Unique handball courts draw yearly tournament to Maumee

Fans line a fence to watch the National Three-Wall Championships at the Recreation Center, where a facility was built in the 1970s as a prototype. THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER Enlarge | Photo Reprints

Tracy Davis, left, of Tucson and Bailey Chandler of Nixan, Mo., compete in the women's professional division. THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER Enlarge | Photo Reprints

The civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam preoccupied the American psyche. Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali continued his improbable comeback by knocking out reigning champ George Foreman in Round 8 of their historic Rumble in the Jungle fight in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), the first time an African nation was host to a sporting event viewed by a worldwide audience.

Now, 36 years later, the outdoor complex of eight three-wall handball courts in the northeast corner of the Lucas County Recreation Center still reigns in the hearts of many players as the greatest of its kind.

Yes, there are plenty of two, four, and even six-court handball facilities with three walls scattered across the globe.

But few compete with Lucas County's eight.

"This is the best facility in the country-slash-world," said Vern Roberts, executive director of the U.S. Handball Association, which has held its national three-wall championships at the Maumee courts every year since 1975.

"There are only a handful of eight-court facilities, and I don't know of any eight-court facilities with lights."

The Labor Day weekend tournament regularly draws hundreds of the best handball players and their families to the area, bringing in business for hotels, bars, and restaurants.

Mr. Roberts said 260 players are competing in this year's 60th championship, which began Thursday and concludes Monday with the men's open-division final. There is a $10,000 prize purse, with $2,200 set aside for the national champion.

The player to watch on the women's side is Megan Mehilos of Illinois, who is going for her sixth straight open singles title. Among the men, look for David Chapman of St. Louis, the nation's No. 1-ranked player.

To a degree, the game is self-explanatory, although handball players often find themselves explaining to the uninitiated how it all works. Tournament player Jason Collins, 37, of Haskins, Ohio, has a quick answer.

"Ever played racquetball? It's the exact same rules but without the racket," said Mr. Collins, adding, "And without the racket you've got to do more work."

There are also one-wall and four-wall versions of handball, with the former more popular in urban settings and the latter strictly an indoor game.

The three-wall version hit its high point in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s.

A unique circumstance brought about Lucas County's courts in 1972, when the county had some use-it-or-lose-it federal funding, according to articles in The Blade at the time.

Rudolph/Libbe Inc. constructed the $60,000 facility as a prototype of buildings to come, although it evidently turned out to be one of a kind.

Despite Lucas County's prominence on the national handball stage, the physically demanding sport remains obscure locally.

About 50 to 60 are active members of the Toledo Handball Club, and many of them well into middle age, Rich Stevens, 62, of Holland, said.

Like many of the old-timers, Mr. Stevens once played indoor four-wall handball at the long-shuttered Central YMCA on Jefferson Avenue downtown.

His son, Tyler Stevens, 26, picked up the sport from his dad.

A 2002 graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School, Tyler Stevens went on to play varsity handball for Lake Forest College north of Chicago, a small liberal arts school that's a handball powerhouse.

At Lake Forest he and his doubles partner, Billy O'Donnell, captured the open doubles title at the 2006 U.S. Handball Association Collegiate National Championships.

Mr. Stevens went pro after college, and said he was ranked 19th in the world before hip and back injuries sidelined him in 2007.

Now living in Denver, Mr. Stevens returns to Toledo each year to play in the tournament and visit family. He and Mr. O'Donnell planned to dust off their doubles game this weekend.

"The game is tough on the body at any level; you're using everything," Mr. Stevens said of the three-wall sport.

This year's championship attracted players from California, Florida, and Canada.

Andy Nett, 30, of Winona, Minn., drove nine hours for the prized competition and venue.

The teacher said he played Division II basketball and football in college and in recent years became serious about handball. Last time he checked, he was ranked 20th in the world.

"The whole state of Minnesota doesn't have any three-wall outdoor courts, so to come here and see eight is a real treat," Mr. Nett said.

Contact JC Reindl at:

jreindl@theblade.com

or 419-724-6065.