I’ve always been an advocate of alternative sports, though I admit that I’m not much of a sportsman myself. Recently, Paul Kubala from the local chapter invited me to watch and take pictures of a match amongst local Jai alai (pronounced HI-LI) players in the Tampa Bay area.
For those who don’t know, Jai alai is a game that mixes elements of tennis or racketball with death-match potential results. The ball, at 125 to 140 gram (that’s heavy!), could potentially kill you if it hits you hard enough. There have been reported speeds of 188mph achieved in this sport. Thus, you’re dodging a really heavy bullet continually through play.
The sport has some relatively complex rules, but the basic idea is that you bounce the ball between lines, against a wall and to the other person. Unlike tennis where you play on opposing courts, this is played with two (or four) people on one side with a wall opposing the teams.
The association is open for anyone to join. See their website for more information.
http://www.national-jai-alai.com
Here’s some photos of the action. Look at the intensity, even in a friendly game.
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Michael Perry, 1 year ago
Love the story that you guys did on Jai alai. We are still attempting to get something going again up here in Connecticut, but not having much luck with the cost of putting up a court.
Toss a line when you get a chance, and keep spreading the word about this great sport.