The champion courts recognition; the hustler flees it. Only one sport is so obscure yet so popular that an ace can play both roles simultaneously. The game is Ping Pong; the hustling ace is Marty Reisman. Even in the '50s, when Reisman held the U.S. singles and doubles titles, he was unknown to more than a handful of table tennis freaks. To supplement his income, he played exhibition matches between halves of the Globetrotters' basketball games and conned wealthy amateurs into believing that they could beat him if he gave away 19 points and sat in...
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