John Donnelly

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John W. Donnelly was born September 23, 1906 in Iowa. He is a National Senior Games Champion and a gold medal winner in Florida Senior Games State Championships in table tennis. He began playing the game in high school. In the 1920's 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.