Don Johnson (left) captured the hearts of many female fans in NBC’s Miami Vice. Phillip Michael Thomas (right) co-starred in series.
Phil Collins had no idea his 1981 hit song “In the Air Tonight” would rocket again to the top of the charts in 1984 because of a new NBC television show. Miami Vice, a new, chic detective drama debuted that September sporting unique cinematography and a focus on the drug trade in South Florida.
Today, people still talk about the 1.4 second action shot of a Jai-Alai player in the opening of the series. I remember awaiting that first 2-hour pilot episode, “Brother’s Keeper,” where Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) seemed to endlessly drive through the streets of Miami in his white Corvette with the Phil Collins song in the background. The show was an immediate hit!
A few months before the show aired, I received a call from an NBC production assistant requesting some Jai-Alai footage for a new network drama. When I heard the title Miami Vice, I was skeptical. But, we were always looking for national exposure. So, I sent a short out- take reel of some action footage we had shot for a past commercial. They chose a great forehand throw by our young star Elorrio as part of the opening montage.
Despite the controversy of the subject matter (making Miami look like the drug capital of the world, which at that time it was), Miami Vice brought the magic back to the “Magic City.” Tourism began to soar in the ’80s. South Beach became the destination of the hip. I was thrilled that we were part of that new vibe, even if it was only for 1.4 seconds.
In June of 1986, I came back from lunch only to find a note on my desk which said, “Michael Mann, producer of Miami Vice called.” I recognized his name immediately because it was always in the closing credits of the show. I quickly called the number. One minute later I was talking to Mann (who would later go on to be an Oscar nominated director).
“Marty, are you familiar with our show, Miami Vice?” he asked me. I responded that I watched it every week and was happy they included a Jai-Alai player in the opening sequence. He told me that he had director, Leon Echaso, that had directed some of the episodes who was from Miami. He had co-written an episode that featured a Jai-Alai player. They would like to film almost the entire episode at Miami Jai-Alai. “Would you be interested?” he asked.
I almost fell out of my chair. For us to get a full hour of prime time on a major network like NBC… the publicity would be worth millions. I told Mann that I needed to run it by my boss, the president of World Jai-Alai Dick Donovan, but I didn’t see any problems.
“Miami Vice? They want to do a show about us on Miami Vice? No! Absolutely not!” Donovan said to me. Paul Rico, VP and General Manager of Miami Jai-Alai was sitting in the office with me when I ran it by Donovan. Paul liked the show, thought it was a great idea. Dick didn’t. I asked Donovan why.
“I have watched the show a few times, didn’t like it. It’s all about drug deals, blowing up boats, Cocaine Cowboys. We don’t need to be associated with any of that, ” he told me. I told him that was all fiction, that this was a great opportunity for tremendous national exposure. I begged him to please reconsider. He resisted, but Paul suggested to maybe “run it by Roger.”
Roger Wheeler, Jr. was now the managing partner of World Jai-Alai following his father’s murder in 1981. Roger was young, easy going, and a very nice guy. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Roger would visit us a handful of times a year, mainly to play golf and go over the financials. Much to Donovan’s chagrin, Roger was a big Miami Vice fan.
A few days later, Donovan called me into his office and said, “Can you believe it, Roger watches the show and likes the idea of us being on it. But, it can’t be anything negative about the sport or the company. We need to see the script before we agree.”
So, I have to call Michael Mann, Executive Producer of the hottest show on network television, and tell him I, Marty Fleischman, will require script approval of his Jai-Alai episode. I, Marty Fleischman, will go through and EDIT out anything I don’t like about the script. I was sure this would kill the deal. But, this was better than a quick “no.”
I explained to Michael Mann that we were a little sensitive about our image. Our company had just gone through a period of terrible publicity with the tragic murders of two executives. We just want to make sure our sport and players are not portrayed in a negative light.
He responded that this request is highly unusual. Scripts are completely confidential and few people get to see them prior to production. But, they really would like to do the episode and he would honor our request. He would send a copy of the script down the next day.
