Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-07-17
JAI ALAI THE CRAZE
A SIMPLE HANDBALL GAME
DOWN IN CUBA.
EVERYBODY BETS ON 1T
lnsular Merchants Alarmed by the
Gambling Fever Aroused Among
Their Cierks-TaIk of Regulating
the Fascinating Sport-A Game Re.
curing Much Skill.

One of the first problems the new
cuban republic will be called to deal
with is Jai Alai, says a Havana cor.
respondent of the Brooklyn Eagle
Inc merchants of Havana. alarmed
for its influence on their clerks are
] already agitating the question, and it
VIII not be long before the govern
ment will be compelled to take it up
LOT regulation or suppression.
j Jal Alal is a game, a species of
nandoau played in a court against q
alsh wall, wherein service and return
IS made by the means of wicker
sioVe attached to the wrist instead of
racket and calling for great skill in
attalnlng proficiency in it's practice r.
IS an old Spanish game, known in the
notner country for centuries but on1,
recently introduced into Cuba IN the
Ie" republic it has obtained a vogue
mat can be likened only to that on.
Ioyed oy horse racing in the lInita5
states. indeed it is more than a vooro
~ Is craze, and the gambling over
Il mas attained a degree that hoe
10,
alarmed the employing and conserv-
ative classes. 'oi v
1t did not make it's anne.r.n :.
80 untii shortly after the outbreak
~ 'he Spanish-American war .nd
:: .neh only in small way. However,
e"ig attracted the attention Of Con,
eral wood, the American eovernon
seneral, who found in it's nrac+ioo ~
recreation and exercise he needaa
M onset 70 the pressing duties of bis
~ no'ilioh' He not only became one Of
10 strongest devotees, but one of So
n0st expert players. In his devo+io0
" inc game the general is orod;+o.
Win oelng one of the STRONGEST =:
has. Tie vogue 1t now
tba However that may be, it is certain
- puonc interest was nor+1-.
a1 FUSED and company called Tho ~.
tha company was formed to fur+bon
tro, sport and it now practica11v o 'nei
Ills II IN the island of Cub III
sane was taken up entbusi.s+ie.,i ne
ince an men OF the Havanese NOV
excitinn nu me contests, often wild1,
oneneing' became feature ~ "nuiy
Tba+ .,l OF the city of Harono
cn a1 ms Jai Alai companv roa ana'
~ oen .e Wood as one who in biz saros
sho e game, largely gave if voa, ,a'ol
snowh IN the fact that IN M sue, is
consfstina nim with service of nlata
and aaln OF 10 pieces of solid s plaee.
service e'G IL iined' valued at $4,000, This
Of wee wee is the work of Tjffsn OV' Inns
=, I'VE" York, and is of tho Co.
1850 ounces. 'ein and weighs
VI the game itself tboro
can ha saie OF 1t in condemnation thu
ean De of baseball. 1t is an an 3nan
and oaI .nvolVlng much skill. addraae
'''u ACTIVITY What is to be condou ui ess
is the system of betting and gambling
that has grown up based on it, A reg
ular system of poolrooms is main |
tanned thrOugOut the province, where |
wagers may be made on the results of |
of the players in the courts maintained |
and managed by the Jai Alai company. |
The law governing betting are hardly |
even regulations, and so neither the |
promoters, devotees nor the bettors are |
interfered with and wagers are made |
without any attempts at conceaIment. |
The company has become most pros |
porous and has it's income not only |
from the fees charged for admission |
to the contests, but through an ar
rangement with the poolrooms by |
which 10 per cent. of the receipts are
turned over to it.
So widespread is the interest in |
the game and such hold has the gam
bling side taken on all classes that the |
and employers have become |
seriously alarmed for their clerks, |
fearing corrupting influence.