Dave Does Ping Pong

Takes On Young Champs, Learns Lesson Hard Way

(CBS)  When you hear "ping pong," you don't necessarily think of an Olympic sport.

But when the folks at Killerspin Table Tennis came to town for their 2005 Extreme Table Tennis Tournament, The Early Show's Dave Price learned just how much of a workout ping pong could be.

It's estimated that more than 300 million people now play around the globe. Table tennis's popularity in the United States is starting to gain momentum, in part, Price says, because it's a sport that anyone can play. Anyone.

"If you happen to be five-eight, or five-nine or shorter, you can really be a great table tennis player. And there's world champions who are five-three, and there's world champions that are six-five," points out Killerspin President Robert Blackwell Jr.

Price noticed Blackwell looking him over, and kidded, "Why are you looking at me when you're talking about…"

"Because," Blackwell replied, "I'm trying to see, you know, what your real potential is."

Price did some calisthenics to limber up and declared, "I had potential. I should have been on the professional table tennis circuit!"

Then he proceeded to miss ball after ball, playing against a machine.

"It was not meant to be," Price conceded. "Those honors belong to people like 11-year-old Junior Champion Table Tennis player AJ Brewer, and his 8-year-old brother, CJ.

"What do you need to know to be a great table tennis champion?" Price wondered.

"Getting the ball back, smashing the ball and serving," CJ responded. "Mostly, just getting the ball back and serving."