Nobody in the West really cares about table tennis, which is why Wally Green isn’t a household name.
I mention the West because, as we all know, Asians not only love the sport but are masters of it. The Chinese, for example, are on another level entirely. Have you seen them play? It's incredible.
Anyway, back to Wally.
His story is not about winning competitions, but about winning at life.
Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.
— Dan Reeves, football coach
To be clear, Wally represented the United States in over 35 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) pro tours around the world, but he has never won a major competition.
However, what makes his journey inspirational is how he overcame an abusive father, gangs, and hiding guns, to direct his anger towards competitive sports and create hilarious memories around the world.
After all, how often do Black people play table tennis in North Korea? 😂
In fact, never mind Black people playing table tennis in North Korea—I don’t know anybody who has been there.
North Korea is bonkers 🇰🇵
In theory, I’d like to visit North Korea.
It’s a morbid fascination.
Where are all the people and why are the roads so empty?
I’d like to see what’s actually going on there.
Wouldn't you?
The handful of people who’ve been there make it sound like theatre, in that North Koreans appear to follow a script.
Like it's all staged.
Which is probably why tourists are accompanied by a tour guide at all times and prohibited from leaving their hotel.
Why?
'Everything says: do not go to North Korea'
Check these fans at the 2018 Winter Oympics. It's bizarre.
North Korea is a religion. We are told that Kim is a god and that he knows what you are thinking and how many hairs are on your head. It is the only country which talks about 'thought crime'—even thinking is a crime.
— Yeonmi Park, North Korean defector
North Korea is kinda like some sort of social experiment.
🎙️ Podcast episode
I really, really enjoyed this conversation with Wally. My favourite bits are when he was sent to Nigeria and experienced racism, and, of course, the whole North Korean thing.
