Beer pong tournament this weekend in Pleasantville

Thursday January 17, 2013 12:00 PM By Amanda Koval

Photo credit: Warren Rosenberg | Max Wang, pictured, was a semifinalist in the Westchester Table Tennis Center December open. Wang is one of the top players in the New York area.

Like pingpong? Like beer? You're in luck, because the Westchester Table Tennis Center in Pleasantville is hosting an official Beer Pong Competition on Saturday. All you need to do is show up and chug two beers in 20 minutes and you’re ready to play.

“It’s the first time anyone has ever done this, and I’m proud of it,” said Will Shortz, the owner of the club and crossword editor of the New York Times. “The point is to have an interesting social occasion.”

The Table Tennis Center, which has more than 240 members, from preteens to 80-somethings, claims to be a “mini United Nations” of sport because of the diverse backgrounds of members. Some paddlers of note include pro Robert Roberts, a three-time table tennis champion in the Caribbean and a top U.S. player, as well as Rawle Alleyne, who coached the Barbados National team for 15 years.

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For his part, Shortz has played at more than 159 U.S. Table Tennis Clubs in 39 states and at 46 clubs across 19 countries. As far as he knows, he holds the record for playing at the most table tennis clubs in the United States.

“Table tennis is a great social game," Shortz said. "There are few sports where you can talk to your opponents during the match, and I thought beer pong would make for a great social activity.”

The beer pong tournament takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19. All players must be 21 or older, and the entrance fee, which includes beer, is $25 per person. Awards will be given to the top players in each event. For a full list of game rules and to register, visit the website (www.westchestertabletennis.com) or call 914-741-0738.

The Westchester Table Tennis, at 175 Tompkins Ave. in Pleasantville, is open daily and costs $10 a day for adults and $5 for people under 20.

Tags: Pleasantville , beer pong , Westchester , events