Last week the news of Cornelius E. “Neil” Smyth passing away evoked great emotion in all of us here. Neil was an amazing man who made great contributions to the sport of table tennis during his lifetime. Before he even made his impact on this sport though he lived an incredible life with a unique career path. While his love of sports and involvement in our favorite sport table tennis is the primary reason that we all knew about Neil, his life was so much more. So today we will remember Neil Smyth the man and the table tennis lover.
- Education – Neil Smyth’s education was very important to him. He was dedicated to his higher education and school. In 1946 he graduated from the Wharton School of Business of University of Pennsylvania. When he graduated, he did so as a member of the NROTC. He then went on to make great achievements in his professional life.
- Career – The first job that Neil Smyth held was in Cairo, Egypt with the Navy. He was the youngest officer in Navy history to hold the office of Assistant Naval Attache’. Even after Smyth was released to inactive duty, he continued in the Reserves. He was an Internal Auditor for Pan Am Airways, and then moved on to the Intercontinental Hotels Corporation to serve as the Chief Accountant. Puerto Rico held his next position as the CFO of El Conquistador Hotels. Later he ended up in Las Vegas and served many different positions at both Caesars Palace and Sands Hotel & Casino. He helped to revolutionize many of the softwares used in casinos and hotels.
- Personal – Family was very important to Neil Smyth as well. With his first wife, who lost her battle with cancer, they had six children. He is survived by those six children, a wife, and two step-children. The family also includes 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
- Table Tennis – The sport of table tennis was another passion for Neil Smyth. He actually co-founded the US National Table Tennis Championships. He is also a part of the US Table Tennis Hall of Fame and the California Table Tennis Hall of Fame. He served as the President of the Las Vegas Table Tennis Association, Vice President of the US Table Tennis Foundation, and more.
