You think hitting a fastball is hard — try hitting a tiny plastic ball coming at you from 15 feet, moving 80 to 85 mph, with 8,000 rotations per minute. You only have one-tenth of a second to react.

This is table tennis at the elite level.

Friday, more than 1,000 table-tennis players representing five continents will convene in the Baltimore Convention Center to participate in the country’s largest and oldest table-tennis tournament, the Stiga North American Teams Tournament.

There is more than $16,000 in prize money to be awarded, and the event attracts the best in the sport, including former world champions and Olympians.

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The tournament moved from Detroit to Baltimore in 1998, when then-Johns Hopkins University student Richard Lee, currently president of NATT, caught wind of its closing and organized the relocation.

“Every year we sell out the Hyatt and spill into the Days Inn,” said Alan Williams, marketing director of North American Table Tennis Association. “I don’t know the figures, but I’m sure the economic impact of the event is significant” for Baltimore.

Past audiences have reached 1,200 to 1,500 viewers.

The elite players are full-time athletes who train 12 hours a day, six days a week, said Williams.

The participants in this weekend’s tournament will range from 8 to 80 years old.

“Ages 16 to 26 are the competitive years for table tennis players,” Williams said. “After that, you’re not quick enough to compete.”

Jim Mossberg of Laurel has played table tennis since college and plays three times a week at the Baltimore Table Tennis Club in Randallstown.

“I look forward to a lot of playing this weekend,” Mossberg said, “playing a lot of different people and different styles.”

“Television hates our sport,” said Williams.

“The ball is too small and moves so fast ... but I guarantee if you see it in person you’ll get hooked.”

mmccarron@baltimoreexaminer.com