I thanked him profusely. I told him I would personally coordinate the entire shoot and make sure all went perfectly. I reminded him that Jai-Alai was part of the culture in Miami and we were thrilled that they finally came up with an episode about our great sport. Finally, as we were about to hang up, I asked him the name of the episode. He said, “Killshot.”
Though the term killshot is an actual shot to score a point, I knew this might have a more literal meaning in the show. I was sure after Donovan got through editing the script, there would be nothing left but a blank piece of paper. Would our Miami Vice Jai-Alai episode soon vanish “In the Air Tonight?”
Recently I had a pre-holiday phone call with Stu Neiman and received some interesting news. The Magic City Jai-Alai court has been stained black. The intent of this is to make the pelota easier to track for H2H Jai-Alai fans, many new to the sport, thus enhancing the H2H viewing experience. I did not think to ask if the OB line was also being stained a different color, but that’s on the list for the next call.
I asked Stu if there were any new additions to states approved for H2H and was pleasantly surprised with the news that Nevada is now approved. Nevada should be huge exposure for Magic City short-court Jai-Alai with the numerous sports books throughout the Nevada casinos and with Vegas/Reno still being popular vacation destinations. This now makes (4) states approved for H2H: Iowa, Illinois, Arizona and now Nevada. More states are expected to follow suit for sports betting approval for the exciting H2H games in 2022.
Also, during this off-season for the players and staff, Magic City management has been relentless in its continued push for expanded customer base for the pari-mutuel games. There is super high interest in the Philippines to carry pari-mutuel wagering and according to Stu the fans are crazy for Jai-Alai there. It will also be interesting to see how much the Magic City Jai-Alai pari-mutuel wagering pools spike with the closure of the Dania fronton as die-hard Jai-Alai fans will certainly want to watch and wager on some of the Dania players at Magic City.
Seven Dania players will be playing in Magic City Jai-Alai pari-mutuel games, H2H games or a combination of both types of games. Those players are as follows (by their player names known to fans): Goixerri, Ladutxe, Jairo, Yeche, Goitia, Aratz and Robin. Goixerri did not play the final fall meet at Dania as he was recovering from injury but did compete in some overseas partidos. Ladutxe has been the best back-court player at Dania in recent years. Jairo had been the highly dominant Dania player in early game singles. Yeche had some outstanding play in the final meet at Dania (both early and late games) and that was perhaps his best meet ever. Goitia played towards the end of the final Dania meet as he was recovering from an injury during the 2nd Annual USNJAC tourney at Magic City. Goitia plays extremely competitively on the Magic City short court.
I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Magic City meet with the expanded roster which starts on February 14th with pari-mutuel performances on Sunday through Tuesday at 1:30-pm and H2H games which follow at 5-pm EST. It’s been boring and difficult to fill the void with no US Jai-Alai during this downtime, but I understand the need for players and staff to have some well-deserved time off. Also, the World Super Court doubles tournament which debuts in 2022 should be a big hit with a display of some amazing talent, big prize money and no restrictions of “US Citizens only” as there is for the USNJAC singles and doubles annual tournaments.
Thanks to Magic City Casino & Jai-Alai for helping to keep the sport of Jai-Alai alive in the USA and a special thanks to Stu for the updates!
It is complicated to interview a former teammate for whom you feel admiration. A feeling that goes back to a distant time, the year 1980, when we played together at the Miami Jai-Alai, with the number six on our backs. And, without me even touching the ball, he was in charge of winning the quiniela with rebotes and costados.
What a way to play jai-alai!
No wonder that when I left Sheridan Street behind and headed down US-1, I felt butterflies in my stomach, just like that long ago day before jumping onto the court of the legendary South Florida fronton. We had arranged to meet at noon at the Grampa´s Cafe, an American food restaurant near the Dania Casino-Frontón.
I arrived twenty minutes early after pedaling under a scorching sun, I did it without haste, so as not to break a sweat. The contrast between the temperature outside and inside in such places in Florida is brutal. When I crossed the threshold of Grampa´s Cafe, a strange feeling came over me. I was going to chat with a native, a living legend of a dead sport in the USA, at least as we have known it.
