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This book in my hand is actually very rare
it's English title is Table tennis legends, on it's cover, a legendary guy of this sport, Jan Ove Waldner can be found.
I can tell you, even I can show you who is also legendary in this sport, he's the one whom Waldner always mentioned as his exemplar, Klampár Tibor.
He is just right now 50 years old.
What we are talking about here, and the fact we are visiting him, not only this festive occasion, but it will turn out!
I have been visiting the Statisztika already 3 months, I help the girls, they are really very nice with me,
I can only applaud them. I try to help them,
by telling them different things about the sport, maybe like no other coach
and they really wonder what kind of things I can even notice.
Of course I notice, from outside it is easy to notice the mistakes.
He feels himself well for now, and the experiences of the past 2-3 months show that there is no problem at all with him.
He was a brilliant skilled player, who was far ahead from his time with his game style.
On the other hand, I knew very few players, who behave with such humility for the game.
This conscientiousness is reflected in that fact, that he is the first person who arrives to the trainings. When I asked him, why is he here one hour before the training, he answered:
Laci, I get used to it, and what if something went wrong with may car, or the traffic.
I always want to be here half hour before the training, I have to prepare, and I simply never like to late.
Tibi is such a childlike spirit, which he preserved even at the age of 50, not only during the game, but also in his life outside the table.
When he stepped to the table, the only important thing for him was the game.
and the competition, and it is still so important for him at the age of 50. This is a sacrosant thing.
I was 18 when I first met with a Chinese, and we beat them.
After it, they brought new teams, it was easy for them, there were material,
supposedly 40-50 million people played there already.
So, a new Chinese came, and he stared me as I stared the great Lenin statue, with such a big amazement
his hands were shaking during the game, I saw it on his serve, when he tossed the ball.
When I won the World Cup against the left-handed Xie Saike, there were 12 thousand viewers, full house.
He was leading 2-0, but I won the third set 20-18, the fourth as well easily, in the final set I led by 18:14,
and I started to think I can win this, so than he came up
Than thank god, the Chinese got scared, and dropped two balls.
He was banned for a long time, and it cost him for example a world championship, a team world championship,
because in the world championship in Calcutta, Jónyer and Gergely won the doubles. Klampár couldn't take part,
but I am sure we would win the double, because Jónyer would played with Klampár. So eventually not only he lost a lot with the bann, but also the whole sport.
Now I think, it was a great mistake to restrict him,
he loved money, he did everything for the money; if there was a prized competition in Australia in the Summer,
he started to prepare immediately for that, and went out, the other players went on holiday instead.
So, money was very important for him, that's why I think he had to be penalty financial instead of banning.
I calculated that, I have been banned for 4 years overall, and it is a huge time in a carrier, even when I was on the top
Once I won a 14 k cup in the USA, or something like that.
My father was huckster, and he wondered how many rings can be made from it, it was ridiculous.
That was the last of that competition which was organized, so they wanted to get back the challenge-cup,
and I said I won't give it back. After three months of procrastination
I gave it back, because they said I would be banned. However, they banned me otherwise.
So, it was a mistake to give it back. They did stupid things, because we could win the team competition in Calcutta, or at least we could be in the final.
Well, I remember when the team was third in Birmingham, I am sure you remember too, it was really a shame.
So we finished the third place, and I took the team in the cinema, during the final,
because who cares, we saw a lot of table tennis. We didn't manage to get back for the announcement of results,
it was a big ballyhoo, Berczik Zoli, Frank Béla and Molnár Jani stood on the podium.
The journalist, Hámori Tibor wrote an article in the Népsport: instead of ping pong, King Kong.
So overall it was a big shame, and there were a great fuss in Hungary, because of the third place ot the team,
but I think it was a great result to be in the four in t world championship.
I don't know exactly what should I do among these people?
Those people, who were clever that time, for example Grubba, Secretain, Surbek and the others, they went out to the Bundes League
and they earn a tremendous amount of money, firstly playing in a team, secondly, they contract for advertisements with companies.
So I think Tibi missed a great opportunity,
can tell you right now, we used to speak a lot of about the fact, that he should have bounced,
because that 5-6 years he has left from his career, he could benefit from it a lot outside. He did not waste money,
he could save some money, and right now, he wouldn't be at the mercy of table tennis.
Maybe he also plays table tennis right now, but among much better conditions, so all in all, I think he had to defect foreign,
because he didn't have the opportunity to travel out among normal circumstances.
He was contracted that time with Butterfly, of course it wasn't a legal agreement, at that time it was impossible.
He earned 3000 DEM from Butterfly, but at the same time, Surbek or Grubba, who played in the Bundesliga, earned 50-60.000 DEM, which is a lot of money.
So I think it was a great mistake not to go out, and the opportunities at home was very limited.
My father and also my brother told me that I had to bounce, well I was 17-18 years old, it is true, we had already won the WC in Nagoya,
but I simply couldn't defect, because I loved very much my friends, my relatives, my mother and father, so everybody were here.
I just could't imagine beeing outside alone, I was just a kid that time, 18 years old, no language knowledge; but now I think I should have to bounce, if I can start it over, I am 1000 percent sure I would bounce.
I feel sorry, that such a world-class player, who is the exemplar of Waldner, Waldner even would say, that Klampar was a god.
