USA Player of the Century
By Tim Boggan, USATT Historian

As you can see, in the necessarily short (and therefore far from career-embracive) paragraphs below, I’ve selected (limited myself to) 16 male and 16 female players, all U.S. citizens, who may well have claim to being the best of the U.S. best. I’m concerned here only with their play, though many of these players, including the ones I’ve picked as the greatest, have made substantial contributions to the Sport in other ways.

I include those who were already world-class when they arrived in this country (though only their U.S. Open records before they began living here), and leave it to readers to decide if these players can fairly be considered. I make no attempt to rank the players, which I consider an impossible task, and regret that I have to leave out some U.S. Singles and Doubles Champions whom others might legitimately wish to include. All these players, and many more, deserve to have their careers elaborated on, and of course I’m in the process of trying to do just that in my USATT Hall of Fame Profiles (see: www.usatt.org).

Who, finally, for me – and I consider results in international competition to be the most important criterion – are the greatest? Among the Men, Dick Miles. Among the Women, Ruth Aarons/Leah Neuberger (tie).

Naming the "USA Players of the Century" is a controversial job. No matter how you do it, it ends up being somewhat subjective. Do you focus on national titles? International titles? Great wins? Rankings? Impact on the game?

After much discussion with Tim Boggan and others, Tim and I agreed to focus on what they did on the table, both nationally and internationally. From this, we got our choices – and phone calls from those who thought we were wrong (or thought that he/she should have won). I’ve already heard an earful – it’s a no-win situation.

Yet, if you look at the records, these players have it. For example, there are players with comparable international records to Miles – but who weren’t close to his national record (10-time U.S. Men’s Champion). A few had somewhat comparable national records, but fell far short internationally.

There are several finalists who emigrated to the U.S. Only their record after they moved here is counted.

You can read longer profiles of most of these players at the USA Table Tennis web page at www.usatt.org, under the hall of fame listings.

Are the players chosen the "USA Players of the Century"? They are the picks of USA Table Tennis Magazine. Is it the final verdict? Not in the least! For those of you who disagree with our choices, and have your own nominee, send us a letter explaining why you think another person should be the nominee. We do have to limit letters to 300 words due to space limitations. Longer ones may be edited down or rejected. Send your own nominees to: Larry Hodges, Editor, USA Table Tennis Magazine, 8810 Walnut Hill Rd., Chevy Chase, MD 20815, or email to ttworld@erols.com.

Now … read on … you will be tested!

MEN:
Eric Boggan
*World #18
*World Eighth finalist
*U.S. Open MS Champion
*U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*5-time North American World Cup Rep
(defeats World Champion Jiang Jialiang)
*Seoul Open MS Runner-up
*Kimura (Swe.) Grand Prix MS Champion
*Stockholm Grand Prix MS Runner-up
*Norwegian Grand Prix MS Champion
*Swedish Grand Prix MS Champion
*English Open MS Quarterfinalist
*German Open MS Quarterfinalist
*Norwich Union Grand Prix MS Qualifier—4th
*Jamaica Lovebird MS Champion
*Middlesborough (Eng.) MS Champion
*Gateshead (Eng.) MS Champion
*Israeli Open MS Champion
*Scandinavian Junior Open Champion
*2-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*5-time U.S. Closed MS Runner-up
*U.S. Closed MD/XD Champion
*2-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Bernie Bukiet
*World MS Quarterfinalist
*3-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*3-time U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*6-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*5-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*3-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Jimmy Butler
*2-time Olympian
*World Team Cup MVP
*North American World Cup Rep
*North American MS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*2-time U.S. Closed MS Runner-up
*U.S. Closed MD Champion
*Sears Invitational Runner-up

Doug Cartland
*World MS Quarterfinalist
*2-time World MD Semifinalist
*U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Champion

Cheng Yinghua
*2-time U.S. Open MS/MD Champion
*U.S. Open XD Champion
*North American World Cup Rep
(defeats World Champion Gatien)
*North American MS Champion
*3-time North American MS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*2-time U.S. Closed MD/XD Champion

Erwin Klein
*World Mixed Doubles Champion
*World MS Eighthfinalist
*4-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*5-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*4-time CNE MS Champion

Dal Joon Lee
*6-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*U.S. Open Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Champion
*4-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Closed MS Runner-up
*6-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Jimmy McClure
*3-time World MD Champion
*World Men’s Team Champion
*World XD Quarterfinalist
*English Open MS/XD Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*(1936) U.S. Closed Runner-up

Dick Miles
*World Mixed Doubles Champion
*World MS Semifinalist
*3-time World MS Quarterfinalist
(twice leading World Champions in 5th)
*World MD Semifinalist
*World MD Quarterfinalist
*English Open XD Champion
*Leinster (Ire.) Open MS Champion
*10-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*3-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*7-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Sean O’Neill
*2-time Olympian
*North American World Cup Rep
*Pan Am MS Runner-up
*2-time Pan Am XD Champion
*North American MS Champion
*Western Japan Open MD Champion
*Record 18 Gold Medals at Olympic Festival
*5-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*U.S. Closed MS Runner-up
*5-time U.S. Closed MD/XD Champion

