As reported in Caribbean Life, Roosevelt Islander, the late George Braithwaite, was honored in the dedication of three table tennis tables in Capobianco Park. The ceremony took place on October 23rd.
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
Honoring Table Tennis Legend, Roosevelt Islander George Braithwaite
“This was a man who played for Prime Minister Chou-in-Lai and Chairman Mao-Tse Tung of the People’s Republic of China and President Richard Nixon, as part of the so-called ping pong diplomacy in 1971 that helped put an end to the international isolation of China, thereby changing the course of history.”
Ten-Pow, former president of the UN Tennis Club, Quoted in Caribbean Life
(The Roosevelt Island Daily thanks Sylvan Klein for reporting these stories.)
“George was an outstanding table tennis player, but we’re also honoring his memory here today because he was an outstanding human being,” Ten-Pow added.
Although we reported this ceremony earlier, for reasons known only to them, RIOC neither acknowledged the event nor the dedication.
Coincidentally…
Klein also dug up an intriguing article from the New York Times. From 2010: Open & Shut, Chronicle of a Changing City.
The opening piece reports on Braithwaite’s visit to Sportspark and how the Hall of Fame table tennis legend showed off his skills. A pioneer, he’d lived on Roosevelt Island for 35 years at the time.
Equally attention getting, the “Shut” part noted that, in five days, the original Roosevelt Island Tram would shut down for a near complete rebuild.
Just for fun, a trip you will never take… crossing over to Roosevelt Island on the original Tram…
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The Line That Didn’t Land
I stood in the back of Good Shepherd Chapel on the evening of April 15, 2026, at the Steam Plant Demolition Town Hall, watching people adjust scarves and jackets before the meeting began. Benjamin Jones, President and CEO of RIOC, thanked us for attending and, without a pause, said he was “pleased to host tonight’s town hall on the city’s demolition of its steam plant.” The demolition, in other words, was not up for discussion.
