The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1926-01-14

a splendid game. II Hellmann
were allowed to compete he would
be a real candidate for the ma
tionaI championship, such Is his
ability. Heilmann rarely allows
an opportunity to pass, when
hung up on the road By . rainy
day, not to seek . game Of hand.
ball.
Cleveland. Toledo. Kansas City,
| st. Louis, Indianapolis, Buffalo,
Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Sos
ton, Brooklyn, New York all noaEt
great players. New York holds one
Of the finest opponents OF the game
In William Sakman.
Sakn1an is man well beyond the
forty mark-still he is a. perennial
| candidate for the championship ind
remains one Of the most consistent
players in the country despite his
/ age handicap. In 1921 and In 1922
he attained the finals. only to lose
out to Carl Haedge and to the
writer successfully.
Handball is a game which re-
quires speed, endurance, strength
and two handed skill In it's
mechanics the game appears simple
I enough, but the mastering OF the
underhand stroke, which is the
proper method of hitting the ball,
Is not as easy as 1t looks. A
greater degree of accuracy is OBJ
/ tanned by this method which at the
same time is far less fatiguing
than the overland style.
The. matter Of hitting the ball
can be likened to an underhand
pitch-we cali it striking the ball,
but In reality 1t is a combination
of the catch and throw. The bail
| Is cupped in the palm of the hand
and brought forward all in one
motion and driven to the point
| desired. 1t takes endless practice
to attain accuracy and perfection,
but once mastered the enjoyment
Of the game is greatly enhanced.
In the matter of service, the
methods usually favored are the
old Irish service, which Is q
straight ball to either side of the
court and which depends upon
speed and placement for results,
and the Scotch Toss" a high
bounding angle service which is
difficult to handle and weIlnigh
impossible to return with any
force or accuracy. However,
court construction has much to
do with the type of service EN-.
plOyed and the player must learn
to employ the serve which will
gain him the best result usually
mixture Of the two Is best.
Handball enthusiasts are prone to
carry their play to extremes. Our
advice is to hold yourself to three
sets a week especially should the
games take tole OF your strength
and reserve. 1t Is not unusual for
two we'll matched and expert play.
pounds in a set and it can we'll
be realized that this sort OF
strenuous work engaged In daily IL
not conducive to the maintenance of
health and good physical condition.
We are now in the midst of the
handball season and the cold
weather acts as q spur, but temper
ance is advised at all times especially
for business men beyond the thirty
mark. We do not mean to infer
that the game Is dangerous, the
contrary in fact, is the case, but
there Is always danger of OVERRIDING
after once you become enthused.
Proceed along the lines OF com.
mon sense and you can carry the
sport well into your old age. We
have men in Milwaukee who have
been playing handball for over 80
years and still enjoys several sets
weekly although beyond the so and
even so years notch. This is not
only true of Milwaukee but other
cities as we'll This Is proof con.
elusive of the fine qualities of hand.
ball in the matter Of health main
tenancS.
For the business man Of today
and the clubman, deprived of golf
during the winter months. handbalI
is a boon since it keeps him physi.
cally fit and while it has not been
exploited as other games have and
really Is not appreciated as II
should be 1t Is only so because 1t
has not really been discovered. -
Gold, you know, did not get any.
where until the light of publicity
shone upon 1t.
In the meanwhile IL you never
have played handball you don't
know what you have missed in the
way of heal|hf'Il recreation.
II you want a game to tone up
your liver and shake the kicks out
of your "innards" join the town
Y or athletic club and start chasing
the rubber ball-youll be surprised
what it will do for you.
! Copyright 1928, by the Christy Walsh