It was at that very moment that Joey Cornblit entered the Café. The jai-alai player who has made it into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Winner of five Tournament of Champions, countless tournaments, and awards throughout his more than twenty years as a professional jai-alai player. The undisputed best American pelotari of all time. For his fans, the best front-courter in jai-alai of the last decades.
He welcomed me with a reassuring smile and with such a friendly attitude that he made me feel at ease from that moment on and during the more than three hours we shared table and tablecloth.
Joey, at 66 years old, looks great, and when he was 49, he almost died of a heart attack while playing golf. He rushed to the hospital without missing a minute and it saved his life. He points to my left arm where you can see the scars from the operations. He has several bypasses inside his body.
I guess that he doesn’t smoke cigars anymore. I remember the Joey of the seventies, smoking his cigars. He tells me no; he still smokes cigars.
“One a day?”, I ask him. “No, I smoke several a day”, he replies.
“What does your doctor say about it?”
“He doesn’t know anything”, he answers me with a mischievous smile.
He likes to smoke cigars especially when he plays golf. A sport he is hooked on. Thanks, in part, to his smoking habit. —“the best are the Nicaraguan ones, from the Fernandez house” — he has an excellent job from which he is not thinking of retiring for the moment.
A few years after leaving jai-alai —he was out of work— he was smoking a “Fernandez” in a cigar-lounge (a place where they sell a lot of cigars of different brands, and you can have a drink). A man approached him asking if he was Joey, the former jai-alai star from Miami. The man could not believe his eyes. He had his idol from the golden years of Miami Jai-Alai in front of him.
The next day he was working for that gentleman, owner of a large company. “The sky opened up for me” he confesses.
“How did an American Jew like you end up in a sport like jai-alai” , I ask him out of the blue. The question intrigues me.
“When I was nine months old, my parents moved from Canada to Miami. My father, born in Poland, was a Holocaust survivor. One of 800 children boarded a train bound for Auschwitz, who miraculously saved his life. He later fought in the Israeli War of Independence in the secret services alongside Moshe Dayan. My parents emigrated to America and we finally settled in Miami”.
His father, a metal worker, went to Miami Jai-Alai frequently. He liked the Basque sport so much that one day he went to canchitas in North Miami to practice. It was then that Joey, twelve years old, came into contact with jai-alai. Howie, the owner of the courts, sponsored him and accompanied him everywhere he went. He became his best friend to this day.
Six months later, Miami Jai-Alai opened a school to promote the sport and use it as a breeding ground to attract American players and bring them into the roster. Epifanio, a former professional in the Havana-Madrid fronton, a ball-maker at Miami, became the school’s teacher.
Epifanio, a man who did not raise his voice and gave a lot of explanations to his students, became a sort of father to Joey. The fact that Epifanio and his wife had no children would help the young American become his adopted son. “If a revolver has six bullets why use only one”, the teacher insisted over and over again. He implied that a pelotari has to have “all the tools. Knowing how to handle all kinds of jugadas”.
For Epifanio, Joey was his adopted son, but he was also stern with the disciple. On one occasion, Joey scooped, a bad entrance. Epifanio called him to attention. On the next play, again, another bote-pronto. The teacher kicked him off the court.
El maestro instilled in him a winning mentality. A style of play that would be decisive in his career. Finish the play. “Go for it”. A command of the side so perfect that it would be part of his DNA until he retired.
At the age of 15, in 1970, he went to Saint-Jean-de-Luz (a Basque town in France) to play in the amateur world championship. The American expedition was made up of his father, Piston as coach, his teammates Nickerson and Charlie Hernandez. Marty Fleischman was part of the party and Larsen, manager of the Tampa fronton.
In San Juan, de Luz he met the player who a year later would become his great rival: Katxin Uriarte. Azpiri, Mirapeix II, the Mexicans Zubikarai and Hamui…
There was a French front-courter, Boutineau, who played with his left hand. That was strange and dangerous. They finished third and with the bronze medal he returned to Miami. Not for long.
