跳動的精靈
——乒乓

文/五花肉

跳動的精靈
——乒乓

Table Tennis: The Jumpy Fairy

文/五花肉

乒乓球源于19世紀的英國，1904年傳入中國，經過百余年的發展，乒乓成為中國的“國球”，贏得贊譽無數。比賽時，乒乓球在桌面上來回飛舞，儼然跳動的精靈。

Table tennis originated from the United Kingdom in 19th century and was introduced to China in 1904. Through hundreds of years' development, table tennis has become the national ball game in China and garners heaps of praise. The ball is bouncing back and forth across the table in the competition, which looks like a jumpy fairy.

源起紅酒軟木塞

Origin from the Cork

乒乓球運動的產生，純屬偶然。19世紀末的一天，倫敦兩個青年人到一家餐館吃飯，在等待侍者備餐時，他們進行了一種以雪茄盒蓋為器具，在餐桌上互相擊打紅酒瓶軟木塞的游戲……這項餐桌上的游戲，很快演變成為比賽項目，席卷倫敦。

Table tennis was invented quite by accident. One day in the late 19th century, two young men went out to a restaurant in London. When waiting for the food, they hit the red wine cork back and forth across a dining table, using the cigar case. This table game quickly evolved into a competition event and became popular in London.

后來，一位美國制造商以乒乓球撞擊時所發出的聲音創造出Ping-pong這個新詞，作為他制造的乒乓球專利注冊商標。隨著賽事的發展、工藝的進步，乒乓球比賽用球從最初的軟木塞不斷升級為空心橡膠球、賽璐珞粘合球等，最終演變為重2.72 g、直徑40 mm的無縫球，這一標準沿用至今。

Later, because of the sound produced by hitting the ball, an American manufacturer created new term ping-pong, which was also his patent and registered trademark. As the game and technology have progressed, the material of the ball developed from cork, rubber and celluloid, and finally evolved into a sphere has a mass of 2.72 g and a diameter of 40 mm. This ball standard is still used today.

偶遇藥店膠皮盤

Encounter Rubber Plate in Pharmacy

有了比賽用球，乒乓球愛好者們又開始為了五花八門、材質不一的球拍而煩惱。直到英國人古德的一次偶然發現，這一問題才得以圓滿解決。

After uniform the game ball, table tennis enthusiasts were troubled with choosing the rackets from different materials and styles. Thanks to an Englishman Gude's serendipitous idea, the racket problem was finally solved.

有一天，古德在回家途中到藥店買藥，當藥店老板將找回的零錢扔給他時，錢幣落在膠皮盤子上彈了起來。身為乒乓球愛好者的古德，頓時眼前一亮，向藥店老板買下了這個膠皮盤子，粘在自己的木質球拍上。后來，古德用這塊世界上第一個粘上膠皮的球拍參賽，從容地戰勝了所有的對手。

One day, Gude went to pharmacy on his way home. The coins were bouncing on the rubber plate when the cashier gave him change. As a table tennis fan, Gude was attracted to the rubber plate's material. He bought it and glued it on his wooden racket. Then Gude used the first rubber racket to vanquish all his opponents with ease.

發展到今天，國際乒聯對于比賽用球拍有著更嚴格的標準，如不少于85%天然木料，擊球拍面應用一層顆粒向外的普通顆粒膠覆蓋，連同粘合劑厚度不超過2 mm，球拍兩面必須無光澤，且一面為鮮紅色，另一面為黑色等等。

ITTF formulated stricter rules on the official ball. According to the ITTF regulations, at least 85% of the blade by thickness shall be of natural wood; a side of the blade used for striking the ball shall be covered with ordinary pimpled rubber, with pimples outwards having a total thickness including adhesive of not more than 2 mm; the blade shall be matt, one side of the blade must be red while the other side must be black.

膠皮球拍的發明，被視為乒乓運動的重要里程碑，以此為標準衍化出的各種乒乓球技戰術，徹底改變了冗長的比賽節奏，讓比賽更具觀賞性。

The invention of rubber racket is seen as a significant milestone. Various technique and tactics appear based on the use of rubber rackets, which completely changes the lengthy pace of the game and makes it more exciting.

結 語

Conclusion

“工欲善其事，必先利其器。”比賽用球和球拍的不斷進化，為乒乓球這個跳動的精靈賦予了更多的能量，從一個簡單的餐前游戲演化成為風靡全球的奧運競技項目。

As an old saying goes, Sharpen your tool before achieve your work. The evolution of ball and rackets endows more energy to this jumpy fairy. It has developed from a pre-dinner game to an Olympic event prevalent throughout the world..

（支持單位：上海市質量和標準化研究院）