So such a player won only two world championships, but he could won even twelve, at least as much as Waldner won. Ont he top of it, I feel sorry, that he couldn't earn more money,
because he didn't go out, and now, above 50 he has to play, because in this way, he is at the mercy of table tennis.
He was even there, in 1988, in Seoul at the olympia, even he was the best Hungarian player, he played semi-final at the age of 35.
Check it out, how he serves, and what a teacher he is!
He puts the ball out there, and than switches side, and how he sends the opponent away, he can't even arrive back.
Klampár Tibor. Dortmund was not included in his dreams anymore.
And he was the best Hungarian player again! Far the best!
He was there naturally, because his old supporter, the Butterfly company, said goodbye to him there.
As a discharge money he earned 1,5 million Forint, because he was the past one and the half decade's far most successful advertising people.
I play in Békés, I have a fixed payment there, we live from it, and from what my wife earns.
Thank god, I perform well in double as well, I feel I don't play so good in single, but I won 3:0 hardly.
I've been trying to prepare myself recently so that I do not think directly the games.
I really don't think about it, because I can't even sleep.
Reporter: -How did you sleep?
-Not very good, because I got up at 1 am to start the car, because I was told it would be -20 degrees, but it starts for first time, so as well in the morning.
So I calmed down, if it have not started, I would be beaten today. Unfortunately I am such a insane in things like these.
Reporter: - But you did'nt lose. You won all your 4 matches. With your 24 victories you are the second most effective player in the second league.
You will be 50 in April.
I bought this racket one and a half year ago, a very old and beautiful Stiga.
It has an original Ehrlich Stiga handle, I was asked why it is cut like this.
But it is originally made like this. Well, this is my work device, and it is a very pleasant one.
I bought is very expensive, from a table tennis player guy, called Takács Janika, I was such a fool, and I praised it,
although I should have said, that it is not a big deal. Well, I said that I pay for it 300-400 DEM.
He said no, it is worth more thousand DEM, than we finally agreed in 120 thousand HUF
but I paid the amount, because it is very bad to play with another player's bat, because he can ask it back anytime.
There is such a memory about it, my brother borrowed me a similar bat but a that was a bit smaller,
and I was playing with it several years, and I also paid for it 500 forint per month, as a rent fee.
But suddenly we had a quarrel, and he took the bat back. I stood there without a bat.
I was thinking about a Klampár school foundation, he is the only one from the old big team,
and will likely to play another 20 years, because he doesn't have other opportunity, ha has been earning a living from table tennis so far,
he is a very conscientious, trustworthy guy, so I want him to be involved to the work.
The hall is ready, he can hit the ball with the children as a coach even as a full time job, he has the necessary documents, so I think he is suitable, and he is forced to it.
Unfortunatly Klampár Tibi is not the only one from the former world-class players,
who now certainly do not live very brightly, because they don't have other choice.
There are maybe more hundred players, who travel to Austria or Germany at the age of 40-50 to play table tennis at the weekends for pennys, it is not a big income, but it is enough them right now, and they are satisfied with it.
But what will happen after a few years, when they put down the bat, and they cannot sell themselves anymore, what are they going to do then?
Perhaps the situation for Tibi is not so bad right now, he doesn't have to fight for existence,
we have 1-2 years to put him back through his impact on young people, for example he can help them.
Right now he plays a role in coaching the women's National Team in the Statisztika.
We hope he will get used to coaching after a while, and we also hope Tibi will play an important role as a coach, and he can be involved in some way to the Hungarian table tennis.
It seems to me it is possible, that Tibi could grow up in this situation, and this condition could be permanent, and the child's soul will be enforced only during breaks and dressing room.
Unfortunately, I immediately jump when someone hurts me, I answer back drastically.
I don't count to ten, not even to three.
I really would like to become a coach, this is the dream of my life, and I don't really want to give up playing table tennis.
Man always ask me, how long do I want to play, I answered till I can, till I damaged
and as long as I feel I am at the same level with the guys, I mean I can win matches.
Someone ask me: HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY?
There are two ways to ask. These kind of questions always hurt me, and I answered as long as your mother lives. What should I say in this situation?
If someone ask me nicely, I answered him I will play as long as my health condition permits, and I feel I don't have to shame.
I don't know it exactly, but maybe it was 35 years ago, when Várkonyi László, who discovered Klampár Tibor, and Tibi was here, not in this studio here where I sit,
but eventually the studio of the Hungarian Television. I still can remember the young man, who was brought by Várkonyi László,
and who was already a star in the hungarian table tennis sport, whom I couldn't make to say a world.
He was invited because of the youth athlete of the year award, but he gave only one-word answers. Finally I asked him, Tibi what would you like to become,
but he didn't say a single word, I finally asked him : don't you want to become a television sports reporter, because I just didn't know what should I ask.
Well, since then he speaks more, and now he is almost 50, let me greet him from here.
This whole report has a bit sad tone, because as I mentioned in the introduction the athlete of living term,
not he is the only who is forced to play, regardless of the age
and aching limbs, wrist, knee joints and so on.
And they have to play even over the age of 40, because during his carrier they couldn't save enough to live safely and quietly. Nowadays the best athletes get annuity,
but who couldn't make success during his career, can be in the same situation as Klampár. He plays well even now, and I am sure
he can teach a lot.
Szilvásy György under-secretary informed us, that they will decide about the new sport hall in April,
where Klampár can teach the emerging young generation in the Heraklész program,
and as he says, another ten years should be enough when his effort of work will be visible.