What the fuck is ...Jai Alai
ROMER BAUTISTA, STAFF
Have you ever seen highlights of the sport where guys with big scoops in their hands are whipping balls against the wall at breakneck speeds, and wondered, “What the fuck is that all about?” Well, wonder no more, because the following is a beginner’s introduction to the sport known as jai alai (pronounced hi-ali).
The sport of jai alai was invented in Spain’s Basque region during the 19th century. Equipment used during play include the “scoops,” more formally known as baskets (or “cesta-punta” in Spanish), parchment-skin covered balls (“pelota” in Spanish) that weigh 125 grams, and a lot of protective gear. The protective gear, especially the helmet, is essential because the balls, which are rock-hard, can travel nearly 300 km/h. In fact, many call jai alai “the fastest game on Earth.”
The game itself is played on a court with three walls (front, back and right) called a “fronton.” The ball is considered out of play if it touches the floor anywhere outside of these walls, or if the ball hits the lower meter of the front wall. The court is then divided by 14 parallel, horizontal-running lines. Line number 1 is closest to the front wall, with line number 14 closest to the back wall.
While the sport is enjoyed all across the world, including regions of Spain, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, Italy, Indonesia, China and Egypt, the state of Florida is home to the most ALAIfrontons in the world.
Methods of play differ from country to country. In the United States, the most common method is the round robin form of play. In this method, eight individuals play at a time, with the first two players starting things out. Once a point is earned, the winner of the point gets to stay on the court, while the loser of the point moves to the back of the line, to wait for his next turn on the court. The next point is played between the winner of the first point and the third player. This continues until one player has reached the desired number of points, usually seven.
Points can be earned (or lost) in a number of different ways. Each point begins with the service, where one player must bounce the ball behind the service line, then, with the basket, catch and hurl the ball in one fluid motion against the front wall. The ball must bounce in-between the fourth and seventh line, otherwise the opposing player earned the point.
Points can also be lost if the ball is not caught after the first bounce, if a player fails to catch and hurl the ball in one fluid motion, if the ball goes out of bounds, or if a player interferes with his opponent.
So now that you know what the fuck jai alai is all about, you can spend your waking moments wondering what the fuck another obscure sport is all about.