Joey combined his high school studies with essays at the fronton.
“I was not a good student. I think my father realized that and that’s why he didn’t stop me from dedicating so many hours to the fronton”.
At the age of 16 he made his debut in Miami Jai-Alai, but before that he made his debut in Gernika, during the summer. He remembers when he arrived in Sondika and was met at the airport by Bilbao, the player-manager of the fronton of Gernika. The trip to Gernika by car… He had never seen mountains, the gray color and the rain before. He was overcome with sadness and without speaking Spanish he stayed at Arrien´s, at first in a room without shower or bath, until Castor Arrien took pity on him and gave him a room with more comforts. He spoke by phone on Sundays with his family. His desire to learn and succeed made up for all the hardships.
Debuting in Miami was a dream come true. It was in the 71-72 season, and he did it with other debutantes such as Uriarte (Katxín), Camy, Remen and Gondra. He started playing the early games and remembers that he won the first one at number two with Arratibel as back-courter. His progression was so rapid that by the end of the season he was playing the medium quinielas.
In the summer of 1972, the Ocala fronton opened. Joey was part of the roster along with the rest of the pelotaris who came from the Tampa fronton. He faced great rivals such as Bolivar, Elorrio, Aramayo II, Pablo… and won all three titles. Most wins, doubles and singles.
That season they played a twelve-set partido between Bolivar-Gorroño and Joey-Laca. The final score was 12 to 11 in favor of Bolivar-Gorroño. Alfredo García, the center judge who would later become Miami’s intendente, commented that he had never seen jai-alai play like that before.
Joey’s second season in Miami was somewhat convulsive. Not all the pelotaris were happy that an American Jew was threatening to get on their nerves.
In the practices prior to the start of the season, one or two opponents made gestures of disapproval at having to practice with the young American. Joey, however, took it as an encouragement to get out on the court and talk his game.
Joey and Uriarte started playing late games from the beginning of the season.
The dislike of Joey rose in intensity when some soulless cadre painted pro-Hitler phrases and swastika drawings on the Jewish-American pelotari’s locker.
Richard “Buddy” Berenson, the owner of the fronton, also Jewish, flew into a rage when he went down to the locker room and saw what had been done to Joey’s locker.
Maestro Epifanio instilled in him the aggressive, finishing game.
“I became so confident in my costado that I didn’t care who my opponent was, and I didn’t care that he was there, waiting for the play. Go for it! I thought. I knew my hit percentage was 70 to 80 percent. That figure gave me a lot of confidence”.
I asked him if he was the only player with those characteristics. He answered no, there were two others of that style: Zulaica and Cacharritos Alberdi.
The best pelotari in singles, without discussion, was Asis. “On three occasions I was the winner in singles. I don’t know how it happened. Asís must have had some mistake on those three occasions”, he tells me smiling.
In doubles, those first seasons in the mythical fronton, Uriarte was his great rival. He thinks better of it and recognizes that the line-up of top players in the front squares was incredible. Juaristi, Assisi, Mendi, Zulaica, Alberdi… as a dozen of outstanding pelotaris like Gernica II (Beascoechea II), Juan (Elejabarrieta II) or Rufino, Oregui, were all hoping and praying to get into the twelve, the star game.
In 1977 he played three summer months in Euskal Herria. He thinks he did well. He faced Uriarte, Chiquito de Bolivar, Ondarrés, Egurbide.
He has good memories of Churruca. “He behaved wonderfully”. Giving him advice on how to breathe during matches, stretching exercises. Very kind to Linda, his wife, who didn’t speak a word of Spanish. “He instilled in me a lot that you had to practice the same way as if you would be playing a partido. With a lot of intensity.”
Joey doesn’t believe there is a distinction between pelotaris more likely to excel in partidos than in quinielas or vice versa. «Whoever plays, plays, whether in quinielas or partido matches.»
In the 1970’s, in Florida, Joey had some heated encounters with Bolivar, in 20-score matches. If he remembers correctly, he won them all.
