Marty Reisman: The Table Tennis Player Who Inspired 'Marty Supreme'
In the 1940s and 1950s, table tennis in New York City was a subculture encompassing diverse individuals, including gamblers, medical professionals, actors, and students. These individuals competed or wagered on matches at venues such as Lawrence's, a table tennis parlor in midtown Manhattan. Players could earn significant cash sums during a single night. Marty Reisman, a young player, became a prominent figure in this environment.
His playing style was noted for its intensity and speed. According to author Jerome Charyn's book, Sizzling Chops and Devilish Spins: Ping-Pong and the Art of Staying Alive, an individual referred to as "the shirt king" described Reisman's shots as "bullets."
The recent film Marty Supreme depicts this historical setting. The character Marty Mauser, a table tennis player portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, draws inspiration from Reisman's life.
Reisman, known by the nickname "The Needle" due to his slender build, represented the United States in international tournaments. He accumulated over 20 major titles, which include the 1949 English Open and two U.S. Open championships.
Reisman expressed a deep commitment to the game, detailing in his 1974 memoir, The Money Player: The Confessions of America's Greatest Table Tennis Champion and Hustler, that he was drawn to table tennis because it "involved anatomy and chemistry and physics."
Noteworthy Conduct and Background
Reisman was recognized for his distinctive, assertive playing style and his presentation, often appearing in suits and hats. Khaleel Asgarali, a professional player and owner of Washington, D.C. Table Tennis, observed Reisman at tournaments and noted his charisma and style.
In 1949, during the English Open, Reisman and fellow American player Dick Miles relocated from their assigned London hotel to a more expensive one. They incurred charges for room service and other services, then attempted to bill these expenses to the English Table Tennis Association. When the association declined payment, the players indicated they would not participate in scheduled exhibition matches, which were already sold out. The officials subsequently agreed to cover the costs but later fined both players $200 and issued an "indefinite" suspension from sanctioned worldwide table tennis for violating the sport's "courtesy code."
Reisman grew up on Manhattan's Lower East Side. His father was a taxi driver and a gambler. Reisman described his family's financial situation as frequently difficult. His parents separated when he was 10. His mother, an immigrant from the Soviet Union, worked as a waitress and later in a garment factory. At age 14, Reisman moved to live with his father at the Broadway Central Hotel.
According to Leo Leigh, director of the documentary Fact or Fiction: The Life and Times of a Ping Pong Hustler, Reisman engaged in hustling. Leigh recounted an anecdote from Reisman about attending hotel weddings to obtain meals when he needed food, dressing in his best suit and blending in.
Reisman experienced panic attacks from age nine. He stated that playing table tennis provided relief from his anxiety, writing that the game "so engrossed me, so filled my days, that I did not have time to worry." Leigh also commented on the game serving as an "escape, a meditation" for Reisman.
Reisman aimed to achieve global recognition in table tennis, stating his aspiration to be comparable to figures like Einstein, Hemingway, or Joe Louis in his field. He noted that table tennis champions were widely respected in Europe and Asia. His memoir includes a true account of Polish table tennis champion Alojzy "Alex" Ehrlich, who was recognized and spared by Nazi guards while imprisoned at Auschwitz. In contrast, table tennis in the U.S. was generally perceived as a recreational activity played in private residences, with New York City being an exception where substantial sums were wagered on the sport, despite its limited official standing.
Reisman displayed a theatrical style during matches, which included acrobatic shots and demonstrations, such as breaking a cigarette with a slam.
Impact on Filmmaking and Rule Changes
Josh Safdie, co-writer and director of Marty Supreme, played table tennis with his father in New York City. Safdie stated that the sport assisted him with ADHD, requiring intense focus and precision. His great uncle, who played at Lawrence's, shared stories of individuals he encountered there, including Reisman's competitor, Dick Miles.
Safdie discovered Reisman's memoir in a thrift store. He read it while concluding work on his 2019 film Uncut Gems. Safdie drew a parallel between Reisman's dedication to becoming a table tennis champion, despite a lack of widespread respect for the sport, and his own experience with the challenges and limited initial support for the Uncut Gems project.
In 1952, Japanese player Hiroji Satoh introduced a new type of racket featuring thick foam rubber at the World Championships, which he won. This innovation changed the dynamics of the game. Reisman noted that this sponge rubber altered the ball's trajectory, causing "eerie flights" and unpredictable spin variations, sometimes lacking spin or being overpoweringly spun.
Khaleel Asgarali stated that Reisman preferred the traditional hardbat sound and became less competitive after the introduction of the sponge racket. Leigh reported that Reisman frequently discussed how the rubber bat affected his game, engaging in extensive conversations with academics and writers about this change.
In 1958, Reisman acquired the Riverside Table Tennis Club on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a venue frequented by notable individuals. In 1997, at age 67, he won the United States Hardbat Championship.
Marty Reisman died in 2012 at the age of 82. A New York Times profile published less than a year before his death bore the headline, "A Throwback Player, With a Wardrobe to Match."