Page 8
THE BATTALION
THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1979
the sports |
Racquetball rising ’round the nation
; AUSTIN
ito five cou
United Press International
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Imagine
being trapped in an enormous,
>vhite-walled, super-heated room
*vhile invisible phantoms throw
lard little black balls at you.
That’s what the novice feels like
)n a racquetball court.
The black rubber ball — about
lalf the size of a tennis ball — ca-
-eens off any one of four walls or the
veiling with a loud thunk. It flies
oward your face at a frightening
;peed as you scurry around franti
cally trying to defend yourself with a
;awed-off tennis racquet.
Racquetball is hot, intense and in-
uriating. But for 5.5 million Ameri-
•ans, it has become an enthralling
ixperience that they put themselves
hrough at least two or three times a
veek in private clubs and college
gymnasiums.
Its fans say the game — a hybrid
>f handball and tennis — is so excit-
ng it will soon overtake tennis as
the No. 1 racquet sport in the na
tion. The U.S. Racquetball Associa
tion reports the number of players is
doubling every year.
“I always look like I need a re
spirator when I get done playing,”
said Delores Gibson, 35, a house
wife who had just finished an hour
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on the court at Ypsilanti’s Sports Il
lustrated Court Club in suburban
Detroit.
“But, it’s great exercise — a great
way to sweat off 40 pounds,” she
said, grinning as she pushed long
strands of black, sweat-soaked hair
from her forehead.
The game is being played by:
—Suburban housewifes who park
their children with free court club
babysitters while they compete in
leagues.
—Retired men and women who
use the clubs as a way to meet new
people.
—Students looking for a break
from their studies.
—Executives who play on courts
rented by their companies.
—Night-shift factory employees
who work away their frustrations at
clubs open around the clock.
To the devotee of tennis — a
centuries-old sport which has always
been identified with the well-heeled
— racquetball seems like a poor re
lation.
Many racquetball players shun
the Paris-designed fashions of the
tennis world and run around the
courts in old, torn gym shorts,
smelly T-shirts and ragged tennis
shoes while swatting away with $15
racquets.
The Sports Illustrated Court
Clubs, a nationwide chain begun in
Ypsilanti in 1976, advertises itself as
the “working man’s country club” in
order to capitalize on the anti-
aristocratic image of the sport.
“It’s not like snobs play it or any
thing,” Mrs. Gibson said. “It’s not a
country club atmosphere, maybe
that’s because we re all so sweaty
when we get done.”
The sport came into existence in
the late 1940s when a tennis pro
substituted a strung racquet for the
paddle in paddleball, a form of
handball played with a wooden pad
dle. It didn’t get its name until 1969
Racquetball unlike tennis
Racquetball, the nation’s
fastest-growing racquet sport, is
a haven for the frustrated tennis
player.
Unlike tennis, you can’t lose
your ball over the fence — the
game is played in a four-walled
court.
You won’t end up screaming in
frustration because your best
forehand just thudded into the
net — there isn’t any net.
Players hit the ball to the front
wall, watch while their oppo
nents hit the ball and then —
hopefully — hit it back to the
front wall again before it bounces
twice on the floor. ’
A player scores a point when
his opponent fails to return the
ball to the front wall before it hits
the floor twice. A player can only
score while serving.
The best players use all four
walls and the ceiling to return
the ball to the front wall in a kind
of four-dimensional pool. One
classy shot involves slamming
the ball as hard as you can against
the back wall so that it rockets
over the head of your opponent
and slams into the front wall.
The only equipment needed
for the game is a racquet priced
between $10 and $50, tennis
shoes, shorts and a shirt.
Courts can be found at col
leges or community centers or at
private clubs, which range in
price from $200 to $1,000 annu
ally.
when another tennis pro dubbed it
“racquetball” before the first inter
national tournament.
Racquetball is a phenomenon of
the 70s.
At the beginning of the decade,
only 50,000 Americans called them
selves racquetball players and there
were no private clubs. This year,
the number of players should pass
six million and the number of clubs
has climbed to 750.
The sport’s 12-city pro tour this
year posted $200,000 in prize
money. When the tour began in
1974, it could only muster $9,800 in
prizes.
