"Handból"

Yeah, and just what is this you see pictures of on this page? Well, it's pics of a tournament Juan and the CPQHPA sponsored which pitted NYC one-wall big blue handball players against Miami-based "handból" players in what I came to call a "hybrid" game. This hybrid game involved a big blue handball instead of a tennis ball and allowed kills instead of having the "Chismosa" be the lower limits of where the ball could hit on the front wall. ("frontis") NY players were were up to the challenge but many times struggled to get the balls off the left and back walls. All in all, NY players hung in there and showed their stuff getting the kills in when it counted. Miami players were at a disadvantage, being used to keeping the ball high. I'm sure both camps will meet again!

Also seen was all-around wall & ball player Robert Sostre playing yet another modality of fronton sports- I'll call it "Paleta Cubana" for now. This version of the paddleball sport involved the players hitting a tennis ball with long-handled wooden paddles on that dang 3 wall court- and the "Chismosa" counts- no kills. Rob played using his Iceman paddle- but I'm sure next time he'll try a graphite El Condor paddles.

I even tried my hand at some Paleta Cubana against a handbol player. I used a graphite El Condor against a one of the Miami handbol players- and got my butt handed to me 11-3. Hey, I was having issues with the walls! I can't wait to try a real game of that Paleta with my new, lighter Condor. The Paddle Company's getting it right!

Below are thumbnails of pictures I took at Juan's that day. You know the drill: click on a thumbnail to view a larger picture, click the "Back" button on your browser or hit your backspace key on your keyboard to return to this page.