AS JAI ALAI BECAME MORE POPULAR THE QUALITY OF THE PLAYERS DIMISHED. IN BASQUE / SPAIN A YOUNG BOY WHO'S FAMILY WANTED HIM TO BECOME A PRO JAI ALAI STAR ... WOULD STRAP A CESTA (basket) ... TO HIS ARM SO THAT IT BECAME AN EXTENSION OF HIS ARM. THEY BALL (pelota) ... IS LIKE A ROCK ... IN THE OLD DAYS THE BALL WAS MADE BY HAND OUT OF GRASS SOAKED AND DRIED OVER AND OVER IN A ROUND SHAPE AND COVERED WITH GOATS SKIN ... THEN SOAKED IN A BRINE TO MAKE IT HARDER AND HARDER. BILLED AS THE FASTEST GAME IN THE WORLD ... MANY PLAYERS HAD SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES AND EVEN WERE KILLED BY THE HARD BALL USED. IN THE LATE 1960'S THE LEAGUE MANDATED PLAYERS WEAR HELMETS. PEOPLE GOT TIRED OF BAD CALLS BY THE JUDGES AND PLAYERS DROPPING THE BALL ON PURPOSE. YOU HAD TO PAY TO PARK AT THE FRONTON ... PAY ADMISSION TO GET IN ... PAY FOR COCKTAILS & SODAS ... PAY FOR A PROGRAM ... WAIT IN LINE TO MAKE A BET AND IF YOU WON ... WAIT IN LINE TO COLLECT YOUR WINNINGS ... LATER THEY OFFERED RUNNERS ... BUT STILL ALOT OF MONEY TO GO THERE. I USED TO LOVE JUST TO WATCH THE GAME. HORSE RACING AND THE DOGS SOME DAY WILL ALSO BE EXTINCT BECAUSE THE YOUNG FOLKS TODAY DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO BET ETC. BOY ARE WE GETTING OLD OR WHAT? TAKE CARE PHIL ... LET'S DO LUNCH .. MY TREAT ... CALL ME AT THE STORE WHEN YOU ARE FREE 702-382-1882 ... P.S. THE MAN BELOW #6 IS MY UNCLE .. PHOTO FROM MIAMI JAI ALAI ...1954 CIRCA ... ANY RESEMBLENCE ... ME IN TROPICANA POOL ... OUCH!