Jai alai What is it?

The World’s Fastest Ball Game

Where did it originate?

Where did it come from? Jai-alai is a sport originally played in Spain’s Basque regions and is called pelota vasca there. Here it is called Jai-alai and that means “merry festival” because it was introduced to Cuba in festivals in Pyrenees Mountains for hundreds of years It had originally been played on church walls where they bounced the ball. It is known for being a very fast game.

What does it mean in the Basque language? Jai-Alai originated in Northern Spain. (Basque country. ) They originally played the game outdoors against church In Basque, Jai alai means: Merry Festival

History of It Began as throwing a pelota at a church wall. Started in the Basque region of Spain between the Pyrenees Mountains in North-Central Spain and South France. From there it became known for festivals only. The Basque area is knows as the birthplace of the fastest sport in the world. The first indoor fronton was built in 1798 in Marquena. Jai-alai means “merry festival” First introduced to America in 1904 in St. Louis World’s Fair. First fronton arena in America was in Miami, Florida in 1926. Florida, Connecticut and Rhode Island are “home states” to jai-alai.  In 1928 Mexico City built their first one. Tijuana was built in 1947. Acapulco in 1994 and Cancun in1995. 400 years since beginning- very little change has occured.

History continued… It’s known for being very fast and exciting- especially at tournaments. The fastest ball ever thrown was in 1979 at 188mph by Jose Ramon Arietio in Rhode Island. Cesta is the basket to catch and throw pelota and is specially made for each player. Wicker is made from reeds found in Pyrenees Mountains and the fram is made of steam bent Chestnut. The pelota is ¾ the size of a baseball and is harder than a rock. Core is made of Brazilian virgin de pola rubber and has a layer of nylon and hand-stitched with 2 goat skin covers. The ball lasts about 20 minutes before breaking from hitting the wall at fast speeds. Jai alai is a very difficult sport to master. Training for this sport begins between the ages of eight and ten years old and continues for years before the individual can become a professional jai alai player.

Tell Me About It It is played in a court that only has 3 walls and a hard rubber ball. The ball, or pelota, is thrown and caught in a wicker scoop called a cesta. The cesta is strapped to one arm. The Cesta is between 63 to 70cm long and was invented by the French Basque in the 19th century. In Spanish it’s called cesta-punta and in Basque it’s called the xistera.

When did Jai alai come to Cuba? Came from Spain to Cuba in 1898. In 1926 it became a professional game at the Miami Fronton. A Fronton is an area where Jai – alai is played.

Fronton

Some Interesting Facts There are more Jai-alai frontons in Florida today than in any other place in the world. The sport has changed very little since it originated about 400 years ago. It has always been known for its fast pace and exciting tournaments.

The Court Called a cancha. Made of granite. That’s the only material that can handle the ball hitting it. It is usually 172 feet long 40 ft high 40 ft wide 3 walls and a wire screen for the audience.

The Court 3 walls only One front, one back and one side Always green Has location markers

Object of the Game Throw the ball in a way that the other team cannot catch it and return. Must be caught before hitting the ground more than once and return it back to the wall.

In what year were helmets introduced? Helmets were not used until 1968 when a champion player was hit in the head. This ended his career.

What form of play is the most common in the U.S? Round robin is common in the United States. This means that there are eight teams with 2 players each. The first team to reach a score of 7 or 9 points wins. In Spain they play a “partido” which lasts an hour or more.

Rotations Most games use the "Spectacular Seven" scoring. This is when the winning score is 7. After first round of play, the points double. Usually played in “round-robin rotation” and by 8 teams or by single players. Doubles- Each team has a front player and back player. Front player serves. Winner of each point stays on court for the next team. Losers go to end of line for next turn on court. First team to 7 wins. 2nd place is called “place” and 3rd place is called “show” Tied scores go to playoffs. Doing "Spectacular Seven" scoring and the “round-robin” together gives an advantage to the lesser teams. They will have more chances to play than the better teams.

Where are the most Jai Alai courts than anywhere else in the world?

What 5 things does each Jai-Alai player wear or carry?

Equipment needed for jai-alai Helmet Jersey: designates position by color and number Faja: (red sash) Belt worn by the players. In some countries, the color of the belt determines the position played Cesta: basket Shoes: need to be rubber soled for good traction.

Cesta Made from reeds found only in the Pyrenes mountains in Spain. Frame is made from chestnut. Hand is put in the leather glove and held in place by a “cinta”. Cost is over $200 Per season a player can go through 15.

Pelota The most lethal ball of any sport. 3/4 the size of a baseball harder than a golf ball 180 m.p.h. (The Guiness Book of Records calls it the world's fastest ball.) Constructed of hand wound Brazilian rubber with two hand-sown goatskin covers. Pelotas cost over $150 each and must be re-covered after 15 minutes of play. No machine has ever been developed to construct a pelota.

Spin Pelota, Spin! The pelota must be thrown so that the other team cannot catch it and return it. Speed is not the only trick for the pelota to be missed. Spin on the pelota is important. Throwing the ball with a spin that can produce a curve or rise or drop will help to confuse the opposing team and possibly drop the pelota.

