New-York tribune., 1918-02-19

Speaking personally, the doctor as
sures me that in the course of month
my right hand will regain its normal
usefulness and will again bear an ap
SELF but he refuses to predict what
may happen if I persist in the belief
that I might become an Irish handball
player.
AS write the back of my hand looks
like a photograph of the prominent
mountains along the Colorado River,
and from its feel have the impression
| am carrying around Saratoga trunk
| am reasonably sure l once had four
ing my hands, but l wouldn't swear to
that now.
Chance for the KnuckIes
But I have four cavernous dmplcs
where the knuckles ought to be, and it
is my opinion if the doctor will use a
little skill in drilling and blasting he
can again bring the knucklcs to the
surface. If he doesn't strike knuckles
on the first fifty or sixty feet of his
drilling he should not despair l should
say a geological survey of my hand in
its present condition would be reassur-
ing as tending to indicate that beneath
the surface there are knucklcs. In
fact, | know they're there because |
feel 'em. l haven't felt anything else
since l left Casey's.
Police Headquarters and one of the
best Irish handball players in the coun-
try, had the veterans idea.
Don't mind that" he said. cts a
bruisc that will go away in three or
four weeks, and you'll be back for
more"
hope he is right about the three or
fnnr- L,,A T
more. ! am by inclination more of
\. M. G. A. and rubber bali player,
and | know when have had enough.
Casey's Court is thc home of hand
ball champions. Big Jim Kelly. traf-
fic officer and worlds champion in the
singles, works out at Casey's. When
we arrived he was engaged in a fast
game Of doubles. being paired off with
George Maude. Burke, also traffic
officer: is one of the smoothest hand
ball players l ever have seen. He is a
stylst at the game. One might think
he could beat the less graceful Kelly.
but he can't. The handball fraternity
that hangs out at Casey's and sagely
analyzes and discusses the game de-
clares that no living man gets the stuff
And, well-Kelly is Kelly! He beat
Bowles for the championship in Ire
land. They say "Big jim" isn't as
sSpry as he was once, when he could
beat an entire court full Of ordnarv
handball experts. But any one around
Casey's will sink the family plate on
g wager that Kelly can beat any two
handball players in America at Casey's.
Must Know the Court
=. To understand the gar me, at Caseys.
g fo
the court. 1t was built years ago bv
Phi Casey, then handball CHAMPION
lie died decade back. His court and
record are his monument to the ,,an,e
1t has a marble front wall-the only
one Of its kind in the countrv-30
feet in height, with side walls of com
crete, and back wall of wood. To,vsr-
ing above the back wall is a gallery
the whole looking somewhat like a side
street motion picture theatre without
screen or floor seats.
Inc court Is unusually long. being
more than 60 feet in length. The ma.
iority or the handball courts in New
York City are not more than 80 feet
deep. 1t is wizzardy the way Kelly ar
Burke, or any of Casey's first str,no
men, can take ball off the back wall
and with sweep of the ARMAND the
bare hand-send it streaking to the
marble front wall, not more than ia
inches from the floor and with the
speed of rocket.
At such times the ball curves with
the vicious spin that a baseball pitcher
lmparts to his pitch. Carrying in
variably what in billiards is known as
reverse English" the ball, when it
hits the front wall, rebounds at an
angle that is battling and unexnected
TO the unframed observer or player.
Kelly Made Famous
1t is this capacity for getting "stufp
on the sphere that has made Kelly
famous; Whereas the ordinary Irish
the ball roll from the palm off 'h h;s
fingers tips. the analysts at Casav,s
say Big Jim" shoots the pill some