Latest addition to the JLaca Museum
The latest artifact to the museum is a rather unique piece showing the making of the cesta. The piece was originally on display at the Tampa Fronton for decades, and then stored at the Ft. Pierce Fronton since 1998. The half-built cesta clearly shows the unique steps involved of a device that was patented February 6, 1900. Other versions of the cesta had been around for hundreds of years until A.B. Smith, a resident of California, produced a version that is still used today- nearly 125 years later! His “invention relates to the improvements in the hand basket-bat for use in playing fronton”, the patent reads. “In playing the game fronton the ball is caught in therein, thereby giving the player greater control over the ball and also affording a more ready means for projecting the ball”.
The artifact has been placed in the “A” suite of the museum, a section that is devoted to educating visitors the history of jai-alai and how its materials used in the sport are built. It is located in a built-in section of the wall next to the “Making of a Pelota”, which was donated by the great Al Almada
.
The JLaca museum is open by appointment only. Tours last 1-2 hours.
This same story can be seen on our new Facebook page – Pelota Press – Tampa Bay <-Click Here