“I think Bolivar played under a lot of pressure. He was the superstar and an American like me was threatening his prestige. The mental part, in any sport, is very important. I think that’s where the key was for me to beat him everytime, we faced each other.”
His favorite back-courters were Soroa, Arratibel and Laca.
His best seasons were from ’76 to ’78.
He also played in Hartford for three seasons, being part of roster that included the best pelotaris of the time.
Joey hoped to retire in Miami Jai-Alai, the Yankee Stadium of the frontons. However, things went wrong when he decided to become an entrepreneur and open a fronton in Phoenix (Arizona). Together with several partners, he raised one million dollars and launched his project in Arizona, inside an Indian reservation.
The Arizona venture did not go forward because the state attorney general objected to allowing jai-alai gambling on the Indian reservation. The appeal to the Supreme Court would have cost them another million dollars.
Joey´s dream was to own a jai-alai.
It is unpredictable to predict what the fronton in Arizona would have meant for the future of jai-alai.
Joey had negotiated with Miami Jai-Alai for a $25,000 annual bonus. Richard Donovan, general manager of the fronton, withheld $50,000 for two years. The retaliation to the Arizona project meant that Joey left World Jai-Alai in 1986 and signed a contract with the competition: Dania Jai-Alai.
In 1986, Joey joined Dania’s roster. The beginnings were not the desired ones. He was uncomfortable. A strange feeling came over him. He had left behind Miami Jai-Alai, a fronton that meant so much to him. The Berenson family had given him the opportunity to play at the legendary fronton and stand out against top-notch opponents. Suddenly he was out of his natural habitat. Everything was strange.
His opponents in the front were fearsome in Dania as well. He could not relax against opponents like Juaristi, whom he was facing again; Zavala, Azca… Elorza at the back, the competition was fierce. Fernando Orbea, the intendente, encouraged him every time they met in the latter’s office while smoking a cigar.
I ask him about 1988, the year that started the strike that lasted three years. I tell him that if he doesn’t feel like talking about it, that’s fine. We move on to the next point.
The situation is a bit rock and roll. Joey kept playing, he didn’t go along with the strike. I, for one, did go along with it in Bridgeport. It’s been 33 years, enough time to put the ghosts of the past aside. I bring my homework from home; in case we have to bring up the subject.
“There’s no problem talking about it” , he tells me with a tone of assurance.
I let him elaborate.
“It was unfortunate. For my part there was no problem in asking for improvements. What’s more, it’s in the human being to try to improve, to earn more money. However, things were done in an extremely radical way. It was all or nothing. It was not the head that was used, but the guts. Also, there was no respect. If you want to strike, ok, but respect my position. Nothing like that happened. The owners were very rich, except for Berenson, they didn’t love jai-alai. They didn’t mind closing the fronton if it had to be closed. You (Basque pelotaris) could go to the Basque Country and continue playing. I had to stay here. It was unfortunate because we all loved jai-alai”.
At that time, 1988, Joey was earning about $100,000 a year playing jai-alai.
The last two years for Joey were not the most desirable. Several injuries and the occasional operation prevented him from maintaining his level of play.
He retired in 1995. The transition was not easy for him. While he was playing everyone told him: “when you stop playing, don’t worry, I will give you a job. Nothing like that happened”. When the pelotari stops playing, the situation changes. Having to look for a job. Adapting to a schedule. Other demands. Without the freedom of the professional athlete. Greater, perhaps, for someone who is dedicated to jai-alai.
After working for a security company, he found himself without a job. He went to a cigar lounge and the encounter with a person changed his life. The owner of a large company offered him a job immediately. To this day, at the age of 66, he is about to start collecting his full retirement pension. And to continue working in something that he enjoys, does not cause him any stress, and allows him to play golf, a sport he is passionate about.
He lives in Plantation, near Dania, with his wife Linda. They have two children, Josh and Nicole, and four grandchildren.
