After 15 years of hosting the National Jai-alai Association, Tampa Bay Jai-alai and Pelota Press sites, we have finally decided to join Facebook.
For starters, this page will only feature the Tampa Bay area – for now. But it will cover several updates on the museum which has added a lot of artifacts over the past two years or so that do not appear on the website as of now. If successful, an international version of the Pelota Press will have its own page on Facebook. The Pelota Press website will continue to operate as it has over the past couple of years.
Matt DiDomizio has another big tournament at his palace that will launch this Friday evening at 6:30pm. The “fronton” is located in Berlin Connecticut and no betting is allowed.
About 25 players have signed up to play, including a group of eight jetting up from the Tampa Bay area. The Spring 2023 event will once again fall on another anniversary of the cancha, an achievement in itself.
There is a big twist to this event – the Friday night Spec 9 performance will feature quinella style Singles action for the first time as opposed to doubles.
There are 6 entries in the early games and 11 entries for the late games. The Matt ball will drop at 6:30pm for Game 1. Guest coming to watch will be asked for a $10 donation to the court on Friday night only.
Saturday’s performance will begin bright and early at 9am. There will be two division of 6 teams in the first division and 9 teams in the second division. It will be Partido play, and Playoffs will be held after each first round. It is estimated that the first group will be on from 9-10:30 am, with the next group about 11am till 12:30pm then the 3rd group around 12:30–2pm. Then the playoffs.
On the final day of action, Sunday, April 30th, it will strictly be Partido’s – up to 21 points per game. Currently, there are 7 games lined up for that event. Start time is early again – about 9am.
In other words, if your signed up, you will get plenty of playing time.
Here are the sheets for each day – starting with the Friday night:
I’ve been a jai-alai fan since Bridgeport opened in the mid-1970s. The game fascinates. I saw many of the greats as a kid. Little did I realize back in the late 1970s the strength and skill of the Bridgeport lineup. Even though many were at their peak or past their prime, the skill level and action was fantastic.
A buddy and I would like to take a trip to the Basque area, to see where it all began and is still played with enthusiasm, as well as commercial and fan support. We would like to visit several of the frontons, whether in St. Jean de Luz, Biarritz, Gernika for matches. We would also perhaps see some of the variations in pelota (though the traditional “handball” version doesn’t look that exciting.) We could also visit where amateurs compete/develop.
My problem is that I don’t speak or read Spanish/French/Euskara and I don’t understand where/when the matches are held. Seems as if there’s a Partido here and there, mostly in Summer. Some of the sites refer to tournaments, but it’s not clear whether these are held consecutive days or whether there are gaps in between matches. We would like to put together a consistent schedule around which we could plan a “road trip.” If possible, we also prefer to purchase tickets well in advance to ensure entry to matches.
Can you direct me to an authority or source on the subject, who could explain which are the most important tournaments/sites around which we could schedule a week or potentially longer visit?
Thanks in advance,
Jeff Russell
This is an email I got about a month and a half ago.
I find it interesting because this is a “Bucket List” trip I’ve been thinking about going myself for the past few years. I’ve heard a few others that have mentioned about making a similar trip while out on the cancha over the years, too.
Ironically, I’m at a Yankee spring training game in Tampa that same afternoon with Pelota Press’s senior blogger Marty Fleischman and his wife Sue, a huge Yankee fan. I was also with an old college buddy, Wyatt Cook, from nearly 50 years ago. Wyatt and Marty were discussing Pickleball. I knew they were both avid players and swore by the sport. Marty’s pretty good – a top ranked player in Tampa, so they had a lot to talk about. After a few innings (games go quick now – thank God!) the discussion turned to jai-alai. Marty mentioned he was going to Spain in September and the trip included visiting former players and various sites in the Basque region.
I was thinking, with a little work and all the connections in jai-alai we have, a true dream trip could be planned.
