Why Handball is My favorite Sport

[Pheonixops]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgXMY0UPMqI]Found a park with good players - YouTube[/ame]

 

[katsteve2012]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

I've played in racquetball tournaments for years and have seen the same type of camaraderie.

 

[Tank]

Handball

 

[S.J.]

 

[katsteve2012]

Handball

Much better exercise than watching NASCAR and lifting a can of Budweiser.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_handball

 

[Unkotare]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

Ok, but why is it your favorite sport?

 

[Unkotare]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

I've played in racquetball tournaments for years and have seen the same type of camaraderie.

Which suggests it's about the people more than the sport per se.

 

[katsteve2012]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

I've played in racquetball tournaments for years and have seen the same type of camaraderie.

Which suggests it's about the people more than the sport per se.

Absolutely correct..

 

[Unkotare]

Why is this thread even in the race relations forum?

 

[Pheonixops]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

I've played in racquetball tournaments for years and have seen the same type of camaraderie.

Yep! I've played that sport as well, I also am starting to find it happening in my other favorite sport; Tennis.

 

[Pheonixops]

Handball

I'd love to see you get out on that court and play a singles match!

 

[Pheonixops]

If you look at this video, you see people of four different ethnicities/"races" playing the game, competing, and getting along. The guy in the maroon shirt and white shorts was a long time champion and competitor in New York and internationally. Ten years ago and more, speaking for myself and some other I know, we could go to any park and any neighborhood and play unscathed, as long as we all followed the basic tents of respect four yourself and other people.

Found a park with good players - YouTube

Ok, but why is it your favorite sport?

I tend to favor individual sports like boxing, martial arts, handball, tennis, real wrestling, squash, tennis, etc. I like handball because it's a sport that is accessible to almost anyone who can afford to literally spend a couple of bucks on a can of ball or in some locations less than a dollar for a single ball. I like it because many times, depending on location, it transcends race and people gain friends from many different ethnic groups and walks of life. I don't know if you remember Mike Tyson's old manager Jim Jacobs, but he was a handball legend at one time.

 

[Pheonixops]

Why is this thread even in the race relations forum?

Because it has a racial/ethnic component to it. Many of these threads tend to be: "The Blacks are fucked up" or "The whites are fucked up" or "The (add enthic group) are fucked up.", and turn into negativity instead of positivity about "race" relations. I wanted to post something positive about "race" relations and share my life experience and show that it's not as messed up as some people want other people to believe.

 

[Pheonixops]

Here's an excerpt from Jim Jacob's website:

"But handball was his destiny.

Handball, as sporting aficionados know, demands extreme athleticism – speed, power, agility, balance, hand-eye coordination. This is the sport that the multi-talented Jacobs chose.

Jacobs loved both the athletic nature of the sport and the gladiatorial persona that surrounded it – two opponents in a 20x40 foot court, four walls and a ceiling, battling shot to shot until the 21st point.

His love of handball – and later, boxing – were to affect his entire life and his obsessive concentration on both were only interrupted to serve in the U.S. Armed forces in Korea, where he was awarded the Purple Heart in 1951."
Jim Jacobs

 

[Unkotare]

I tend to favor individual sports like boxing, martial arts, handball, tennis, real wrestling, squash, tennis, etc.

I thought handball was played in teams. Anyway, what's your wrestling background?

 

[Unkotare]

Why is this thread even in the race relations forum?

Because it has a racial/ethnic component to it. Many of these threads tend to be: "The Blacks are fucked up" or "The whites are fucked up" or "The (add enthic group) are fucked up.", and turn into negativity instead of positivity about "race" relations. I wanted to post something positive about "race" relations and share my life experience and show that it's not as messed up as some people want other people to believe.

I hear ya, but it seems the sentiment could apply to 'sport' in general. Hence, the question.

 

[Pheonixops]

I tend to favor individual sports like boxing, martial arts, handball, tennis, real wrestling, squash, tennis, etc.

I thought handball was played in teams. Anyway, what's your wrestling background?

There's something called "team handball" that is mostly played in Europe, but handball in America, Ireland, etc. is played on one, three, or four walls.
US Handball Association - Home

I wrestled in High School 30 years ago, and used some skills from wrestling when practicing martial arts (JKD, Muay Thai) for decades now.

 

[Pheonixops]

Why is this thread even in the race relations forum?

Because it has a racial/ethnic component to it. Many of these threads tend to be: "The Blacks are fucked up" or "The whites are fucked up" or "The (add enthic group) are fucked up.", and turn into negativity instead of positivity about "race" relations. I wanted to post something positive about "race" relations and share my life experience and show that it's not as messed up as some people want other people to believe.

I hear ya, but it seems the sentiment could apply to 'sport' in general. Hence, the question.

I agree, I just chose to use an example from one of my sports.

I also think that it's good to show some positivity in this forum where negativity tends to rule. There has to be something good to learn from this, it shows that people of different races and cultures, can and do get along quite well with each other, especially when they have something in common.

 

[Pheonixops]

Black folks play handball? On the downlow?

I'd love to see you go to any handball court in NYC, So Cal, Florida, etc. and question their "manhood" because they play handball.

 

[Unkotare]

Black folks play handball? On the downlow?

Whereas YOU only play with yourself.