It’s been about three hours. The time has flown by. Joey is a pleasant and attentive person. I have a feeling, as I say goodbye to him and pedal down US-1 in the blazing sun, that I might have been able to get something out of the interview. After all, I had in front of me a living legend for whom I had felt admiration for many years, when I saw him play at Yankee Stadium in the jai-alai. And, more so when we paired up and he gave a masterful pelota lesson.
Before saying goodbye, I search the walls for a photograph of Joey, with a dedication, of which I had been told. I can’t find it. The waitress doesn’t know anything. It’s been a year since the owners changed at Grampa´s Cafe. I ask the waitress to take a picture of the two of us. I want a testimony of the evening.
Tempe, Arizona continues to consider proposed developments for 46-acre site.
As noted, previously, the City of Tempe, Arizona issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in July, 2021. The major requirement for consideration of a response was the ability to bring a “franchise” sports team to the site. The solicitation was pointed squarely at the Phoenix Coyotes hockey club which currently plays in Glendale, Arizona.
The Coyotes submitted a development plan for the Tempe site and immediately incurred the rath of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (KPHX). The Airport located only a few thousand yards west of the site is one of the busiest airports in the United States. The Airport objects to the height of the buildings proposed, indicating it may require alterations to the3 FAA approved flight patterns and other mitigating actions. Traffic on nearby freeways (known as “the 101” and “the 202” could be jammed during hockey games causing missed flights and other disruptions at the airport.
The major limiting factor for those responding to the RFP is a requirement to locate a franchised sports team on the site. This requirement is fairly limiting as a rundown of available franchises will include the Arizona Cardinals who paly near the Glendale hockey facility in a state-of-the-art facility; the Arizona Diamondbacks; well established in an iconic facility with an opening roof in downtown Phoenix. The Phoenix Suns who play at the downtown Suns Arena and Phoenix Rising professional soccer club which is currently building a new facility elsewhere. Essentially few options for “a franchise” exist.
A small group of developers has proposed to develop the site within the confines of the airport requirements and meeting all the objectives of the City of Tempe. These objectives include 200,000 square feet of retail space and 1,000 upscale residences plus parking, pedestrian areas, and transportation interface facilities. The group has proposed an American Basketball League team franchise which is confirmed with a letter of intent from an ABA team owner. The group also proposes a Jai Alai fronton on the site, introducing the fast and exciting Basque game to southwestern United States. Therefore, the groups requirement for a franchise is viable.
More than 100 interested parties registered to download the RFP documents. Reports in the press and on the street seem to indicate only the Coyotes presented a proposal. The appearances are that only the Coyotes submitted plans and now they appear to be in dire financial straits with nowhere to play in the 2022 season and their financial dirty laundry being aired in public. It has become common knowledge in the community through very knowledgeable sources that the Coyotes are in deep financial trouble. This may even lead to them relocating to another city out of state.
So, where does that leave Jai Alai and basketball? From some perspectives, the Jai Alai and basketball facility at the core of the development are the only viable alternative for the City of Tempe if they continue to seek a franchise for the site. The city is fully aware of this while awaiting a final decision on the Coyotes. The group of proposed developers for the site are seeking to be “second choice” and are being eyed as such by the City of Tempe. We must let the Coyotes debacle play out.
The strategy is that if the Coyotes withdraw for any reason, the City of Tempe should reopen (not re-solicit) the development request for proposals. By reopening the original solicitation, only those developers who originally registered will be able to submit This is what is anticipated to happen. The Jai Alai proposal will then be submitted with the basketball franchise as the qualifying element.
A small group of development professionals having considerable experience in sports development has come together informally to support the proposal. Right now, it is a waiting game. A decision on the Coyotes proposal for the site is anticipated soon. When that happens all Jai Alai resources available will be called upon to push the proposal through. The National Jai Alai Association and Benny Bueno have been actively supporting the local Arizona efforts and will play a significant role in getting this project to market.
All potential resources or interested parties are encouraged to be prepared to contribute according to their skills and abilities. We are intent on getting Jai Alai back on track through expansion beginning in Arizona. I can be contacted by email at c@spidle.com.