Of course, Partido’s are one thing. Nothing beats a good Partido. You can’t bet on them over there, but who cares. I went to the Partido event last April at Dania, and it was awesome. There was no betting, but it didn’t matter. The play was a thrill to watch with a good enthusiastic crowd watching guys like Olharan trying to overcome an injury after getting nailed in the leg. Partido tournaments in Mexico City are amazing with 30-point games and that long, long court of over 200 feet. And of course, who could forget the numerous Partido’s in Miami, Tampa, Orlando and in Connecticut?
So, any trip would have to include some Partido events. As Pelota Press reader Jeff Russell mentioned, visiting the frontons and places where amateurs develop would be cool to visit, too. I’m sure the sightseeing would be awesome, the mountains, and villages and local restaurants.
How long would the ideal trip take? Where should one stay? These are all good questions.
Anybody out there got any ideas? Get together a big group? Email me with ideas guys! I’ll also get back with Marty and contact guys like Danny and Olharan, who recently visited the museum and certainly can answer all the questions.
Thanks, Mr. Russell, for your email. I’ll be in touch.
The U.S. National Jai-Alai Championship brings the focus of an international sport to the Magic City of Miami, Florida. U.S. bred athletes take the court to fight it out in an epic battle of skill, speed and athletic prowess to dominate The World’s Fastest Game – Jai-Alai.
2022 WINNERS
Singles Champion JAIRO Jairo Baroja
Doubles Champions ARRIETA & GOITIA Inigo Gorostola & Inaki Goitiandia
RULES & REQUIREMENTS
All players must be United States citizens [Photocopy of Passport or Birth Certificate required with Entry Form].
Players must be at least 18 years old.
Players must sign a liability waiver and image release form.
Players must wear an approved helmet.
Video required with Entry Form if player is not known to the Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee has final determination of entrants should the Championship entries exceed the available playing slots.
Practice time will be available.
There will be a 1-minute warm-up before each match.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT & PRIZES
MASTERS DIVISION
August 11 & 13
Open to amateurs and former professionals who have not played professionally since January 1, 2019 and professionals who are age 50 or older
Amateurs Singles and Doubles Prize Money
1st Place: $1,000
2nd Place: $500
Limited to 32 Singles entries Limited to 14 Doubles teams All matches played to 6 points Finals played to 7 points There will be a Playback bracket in Doubles only
PROFESSIONAL TOURNAMENT
August 12 & 13
Open to current professional players and former professional players who have played professionally since January 1, 2019 and professionals who are under age 50
Professionals Singles Prize Money
1st Place: $7,500
2nd Place: $2,500
Professionals Doubles Prize Money
1st Place: $10,000
2nd Place: $5,000
Limited to 24 Singles entries Limited to 16 Doubles teams All matches played to 7 points Finals played to 9 points There will be a Playback bracket in Doubles only
That was a posting Tiger made on his site February 27th.
“It’s an old saying. Remember that? That’s kind of how I feel these days. Posts (and hits) have dried up”. I don’t have to remind you of what the consequences could be.”
Eleven days before that, he had posted “Where is Everyone?”. “8 posts in the last 4 days???”
Now, well less than two months later, it has gotten worse. Way worse.
After nearly 20 years, Tigers popular website and posting site “Chalk Talk” has dried up.
Despite Magic City going full force, there are no postings worth noting on the current state of jai alai. Outside of Tigers postings (which I enjoy seeing) on slot revenues, cardroom receipts and the weekly Magic City leaders report), only Bennett had made a kind of a “soft” posting about the Men’s Final 4 having ties to jai-alai since an April Fools posting on Texas Jai-alai.
What has happened? Tiger wants to know.
Literally hundreds of regulars have showy disappeared over the years. But now, its down to literally nothing.
Are people giving up on jai-alai? Or Is there nothing to talk about? Are people mad at Tiger? Or are they mad at some of the people that post on there and tired of getting into arguments or be criticized?
