Site Products

Seemiller – The American: 2020 Trials Feature

Posted on

Seemiller: The American

(by Steve Hopkins)

One of the most storied players in American table tennis history, Dan Seemiller.  He first qualified for the US Team in 1972, was the top ranked player in the country by 1974, won five US National Championships, and logged an amazing international record that at one point included completing two consecutive World Team Championships without losing a match.  Later in his career, he became a highly decorated and successful coach, a tournament promoter and director, an author, and he also served as President of USTTA.

The signature grip and style that bears his name is still referred to by many internationally as “the American grip”.  Seemiller is the quintessential “American” player – with emotion and grit and heart.

In February, as Dan was training for the Olympic Trials, he began posting memories to his Facebook page.  Over the next few weeks, we are going to share some of those photos and quotes in this series “Seemiller – The American”:

________________________________________________________

Earlier this year CBS News did a feature on my efforts to try and make the 2020 Olympic Team. Unfortunately I did not make it losing 4-3 and 15-13 in the final game in the 2nd qualifying round.
The CBS crew headed by Sean Herbert visited my home, workout gym and club here in South Bend.  They then flew a crew to Ft. Worth for the U.S. Open.  I can’t thank them enough for the professional job they did. This was shown nationwide on December 30th during the CBS Morning Show.
Also thanks to Ron Weber for making the initial contact.

 

Latest News

Reverse Serves

March 23, 2026
(By Larry Hodges, Member of US Table Tennis Hall of Fame Many players have at least one strong… Read More

Strong Start for Americans at WTT Youth Contender Houston

March 22, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Houston is host of the WTT Youth Contender Series event this week and… Read More

WAB CLUB FEATURE: Saint Louis Table Tennis Club

March 22, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins) Arch Pickleball and Badminton Club has been in operation in Bridgeton, Missouri – a suburb to the… Read More

A Ninth Title for Miwa Harimoto

March 19, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, lower photo WTT) It can be tough to remember how young she is because of… Read More

China Has Biggest Movers in Men’s Rankings

March 19, 2026
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) With five players currently in the top 20 and a strangle hold on… Read More

Coaching Opportunity – PongPlanet Table Tennis Club (San Francisco Bay Area, California)

March 18, 2026
(By PongPlanet) PongPlanet Table Tennis Club in the San Francisco Bay Area, California is currently seeking a professional… Read More

🎥 Episode 6: Ask The Expert Live With Logan Rietz | How do you select the right equipment?

March 18, 2026
(by Bowmar Sports) Choosing the right table tennis equipment can feel overwhelming especially when you're just starting out.… Read More

🎥 Episode 5: Ask The Expert Live With Logan Rietz | Decoding Equipment Specifications

March 17, 2026
(by Bowmar Sports) In this live session of Ask the Expert Logan’s breaks down understanding Table Tennis Rubber… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.