If you build it, they will come. And boy, did they ever! About 35 players showed up over the weekend as the newly remodeled cancha – the first and only public court in America – opened its doors to the public.
On Saturday, open play was in store with the first player showing up being 60-year old Rastock, who recently completed another successful season at Calder jai-alai. Shortly afterwards a few NJAA regulars showed up and then Dania player’s manager Benny Bueno showed up to play with his son Chirs, now an active player on the Magic City roster. Benny had dusted off his old cesta and made the nearly 5-hour trip to St. Petersburg. Dozens of more players showed up to play, with lots of spectators watching including Benny’s mother and sisters, who happen to live in the area. St. Pete Cancha‘s founder Paul Kubala later showed and was able to play with his son Kyle who had made the venture up from Miami with a van load of fellow Magic City players.
It seemed like everyone was having a great time – and no one seemed to want to quit playing despite the unseasonably warm weather (mid 80s and sunny) that the Miami boys brought with them.
At night, dozens of players attended the grand reopening of the newly remodeled J Laca Museum and guests were blown away with what they saw. We will feature a new story later on this month on the additions to the museum. The party was a blast and Benny Bueno was the star of the show with so many stories to tell on all the items he saw in the museum. The Magic City gang was all there too and had a great time. Even Superfan George Quinn was there.
On Sunday, the big Grand Opening event was held. The show got underway 31 minutes late, as the Magic City gang was a little late getting out of bed from their house rental in Clearwater. Don’t ask me why they were late, but 11am is early for a Sunday, I guess!
A 12-game exhibition tournament was held and lasted an unmanageable 4 ½ hours under warm sunny skies again. The hot dogs and burgers will grilling, tents camped out, music playing and Magic Mike’s Computer system playing over a sound system and about 30 players participating in the event.
Faces in the crowd included Stu Neiman, who was making his first appearance to the St. Pete cancha and seemed quite impressed with everything. Also in the crowd was Mark K, the NJAA Historian and several other people. A lot of players from the past are coming back to play, likely because of the newly enlarged court that is more conducive to “real” jai-alai play.
Everyone seemed happy with the court with the only complaint being the low overhead net, which was getting dinged often. Hopefully that will be taken care of soon. The Magic City players all love the sport and most say they would have played jai-alai in college if something like that existed. They love jai-alai more than football, baseball and other sports that they had excelled in. They also loved the concept of playing outside in the fresh air.
The NJAA would like to thank those that donated money to help fund the expansion as we are closing on the gap needed to about $2,700 more to go. A donation link can be found in a previous story on the home page of The Pelota Press.
America’s first and only public jai-alai court has just completed a total makeover, with a huge expansion of the court, bringing it in line with standard amateur courts around the world.
This weekend will be filled with jai-alai excitement with over 30 players expected to play over the weekend with several Magic City players joining in.
The big event takes place Sunday Dec 12 at 11am with a 12-game schedule. All NJAA players will appear in 5 games each, with others joining in with ex-players from Newport, Bridgeport, Tampa, Miami, Ocala, Hamilton and Calder all in the lineup.
Buster’s Courtside Grill WILL be open serving chargrilled hamburgers and hot dogs along with soda, chips and water. MagicMike’s talking scoreboard will be setup along with the PA system. An 8-page brochure will be available and donations will be accepted at a special booth setup to help complete the renovation project. New NJAA, Puryear Park jai-alai shirts will be displayed along the wall and available for orders.
The public is welcome to attend the Grand Opening of Puryear Park II !
There’s going to be a true “Magical” weekend at the “New” St. Pete Cancha. Yes, Walt Disney World is only 83 miles to the east. And yes, Magic Mike’s Computer Repair Store is just 1 mile to the west, but it’s going to be a different kind of magical weekend. While Magic Mike will be there with his “Jack Patterson” talking scoreboard, about half the Magic City roster (perhaps more) are expected to be in town to play on the newly renovated and enlarged St. Pete Cancha – America’s first and only city jai-alai court.