The key to racquetball s success
appears to be the fact that anyone
can learn to play within minutes.
“It’s not like tennis where you
have to learn the stroke,” said
Michigan-based racquetball pro Gil
Schmitt. “Racquetball is like taking
up a newspaper and swatting a fly.
Another facet of the game is lur
ing women and the elderly onto the
racquetball courts in increasing
number, Schmitt said. Racquetball
is a test of strategy where strong
muscles do not always determine
the winner.
“An old man can walk in there (on
the court) and run me around in cir
cles if he is a real smart player,”
Schmitt said. “It’s like playing chess
on the court. It takes intelligence.
The sport’s fans claim racquetball
can do everything for a player —
from hardening his muscles to im
proving his mental health.
Two University of British Colum-
restriction
, i . H Clemen
bia researchers who sIkMU maxin
sport saw it as a solutiontt^ M )llteoin<
our exercise problems,” Ip 1 gj y ett
“Racquetball’s unique8 masked aboi
they said, “is its abilitytoJ there coul
one, regardless of sex, ageKi Vetter s
level, to participate imcHiring the
and experience fun and “The fir
well as a worthwhile worltAKkl-even ]
Their study showed a peJBut it doe
ing racquetball uses up 13« Vetter s
per minute compared nijBonday ai
lores per minute for tennt«j|iforceme
calores for cross country a t )(
The intense workout coB800-424-
the fact that racquetballriE “The D<
the ball twice as often anilM Clemen
running than tennis playeijB'han are;
i , , iRviate Ion
Chuck Leve, national Mg T i
the Chicago-based RaeqnJjt ^° V
»• ii j n. ^ f “ ,)n Pl an a
soc.at.on, called the sport,* ^ hj
cure for such problems,
and frustration.
“If you want physical a
vent the pressures of you
emotional release, therej
better than racquetball,’|
“What could be a better!?
liever than blasting thek:|
as you can against a wal j
great afterwards.
"No matter what youaifi
physical fitness now, youir
bly get more out of racquea
your present activity.”
mpa.gn
SOSU leads College Rodeo
Vol. 72
8 Pages
United Press International
LAKE CHARLES, La. — With
leaders in both men’s and women’s
competition. Southeastern Okla
homa State University moved to a
commanding lead in team standings
with 270 points during the second
go-round of the College National
Finals Rodeo.
SOSU, trying to equal Casper
(Wyo.) College’s record four con
secutive team titles, was boosted by
the strong performances of Jimmy
Cleveland in bareback bronc riding
and Sabrina Pike in goat tying.
Cleveland turned in a 75-point per
formance on a bareback bronc in the
rodeo’s second go-round. He also
held the highest total with 146
points.
Pike led the second go-round goat
tying competition with a time of
8.44 seconds. Her combined time of
18.59 seconds also put her at the
top.
Trailing SOSU in team totals
were Dawson Community College
(Glendive, Montana) with 195
points, the University of Southern
Colorado with 135 points and Na
tional College of Business (Rapid
City, S.D.) with 120.
Team roping winners in the sec
ond go-round were Mitch Copps
and Clifton Wheeler of Sam Hous
ton State University of Texas with
an 8.04-second time. Leading in a
combined time of 17.18 were Dean
Churchill of South Dakota State
University and Dick Churchill of
Chadron State College of Chadron,
Nebraska.
Jeff Clubb of Sam Houston State
took the second go-round steer
wrestling lead with a time of 3.48
seconds. Raymond Dorenkamp of
Lamar (Colo.) Community College
was the rodeo leader with 8.64 sec
ond in total time.
Walter Parke of Weber State
(Ogden, Utah) was the second go-
round calf roping leader at 10.04
seconds. Scott Clements of National
Business led in combined time with
21.26 seconds.
Jess Knight of Howard Junior Col
lege (Big Springs, Texas) with a 70-
second ride in the second-go-round
was the combined leader with 136 in
the saddle bronc event.
A strong bull ride by Panhandle
Oklahoma State University’s Rod
Breech moved him into the lead
with a 70-second rideintli
In women’s events, Rai
of the University of Wra
clocked in 15.77 second^
racing in the second-go-ro
Perry of Southwestern!
