark's biggest table-tennis accomplishments have been in doubles as he has won Open Doubles many times at IBM and in USATT-sanctioned tournaments.  His best singles wins are over San Francisco's Sally Su.  He likes the friendships he has made through our sport and that it is a game for all ages and styles.  However, the misconceptions of table-tennis as not being a real sport and its lack of visibility in this country are two things he would like different about the sport.  He enjoys watching Kalinikos Kreanga's unconscious looping from away from the table, especially with his backhand.  However, the counterlooping and lobbing of Danish star Michael Maze en route to his third place singles finish at the 2005 World Championships have now made Mark unsure as to who is favorite player is.  

  Mark hopes to cross 2000 in rating and retire in three years having worked for only one company, IBM, in his entire life.