More Facts The pelota is known to be the hardest ball of any sport. It is roughly 3/4 the size of a baseball and is harder than a rock. Its core consists of Brazilian virgin de pola rubber and then it is layered with nylon and hand-stitched with two goat skin covers. The pelota, on average, has a court life of only about 20 minutes before the cover splits due to the high velocities at which it hits the wall during play. The training of Jai-alai pelotaris begins between the ages of eight and ten years and continues for years before the individual can become a professional player.

The Serve Started by serving the pelota. The pelota must bounce behind the serving line. Pelota must be thrown with the cesta to the front wall so it will bounce between lines 4 and 7-as labeled on the wall . If not in that specific area, it is an over or under serve. The other team receives a point for this.

Rules * Scoring points The ball must be caught on the fly or first bounce. The ball, also, must be caught and thrown in "one fluid motion". All three walls are in play - the red is out-of-bounds.

Rules Scoring points The winner of each point stays on the court to meet the next team in rotation. Losers go to the end of the line to await another turn on the court.

Shots REBOTE-Returning the ball from the back wall with the forehand or backhand.

Shots CHULA-Ball hits the lower angle between the base of the back wall and the floor coming out without a bounce.

Shots CHIC CHAC-A ball returned to the floor near the back wall and back to the floor.

Shots CAROM-A thrown ball that hits the side wall, the front wall, the court, then goes into the screen.

Shots CORTADA-A ball thrown from outside of the court with forehand, hitting low on the front wall then on the floor.

Shots DEJADA-A short lob, hitting the front wall just above the foul line and dropping with a small bounce.

Shots ARRIMADA-A ball that is returned as close to the side wall as possible, hindering the opposition's return.

The Players Isidru, #38. In1978 he was given the most wins title in Bridgeport. Clockwise, from left: Hernandez   Lasa   Lekube   Egurbi   Elu  

Best Player in the World Francisco Churruca jumps to catch a 150 mph pelota. (He does get it and the other team misses the catch) Patxi- his nickname to his friends. World champion of Jai-alai

Youngest Player The youngest professional player in the history of Jai-alai was Piston I. He began his professional career in Madrid, Spain in 1922 at the age of nine. The Guinness Book of World Records reports the official record for the fastest recorded Jai-alai ball at 188 MPH.

Facts…. Jai-alai became an Olympic sport on several occasions. The first was in Paris Olympiad of 1924 while the most recent was the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. The first Jai-alai game in China was played in a fronton in Shanghai. Another fronton opened in Tientsin in 1934. But World War II and the communist government ended jai alai’s brief success there.

Thanks to… Shelby Ebenhoeh for the additional information provided in this presentation. (2011)

Works cited Florida Gaming Corporation. http://www.fla-gaming.com/. Access date 1/26/09 Idea from: Mr. Rishmawi. Flushing High School Spanish teacher.

Pictures accessed 1/26/09 from the following sites: http://mentalfloss.cachefly.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/jai-alai3.jpg http://dynamicfitness.homestead.com/files/photos/jai-alai.jpg http://www.map-of-spain.co.uk/maps-of-spain/spain/map-of-spain2.jpg http://www.mdc.edu/environethics/florida%20space%20site.jpg http://www.jaunted.com/files/admin/jaialai.png http://www.elsotanoloco.com/res/Pelotari/pelotari3cesta.jpg http://www.fla-gaming.com/tools.htm http://www.fla-gaming.com/shots.htm http://www.vintagepostcards.org/auctions/jai-alai-palm-beach-fronton-florida.jpg http://www.national-jai-alai.com/images/MVC-006S.JPG

Works Cited from Shelby Ebenhoeh http://www.jai-alai.info/index.html http://www.blogseitb.us/basquecountrylive/files/2008/11/markina-jai-alai.jpg http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2820439/2/istockphoto_2820439-jai-alai-playing-balls.jpg http://estancabigas.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/jai-alai-small.jpg http://www.stmarysmedia.co.uk/jb16/images/cesta%20punta.JPG http://www.tomveatch.com/tt/jaialai2.jpg http://www.national-jai-alai.com/images/MVC-002Ssm.JPG http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7SczI5autzw/SjpCczptH-I/AAAAAAAADGw/hb-PJqRHB_c/s800/c4.jpg http://armenta316.tripod.com/history.htm http://tigerchalktalk.home.mindspring.com/bulletscancha.jpg http://www.euskadibet.com/upload/Image/news-big/pelota%20jai%20alai.jpg http://chalktalkprofiles.home.mindspring.com/lecubed.jpg http://rsbassociates.home.mindspring.com/si/si650329.htm http://jas22.org/sitebuilder/images/Untitled-1-180x336.jpg http://www.gipuzkoa.net/turismodocs/pelota/imagenes/img/pelota-ft3_03.gif http://chalktalkprofiles.home.mindspring.com/goixarri20.jpg

Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6040306946024361431&ei=QG9-SfTgFZ-2-wG4pPS3BQ&q=jai+alai&hl=en&emb=1