美国老乒乓球运动员回顾40年前与中国队员的比赛情景和经历。

戴尔•斯威里斯（Dell Sweeris）一直记得中国乒乓球1972年对美国进行的那次历史性访问；在一场友谊表演赛中，他是唯一获胜的美国队员，而这也许是作为世界最优秀乒乓球选手的那些中国运动员发扬了优良的体育风格。斯威里斯说，他的对手梁戈亮“让我发挥了自己的最佳水平以便能够战胜他”。（见上图，位于前面的是斯威里斯。）

那是一个“乒乓外交”的时代。美国乒乓球队于1971年访问了中国, 而后理查德•尼克松（Richard Nixon）总统于次年前往中国。几个月后，中国乒乓球队赴美国访问。

斯威里斯结识了包括张燮林在内的几位中国乒乓队球员。他把张燮林称为“乒乓球传奇人物”。许多年以后，在悉尼举行的夏季奥运会上，张燮林认出斯威里斯，于是拍了拍他的肩膀。斯威里斯说：“这种感觉就像是坐在扬基体育场（Yankee Stadium）准备观看世界棒球系列赛的时候，乔•迪马吉奥（Joe DiMaggio）或贝比•鲁斯（Babe Ruth）过来拍了你的肩膀。”

斯威里斯和他的妻子康妮（1971年的乒乓队球员）都将是12月中旬为纪念乒乓外交40周年去中国访问的代表团的成员。

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During the days of “pingpong diplomacy,” Dell Sweeris was the only American to win a table tennis match against a Chinese opponent when the Chinese team visited the United States in 1972.

Dell Sweeris remembers the historic visit of the Chinese table tennis team to the United States in 1972; he was the only American to win an exhibition match. It may have been good sportsmanship on the part of the Chinese, the best players in the world. Opponent Liang Geliang “allowed me to play my best game in order to be able to beat him,” Sweeris said. (The two are shown above, with Sweeris in the foreground.)

It was the era of “pingpong diplomacy.” The U.S. table tennis team traveled to China in 1971, followed by President Richard Nixon’s visit the following year. A few months later the Chinese team toured America.

Sweeris got to know several Chinese players, including Zhang Xielin, whom he calls “a legend in table tennis.” Many years later, at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Zhang recognized Sweeris and tapped him on the shoulder. “That would be like sitting at Yankee Stadium, getting ready to watch the World Series, and having Joe DiMaggio or Babe Ruth tap you on the shoulder,” Sweeris said.

Sweeris and his wife, Connie (a 1971 team member), are part of a delegation going to China in mid-December for the 40th anniversary of pingpong diplomacy.