The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-20
Written for The Republic.


Handbail has grown 10 be the great
game of the gynnasiums. 1t cannot be
said that 1t does not deserve its victory
over basket ball. medicine ball and the
machines OF the exercising place There
is not a doubt in the world that IL is the
best of all indoor and outdoor exercises in
so far as it contributes to an equal and
all round development of the body.
While all outdoor exercises excel those
taken indoors. handball must be rated SILL
perior to baseball in that it equally de-
yeiops both left and right sides of the
pody. while baseball develops one side,
that used in throwing and batting,
The same applies TO golf football is
too rough and breakbone a game to
be deemed fine physical exercise or
muscular developer. Boxing, superb en-
escsse, is inferior to handbal in that it
calls for the assumption of one position
more or less all through and il does not
demand sudden and extreme bending and
use OF the stomach muscles. which hand
ball demands. Handbaii calls for ambi-
dexterity. something no other exercise
save boxing does. The standard boxing
position demands certain pose. left hand
and foot forward and certain poise of
the body. This arbitrary position works
70 the detriment of all round development.
Handbau demands the assumption of all
possible position the use of right and left
hand of the right and left feet, constant
4 and sudden reversal of positions perpetual
usage of the pelvic muscles, an eye equal
10 that of the baseball player, a hand as
true as the hand of the championship BIZ
HARDEST and the speed of the Splinter.
EVERY ONE PLAYS THE GAME.
Go into any of the great gyInnasiums OF
st. Louis, the college playrooms, every
where there is any excuse for handball
court, and you will find ten persons play
Ing handball for the one that is using ap-
psratu5 or. taking other exercise. Then
the men that are taking other exercise
are waiting for their turn to play hand
s. ball. You never see men working on the
fioor with the handball courts idle
The Missouri Athletic Club courts are
used by 100 persons during the day. You
do not see une-half that number on the
gymnasium floor, though the apparatus is
Boys and old men, young men who are
athietes. men who are fair, fat and 30.
yer want to play handball and do it to
Yet the true game of iianGhall as it was
invented by the Spaniards. developed by
the Irish and perfected Ivy the Irish-Amer-
Jeans. Is not truly played in 81. Louis.
There is but one regulation court in the
city,. that in the Louisiana building on
Nandeyenter ayenuc- The other courts
. those in the n y. g. Business Mems
.Gymnasiums. Y. VI. e. A.. Mueerr's Gym
! nasium. etc. are all emergency courts and
= do not suit the fast regulation hall. The
tennis bali is the favorite implement ON
these courts. 1t is slower than the rcgu-
laticn. much larger. offers great resistance
10 the air and does not adjust itself To
good playing like the real article. There
IS rubber semisolid ball. which is about
as BIZ; II handhal. which is fair sub
stitute for the regulation affair.
THE REGULATION BALL AND COURT.
The regulation ball is made of a rubber
core wound with yarn and covered with
sheepshin sust like a baseball. 1t is
about "a large as a walnut or golf bali.
In Ireland they have the making of 1t down
81 nne that they claim that new yarn does
not make as good or lively a ball as the
yarn taken from the foot of well-worn
wooden stockings The Irish experts hold
that the juNtapositicn of the ball TO the
skin of a human being gives ii life and
snap. This has never been proven in this
country. All the local courts are too
small save the Louisiana building court
II is regulation % fest long. 81 hisi: and a
wide. lighted by u skylieht and with a
special floor.
The other local courts are all too small