Photos: Pingpong seniors

Pollyanna Chow, 56, plays table tennis at Langley Senior Center in Monterey Park. Seniors citizens play pingpong here 12 hours a day, five days a week.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Hein Thorn, 74, left, Yee Ho, 78, sitting on the side chat as others play table tennis. Framed Chinese calligraphy hanging on a wall counsels peace: “Be deferential to each other” is the approximate translation of one phrase. “Don’t get mad, live longer,” another advised.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

About 300 Chinese senior citizens from all over the San Gabriel Valley have been trading strokes at the Monterey Park Ping Pong Club at Langley Senior Center for the last 25 years.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Houzhengt Wu, 73, plays table tennis. Points, wins or losses don’t matter much here. Players track one another’s ages more closely than they do the scores of games. Older competitors command more respect.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)