State University c
Okla.) leads the combineiMHOUSTC
31.93. flen day g
Cynthia Cook postedBwlessly ii
second time in breakawMFeard T;
Pam Mitchell from How jlffth an eve
College led the eombinf worth of ga:
that event at 7.45. from Thang
The all-around leadfcr.mt, who
Tuesday s competition wt-Bout the 5
Jeffries of Dawson and SaiflHent.
of SOSA. ■When a i
student at t
be had an
Astros win. Rangers los
Dining: 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M.
— 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.
MONDAY EVENING
TUESDAY EVENING
WEDNESDAY
SPECIAL
SPECIAL
EVENING SPECIAL
Salisbury Steak
Mexican Fiesta
Chicken Fried Steak
with
Mushroom Gravy
Dinner
Two Cheese and
w/cream Gravy
Whipped Potatoes
Onion Enchiladas
Whipped Potatoes and
Your Choice of
w/chili
Choice of one other
One Vegetable
Mexican Rice
Vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Patio Style Pinto Beans
Roll or Corn Bread and Butter
Coffee or Tea
Tostadas
Coffee or Tea
Coffee or Tea
One Corn Bread and Butter
THURSDAY EVENING SPECIAL
Italian Candle Light Spaghetti Dinner
SERVED WITH SPICED MEAT BALLS AND SAUCE
Parmesan Cheese - Tossed Green Salad
Choice of Salad Dressing - Hot Garlic Bread
Tea or Coffee
FRIDAY EVENING
SPECIAL
BREADED FISH
FILET w/TARTAR
SAUCE
Cole Slaw
Hush Puppies
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
SATURDAY
NOON and EVENING
SPECIAL
Chicken &
Dumplings
Tossed Salad
Choice of one
vegetable
Roll or Corn Bread & Butter
Tea or Coffee
(“Quality First”i
SUNDAY SPECIAL
NOON and EVENING
ROAST TURKEY DINNER
Served with
Cranberry Sauce
Cornbread Dressing
Roll or Corn Bread - Butter -
Coffee or Tea
Giblet Gravy
And your choice of any
One vegetable
United Press International
HOUSTON — Craig Reynolds’
one-out triple in the eighth drove in
Terry Puhl from first base with the
winning run Wednesday night lead
ing the Houston Astros to a 5-4
victory that completed a three-
game sweep over the New York
Mets.
Puhl collected his third single of
the game to open the eighth inning
off starter and loser Craig Swan, 7-5,
after the Mets forged a 4-4 tie in the
sixth when Lee Mazzilli’s walk led
to an unearned run.
Cesar Cedeno’s two-run double
gave the Astros a 2-0 lead in the first
inning and Dennis Walling hit an
inside-the-park home run in the
fourth to tie the score 3-3. The As
tros took the lead on Puhl’s fifth
inning RBI single.
Joe Sambito, 4-2, earned the
victory and ran his scoreless streak
to 27 straight innings by hurling
one-hit relief over the final two in
nings. Sambito has not been scored
upon over his last 16 appearances.
In Anaheim, Don Bayfc:
in a pair of third-inning ra
tend his major-league (ea!
total Wednesday night
year-old Bert Cai
victimized his former tfi|
with three stolen bases,
California Angels toaW
over the Texas Rangers.
Baylor’s two-run u.
starter and loser Jon Mail
after Campaneris single
Angels’ first run of thethi!
gave him 59 RBI after i
70th game. Brian Downiti
California’s fourth inning
sixth homer of the year.
Campaneris, whotiedn
ord with his three steals
gled, stole second and"
scored what proved to bei
ing run on Dan Ford’s®
sacrifice fly. Texas’ first
came on Ilichie Zisk’
single in the fourth andtht
chased Frost in the eij
Putnam’s two-run homer
&
SNOOK
OPEN RODEO
Sat. June23rd 8p.m.
Tickets at gate
AFTER RODEO DANCE
Featuring: Christy Lane
3 miles west of Snook on FM 60
[intersection FM 60 and FM 3058]
'/&)})
BAIXKjOOM
Snook, Texas
DANCE
Christy
Lane
Sat., June 23rd
9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
3 miles west of Snook on FM 60
[intersection FM 60 and FM 3058]
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