To me, Tigers site was the best thing that happened. When Paul Kubala and Tom DeMint worked effortlessly to get the City of St. Petersburg to approve the construction of America’s first public court in 2007, I announced it on Tigers site. This was before (or about as they were forming) Facebook and other social media avenues were around. Within an hour or two, I was receiving phone calls and emails from the likes of Benny, Daniel, Randy, and Jai-a-Lou. Dozens more came in. Even Joey Redner, the founder of Jai-alai Beer contacted me. The reply board on Tigers site took me days to answer all the questions. Then came TV crews from all the local networks, various sports radio talk show hosts and then huge writeups in the St. Pete Times and the Tampa Tribune. Life literally changed overnight, and it all started with that posting on Tigers site. And it wasn’t on April Fools Days, either.
Okay, you puppy kickers and girl beaters. Evan W. Coleman has had enough of your bullshit. Texas Jai-alai is going to be the REAL DEAL!!!
Just Google “Texas Jai-alai” and you will see for yourself. Texas Jai-alai has been open since 2009 and is alive and well. Yes, even drawing up to 12,000 fans a night at one time.
Yes, most of you “bad” puppy kickers that read Tigers site have seen the website claiming that Texas Jai-alai is coming. That was in 2009. Today, multiple websites rave about the success of Texas Jai-alai.
Jai-alai.info reports that Texas is the second state in the U.S. What? I recall San Francisco (California), then St. Louis (Missouri), opening frontons. And so did Chicago (Illinois), and New York City (New York). Oh, Connecticut had 3 of them, and Rhode Island had one, too. Talk about sloppy reporting.
Fla-gaming.com reports that Texas Jai-alai, opened in 2009, is located north of the city of Dallas, in the Palermo area. Near the facility, is a commercial complex, so spectators can enjoy shopping and dining as well as jai-alai. There is even a day-care center. The Texas Jai-alai fronton is large enough for 12,000 spectators, including the VIP section. There are concession areas, gift shops, and luxury suites.
Texastatesports.com reports that the “first fronton in Texas was built in Denton in 1977 by a group of investors from Miami. The game was an instant success with crowds flocking to the new fronton the watch the matches and gamble on the outcome. The fronton quickly became one of the most popular tourists attractions in Denton, and it wasn’t long before other frontons began popping up around the state.”
I couldn’t make up more bullshit than what’s when up on the “worldwide web”.
Yes, it is funny that a posting on Tigers site by someone named “Corta Deportes” reports that a recent story published by “El Correo”, a Basque Newspaper says four frontons are about to open in Texas. In 2009. Folks, that was 14 years ago. “Until now, the construction of a new fronton in Texas has been announced, that, next to the new one of Jasper in Florida, will change the negative course of a specialty that has been in a crisis for years.” A capacity of 12,000 spectators. Restaurants, cafeterias and even a day-care center. A 45-man roster. Big pay checks for the players included. The story concluded with a link to the Texas Jai-alai site, the same one we have seen since 2009. Yes, that posting was on April Fools Day. But his other stuff has been up for years.
Heck, even this very website you are reading had an announcement that Donald J. Trump was reopening West Palm Beach. And this very writer claimed he was building a jai-alai court in his front years for the past 9 years.
But then its was a posting by Evan W. Coleman on Tigers site, also on April Fool’s Day that opened my eyes. Yes, that is the very person who is responsible for Texas Jai-alai. To be fair, he has not made the ridiculous claims that Texas jai-alai has been alive and well all these years. He did state back then that it would take 10-12 years for this to happen. We are past that point now, but we also lost two years of our lives due to the COVID era.
Here is a reprint of his posting:
Gentlemen, Someone was nice enough to forward this web site and the threads to me yesterday and I would like to take a moment to respond to all.
First and foremost, thank you all for your concern about our future. We are very excited about what lies ahead for us, so let me address some of the nay sayers.
When we (jai-alai) are added to the current list of para-mutual sports in Texas, it is our intent to start construction within 6 months. I have personally met with the Mayors and/or City Council members of Dallas/Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving, Round Rock, Grapevine, Houston, Katy, San Antonio, Austin, Plano, and Carrollton.