It’s a whole new court now and with St. Pete alum and current Magic City player Kyle Kubala arranging things along with permission from Stu Neiman (who might be coming too), this event is shaping up to be the biggest event ever held jai-alai wise on the west coast of Florida. About 25 local players, including former pros Daniel and Corky are signed up to play joining another 10 or so players from Magic City. Chris Bueno will be there and most likely so will be his father Benny, who recently was seen on NBC News with the closing of Dania jai-alai (see previous story for link to the story).
Former St. Pete mayor and the man that got the cancha approved by the city council in 2007, Bill Foster will also be in attendance.
This actual event was set up several months ago, but put on ice and organizers crossed their fingers with the progress of the renovation of the court. In these times of COVID, any construction job that involves a lot of materials and labor like this one is subject to delays. Work has been going on since the day after Father’s Day – 26 weeks ago – or half a year! The wait may be worth it as several games have been played to test playing conditions, net placing and line placement on the court. It was just resurfaced and now only the stripping needs to be done, which should be happening any moment. The court is expected to be open again by Thursday, December 9th. Just in time for our big event! The court is actually not completed yet– an entrance door needs to be completed and perhaps a few other things like tinkering with the ceiling net, etc.
The event this weekend is only an exhibition. It is not an actual tournament. There is no money being exchanged, no trophies, no nothing. It’s just for fun. Saturday is open play with no set time set. Sunday, the event will begin at 11am and is expected to last up to 4 hours given the numbers of players we have. Bring your own food and drinks, Busters Courtside Grill will not be open. The event should end in time for those that want to watch the Bucs-Bill game starting at 4:25pm just across the pond in Tampa. A win by the Bucs will give them the divisional title.
Donations will be accepted from anyone in attendance willing to help keep our public court and the great sport of jai-alai alive! Please help out. The court is amazing and will be around for a long time to enjoy free of charge.
New Lines Painted – Ready for Play – Gates are not up yet, but coming soon and hopefully something done with overhanging screen.
New Surface as of 12/4/21
12/3/21
12/3/21
12/3/21
The St. Pete Cancha is now closed as resurfacing of the entire court and out of bounds area is getting a major makeover. This is the last major step in the renovation and expansion of America’s first and only public court. The flooring was in pretty bad shape and was last recovered about 6 years ago. With the court expanded by knocking down adjoining racquetball court walls, much more flooring needed to be redone. Right now, lots of patching is taking place to fill in large holes and irregularities. The work is expected to last about a week – hopefully in time for the Magic City players second visit to the court to take place in exhibitions to be held the weekend of December 11-12th. Exact planning of the event and promotion has been put on hold till be are assured the court will be playable.
The work on the court has resumed after two delays on the resurfacing project – one where the company with the winning bid went bankrupt – yes, after winning the bid – and then the materials getting backordered again a couple weeks ago.
On Tuesday night, Loren Harris made a special appearance and 21 players showed up including 10 ex-pros including Daniel Love and Jeff Williams.
The J Laca Museum is expanding for the 4th time to make room for a large collection of jai-alai memorabilia just obtained since visiting Dania for the final weekend there.
Additional walls are being extended and the Babe Ruth section getting relocated to make room for a whole bunch of new jai-alai stuff.
The crown jewel is the actual Hall of Champions plaque that was hanging in Tampa Jai-alai lobby. The huge handmade and crafted plaque features all the winners of Overall wins, Singles, Front Court Doubles, Back Court Doubles, and ITM % from their first season in 1953 to 1996 when the 76” x 50” wooden frame ran out of room. Many items were stashed in a storage area at Ft. Piece Jai-alai, but the property was recently sold and they are relocating their poker room to another smaller location. Other items from the vault are books that include all the programs from every year since 1953.
A large collection was obtained from Dania Jai-alai such as a scrapbook of it getting approved and built in 1952-1953, It includes hundreds of newspaper articles. Other items received are a 1982 Playboy magazine with the monthly playmate enjoying jai-alai – her favorite sport!
The museum is expected to be open this Friday afternoon.
