They were destined to cross paths eventually. Mikhail Zaretsky was born in Belarus in 1961. A table tennis prodigy, Zaretsky won the Belarusian Junior Championship at age 17. He is now the President of SAEF, the Sport & Art Educational Foundation, an American nonprofit which works to bring the therapeutic benefits of table tennis to those suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. Wayne Gretzky was born in Canada in the same year, his name reflecting his father and first hockey coach Walter's Belarusian ancestry. Gretzky grew up to be greatest hockey player of all time, perhaps the only inarguable superlative declaration in all of sports. Winner of four Stanley Cups, Gretzky retired in 1999 holding 61 NHL records. He is known simply as "The Great One." Now, 60 years after the auspicious year of their birth, their shared passion for sport has united these two athletes with the rhyming Belarusian names. Zaretsky wanted to make luxury table tennis tables honoring Gretzky. As luck would have it, Zaretsky also happened to be founder of 11 Ravens, a "luxury game table design company." Zaretsky, DBA 11 Ravens, has built a Wayne Gretzky table tennis table, represented by his iconic number 99. The five tables will be sold, a portion of the proceeds going to help Zaretsky, DBA SAEF, promote "table tennis therapy." "The limited-edition table is an homage to Wayne's career and a celebration," said Zaretsky. "As Wayne has famously said, 'You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.' Having the opportunity to work with Wayne was an absolute pleasure and an experience that sparked a new vision for our design." With an assist from Gretzky, Zaretsky has scored a goal for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.

More at License Global