Each and every one of those cities have expressed a huge interest in having us in their city. My job will be to select which city will be the host to the first Fronton. Several of the afore mentioned cities have even offered to build the facility for us.
Unlike the above individual who seems better educated than the cities or me, they understand the economic impact that a new sport will have on their community.
Slots or as they’re referred to in Texas, VLT’s (video lottery terminals), are not something we wish to have in any of our facilites! I do not wish to be associated in any way with something that in 10-15 years will be looked upon another failure in Texas. Slots machines are not a cure for bad business practices.
It will written into our Bill that we WILL NOT be eligible to place them in our Frontons. We also, will not simulcast horse racing or dog racing.
Why? We will be a Jai-alai sports and entertainment facility. Not a casino, horse track, or a dog track. We will offer the finest Jai-alai entertainment that the United States has ever seen, period. If you come in wearing shorts or a tux, there will be a amenity for you. Whether it’s for those who wish to stand or those who would like their own suite for the evening or just to hang in the VIP section.
Bennett, those are P-r-o-t-o-t-y-p-e-s. Jeez……kinda makes you wonder…..
The players will be treated like the professions that they are. Unfortunatly, we cannot pay them like the NBA, but we can sure treat them that way. They WILL be paid better than ever before, but that being said, they will have to train like the pro athletes that they are. They will also be required to meet the fans and do public apperances, but they will also be free to pursue outside endorsements as long as it doesn’t cast a negative shadow on the Fronton.
We will take a pro-active approach in developing a local fan base. We will not hide or shelter the players from the fans. Nor, will we make the game inacessible. This is the reason for the 30 meter court that will be built on the adjacent to the Fronton.
We have no intentions of making the same mistakes that other facilites have made.
The largest facility will have a capacity of 11-12,000….. not seating for that many. I wish. No two frontons will be identical. The size of the city will decide the capacity of the fronton.
Yeah, the stuff is priced like you’d expect merchandise to be priced from a professional sports franchise. Also, it will change a little each year so that no two years merchandise is the same. That’s what will help make it collectible.
And finally for those of you who hope we fail. I truly don’t understand why you bother to use this web site. I thought it was for the fans.
Isn’t there somewhere else that your negativity and your desire to see other people fail, be better served? It is very obvious that you’re not a true fan. I bet you even hit girls and kick puppies.
In closing, for those of you who are fans and wish to speak to me in person, feel free……..even the puppy kickers.
PS……..we are less than one week from our deadline to help the Katrina kids. If you can’t swing a shirt or hat, how bout 5 or 10 bucks on the donation button????
To all, even the girl beaters, have a Happy Holiday Season.
For all this to happen, Mr. Coleman is living a dream. First of all, he will need upwards of $150-$200 million dollars to pull this off – maybe less if he is able to get those cities to build the facilities like he says they might be able to. Good luck on that one.
He then takes a stab at “Bennett” and says, “those are P r o t o t y p e s”. I would assume he’s pointing fingers at the same Bennett, who I would say has been the most respectable poster on Tigers site over the past 18-years. It must have been a previous posting he made that I was unable to locate. But I’m not sure. This Texas jai-alai site has been brought up a few times over the past 14 years on Tigers site.
The next fallacy is the 11-12,000 capacities of each of the frontons. What!!! Are you kidding me? That’s more than the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins or the Oakland A’s average at their crappy ballparks.
He then takes a stab at Tigers site and wonders why people use it. He even goes to the extreme of calling them as those that would go around hitting girls and kicking puppies! Again, I couldn’t make this stuff up.
He also talks about having no slot machines. Texas does allow horse and dog racing, with the latter all but gone now. Competing against slots would be like me competing against Goiko in a singles match. Its only a matter of time till casino’s are allowed in Texas.
I wonder if that Coleman posting was by Ralphy Boy himself. He does a great job of checking on anyone before anyone can post there, and Coleman is Mr. Texas Jai-alai. But I’ve never seen a posting by Coleman in the past.
If it was April Fool’s Day joke all along, it was pretty clever! And a “Happy Holiday Season?” Wasn’t that a few months ago? Jeez. I’ve had enough.