Lou Pagliaro
*World MS Semifinalist
*World MD Quarterfinalist
*4-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*4-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Marty Reisman
*World MS Semifinalist
*World MS Eighth finalist
*World MD/XD Semifinalist
*World MS Consolation Champion
*English Open MS Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MS Champion
*4-time U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*3-time CNE MS Champion
*Leinster (Ire.) Open Runner-up
*South America International MS Champion
*Saint Paulo Open MS Champion
*2-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Sol Schiff
*World MD Champion
*World Men’s Team Champion
(38-4 in ‘37-’38 Swaythling Cup play)
*World MS Consolation Champion
*World MD/XD Quarterfinalist
*English Open MD Champion
*U.S. Open MS Champion
*4-time U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*6-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*4-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*9-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*6-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*(1936) U.S. Closed MS Champion
*5-time CNE MS Champion
*3-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Danny Seemiller
*World #29
(63-1 in Swaythling Cup 2nd Division Play)
*World MD Quarterfinalist
*North American World Cup Rep
*4-time Western Japan Open MS Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*U.S. Open MD/XD Runner-up
*Jamaica Benson/Hedges MS, MD, XD Champion
*Middlesex (Eng.) MS/MD Champion
*Canadian Open MS Runner-up/MD winner
*5-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed MS Runner-up
*11-time U.S. Closed MD Champion
*7-time U.S. Closed XD Champion
*CNE 10-time MS finalist, 1973-83
*6-time Eastern Open MS Champion

Johnny Somael
*World MS/MD/XD Quarterfinalist
*U.S. Open MS Champion
*3-time U.S. Open MS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open MD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open MD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Runner-up

David Zhuang
*Olympian
*Pan-Am MS Champion
*U.S. Open XD Champion
*3-time U.S. Closed MS Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed MD Champion
*6-time U.S. Closed XD Champion

WOMEN:
Ruth Aarons
*World WS Champion
*World WS Finalist
(Finalists Disqualified)
*World Women’s Team Champion
(23-1 in ‘36-’37 Corbillon Cup Play)
*World WD Semifinalist
*World XD Quarterfinalist
*English Open WS/XD Champion
*English Open WD Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Open WS/XD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up

Sharon Acton
*U.S. Open WS Champion
*3-time U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open XD Champion

Insook Na Bhushan
*2-time Olympian
*U.S. Open WS Champion
*U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*3-time Pan Am WS Champion
*2-time Pan Am XD Champion
*Pan Am WD Champion
*2-time Jamaica Lovebird WS/WD Champion
*Jamaica Lovebird WS Runner-up
*Irish Open WS Runner-up
*German Open WS Quarterfinalist
*3-time North American WS Champion
*11-time U.S. Closed WS Champion
(also won U.S. Closed event in ‘76 U.S. Open)
*2-time U.S. Closed WS Runner-up
*5-times-straight CNE WS Champion
*4-time Eastern Open WS Champion

Patty Martinez Cash
*3-time U.S. Open WS Champion
*4-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open XD Champion

Jun Gao Chang
*U.S. Open WS Champion
*U.S. Open WD Champion
*Pan Am WS Champion
*English Open WS Semifinalist
*North American WS Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed WD Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed XD Champion

Bernice Charney Chotras
*2-time U.S. Open Champion
(17 years apart)
*2-time U.S. Open WS/WD Runner-up

Amy Feng
*Olympian
*U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*North American WS Champion
*2-time North American Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Closed WS Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed WD Champion
*4-time U.S. Closed XD Champion
*CNE WS/WD/XD Champion

Peggy McLean Folke
*World Women’s Team Champion
*World XD Semifinalist
*World WS Consolation Champion
*English Open WS/XD Champion
*U.S. Open WS/XD Champion
*U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*2-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*4-time Eastern Open WS Champion

Emily Fuller
*World Women’s Team Champion
*World XD Semifinalist
*2-time U.S. Open WS/WD Champion
*U.S. Open WS/WD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Champion
*3-time Eastern Open WS Champion

He-ja Lee
*U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*Jamaica Lovebird WD, XD Champion
*3-time U.S. Closed Champion
*3-time U.S. Closed Runner-up

Reba Kirson Monness
World WD Runner-up
*U.S. Open WS/XD Champion
*2-time U.S. Open WS/XD Runner-up
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up

Leah Thall Neuberger
*World XD Champion
*World WS Semifinalist
*World WS Quarterfinalist
*World WS Eighthfinalist
*3-time World WD Semifinalist
*2-time World WD Quarterfinalist
World WS Consolation Runner-up
*9-time U.S. Open WS Champion
*4-time U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*12-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*7-time U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*8-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*5-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*11-time CNE WS Champion
13-time Eastern Open WS Champion

Sally Green Prouty
*5-time U.S. Open WS Champion
*3-time U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*4-time U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*5-time U.S. Open XD Champion
*3-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up
*multi-time Western Open WS Champion

Mildred Shahian
*World Women’s Team Champion
*English Open WS Champion
*2-time U.S. Open WS Champion
*3-time U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*6-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*7-time U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*U.S. Open XD Champion
*3-time U.S. Open XD Runner-up

"Tybie" Thall Sommer
*World XD Champion
*World Women’s Team Champion
*World WS/WD Semifinalist
*World WS Eighthfinalist
*English Open WD/XD Champion
*3-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up

Connie Stace Sweeris
*U.S. Open WS Champion
*U.S. Open WS Runner-up
*3-time U.S. Open WD Champion
*U.S. Open WD Runner-up
*4-time U.S. Open XD Champion