John Donnelly
Encyclopedia
John W. Donnelly is a National Senior Games Champion and a gold medal winner in Florida Senior Games State Championships in table tennis
. Born in Iowa
, he began playing the game in high school. In the 1920s after college, he became a stock broker
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and quit the game for 30 years. He moved to Florida
in 1980 and founded the table tennis club at Sun City Center in the same year. On June 10, 2001 he married at the age of 95; his wife is his junior by 26 years.
He appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 8 May 2006, and challenged Leno
to a game of table tennis. Donnelly also took the opportunity to read an original poem about love and the older generation.
He is involved in volunteer activities at his local church, Rotary Club and Samaritan Services, where he is responsible for making sure people who cannot drive are able to attend their medical appointments.
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
. Born in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, he began playing the game in high school. In the 1920s after college, he became a stock broker
Stock broker
A stock broker or stockbroker is a regulated professional broker who buys and sells shares and other securities through market makers or Agency Only Firms on behalf of investors...
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and quit the game for 30 years. He moved to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1980 and founded the table tennis club at Sun City Center in the same year. On June 10, 2001 he married at the age of 95; his wife is his junior by 26 years.
He appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on 8 May 2006, and challenged Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
to a game of table tennis. Donnelly also took the opportunity to read an original poem about love and the older generation.
He is involved in volunteer activities at his local church, Rotary Club and Samaritan Services, where he is responsible for making sure people who cannot drive are able to attend their medical appointments.