Time to go kick a puppy, I guess. On second thoughts, no I won’t.
April 1, 2023: Word has leaked out that former President Donald Trump, a Palm Beach resident, is purchasing the long-closed building that was once West Palm Beach Jai-alai fronton and intends on bringing back jai-alai. Details are still emerging , but it is believed that he wants this to get more involved in the gambling business in the state of Florida. Currently, the Seminole Tribe hold exclusive rights to all gambling, with sports betting currently on hold after briefly operating 16 months ago.
There are no details on what will happen to the building, but we understand that current owner Don King may want to get more involved with boxing events to be hosted alongside jai-alai and working in conjunction with the former president, who is running for reelection again.
America’s first and only public jai-alai court is getting a makeover. After major expansion work in late 2021 that brought the cancha close to regulation amateur sizing for international tournament play, a couple of wrinkles needed to be addressed. The overhead protection screen, designed to protect wild throws from going into a soccer practice court adjacent to the cancha (and tennis courts further east of the court), was a few feet too low. On top of that, the netting was sagging, getting into the play of action on throws that normally would land in play. After 14 months of extensive playing, parts of the walls – both in the front and side were cracking apart. The overhead black paneling above the front wall was not able to protect multiple balls from getting thrown up and stuck on top of the 8” wide front wall. A tall ladder is needed to retrieve the “lost” Matt balls, often getting left up there for days till someone has the balls to go up there.
The entire screen area has been raised by about 4 feet, with the right side the most critically needed. The walls have been patched; with new thick black padding added along the entire right side just outside of the front wall. Work has also been done to the metal chopa and the paneling below it.
The next phase will include work on the rear sunshades, to help players better see the ball attempting to make rebotes coming and blinded by the sunset, usually right behind the back wall facing the west.
The goal is to ultimately raise the center cable to 8 feet above the walls, doubling the amount it is now after the first phase.
Then finally, the “makeup” gets put on the cancha. The unsightly white effervescence, “leaking” from the cinder blocks that were added to the court on its expansion work in late 2021, will be cleaned up and then the walls all getting a fresh coat of green paint.
A fundraiser by Belota last summer along with construction work run by NJAA/Sunshine League contractors Scott King and Eric Lanctot were able to pull this project off. Puryear Park jai-alai founder Paul Kubala was director of the project. And a special thanks to all those that donated their time on the 3-day project that was competed over the previous weekend.
It was quite a week for America’s first and only public Jai-alai cancha in the United States.
Last Saturday, former French star “Danny” brought along his buddy Jean “Olharan” for a visit to the Museum and then an appearance at the St. Petersburg court. Danny was a catching machine and played in various frontons including stints in Hartford and Miami. His French buddy, 33-year-old Olharan, is a world-class frontcourter who plays in tournaments internationally and is considered by Danny as among the top 3 frontcourters in the world today.
A couple of days earlier, a former world champion player, France’s “Oleveair” came by to check out America’s public court. It just so happened that a group of about 6 players were out there playing, and he immediately jumped in and played. He last threw a pelota in France over twenty years ago and based on what we saw after just a couple of throws and catches, this guy was good. Real good. He borrowed my basket and was throwing some nice pills. Due to some serious language translation problems, we were not able to get the full details on him and where was he a world champion with, etc. Research by our historian Mark K produced a player by the name of “Olha”, but Benny confirmed that was not him.
Olharan had made a point to visit the jai-alai museum and was able to make the trip while on his last full day in the United States with Danny, who was making the four-hour drive to photograph some nature wildlife at St. Petersburg’s Fort DeSoto Park, regarded as one of the top beaches in the United States.
Incredibly, the next day, Olharan was on a 17-hour flight back to his home and then to Guernica, Spain to compete in the Jai-alai Winter Series and going up against Goiko in a doubles match.. After losing the first game with Basque in the backcourt, they won the second and third 15-point matches for the win. He also won his 15-point game while playing in St. Pete too, adjusting to the court in no time at all.
