Currently, our game is seeing a resurgence and prominence as snippets of action in two national beer advertising campaigns. “The most interesting man in the world” played or plays handball and of course when he drinks beer, he drinks Dos Equis. And the people of Miller Brewing show among their activities montage for Miller 64, a couple of guys slapping around a yellow ball (yellow because it is visually eye catching for those brief seconds of “action.” As the saying goes, “there is no such thing as bad publicity.” And for the players of handball, it must be a heartwarming moment to see our game represented, albeit shoehorned, if less adorned, in quick cuts. Let us be glad that there is a handball player or fan who is an ad exec and relish the opportunity to elevate our game, at least to “most interesting” status. Those of us who play already enjoy the game; we already know that most interesting feeling.
Beer is often synonymous with summer and outdoor activities. For the warm weather season, collectively, late April until early September, the 3-wall outdoor season beckons. This year we are off to a slow start here in Maryland because the weather has been all over the map with its inconsistencies, especially rain and chill. But somehow on June 1, we were able to officially kickoff the outdoor season with our annual No Frills 3-wall doubles tournament. Before I summarize this event, I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the changing of the guard at the Office of Commissioner of Maryland Handball.
For many years, Dan Zimet and his cadre of volunteers have helmed the greater part of our area’s organized handball activities. Like so many volunteer leadership positions, it can be lonely and thankless. But having participated in the countless tournaments during Dan’s tenure, I am taking this moment to praise and thank him for his leadership and tireless efforts over the years. Fortunately, Dan’s leadership will still be on display as he remains dominant in the art of playing handball.
With the Commissioner’s torch being passed to Bob Maguire, I welcome him and hope we all support him going forward. The No Frills doubles tournament launched Bob’s tenure as head of Maryland Handball. Bob and his volunteers showed creativity and boldness in introducing a varied format for this tournament. Because of the relatively small draw, brackets were combined and matches shortened to two 15-point games (except for one division) and an 11-point tie break when necessary. This modified format was suited best in a round robin style of play mapped out for the entire tournament.
With no threat of rain and a hot day (low humidity), matches began at 9 AM and many ended abruptly with point totals to 15 damning the slow starters and averting any inkling of late game comebacks. With so many games scheduled, as a player, it was not an ideal setting for prolonged handball watching. What follows are highlights and quick takes on the day’s activities.
The Open division showcased our area’s finest talent and featured regular and irregular pairings in this doubles events. As has been said and widely known, doubles handball teams are most successful when they play a disciplined and calculated game. With a few exceptions, at the open level, especially locally, there are no secrets as to player capabilities and weaknesses. It is a matter of flawless execution and rarely flagging consistent play that often wins the day. The results of these shortened matches show every indication that there were some hard fought battles. Who is to say what outcome would have prevailed had any of these games gone to 21. But everyone knew going in, the first to 15 wins.
In one half of the preliminary or opening round of this division, Andy Schad and Logan Foley battled a tough duo of Josh Ho and Mark Ozgar; Schad and Foley lost the first game 15-7 but found their bearings in a tight second game 15-10; and managed to prevail in a thrilling 11-8 tie breaker. Ho and Ozgar would later be humbled by Alan Frank and Dan Zimet, the epitome of an ideal handball doubles partnership. Having witnessed their deft execution and magnificent court sense over the years, it was no surprise that this dynamic duo overcame a valiant effort by Schad and Foley, 15-13, 15-10. Meanwhile, in the other preliminary matches, Rick Anderson and his son Lee teamed up once again to demonstrate another example of what the ideal in handball doubles pairing can be all about. Rick is nothing less than steady and quietly plies his mastery of the front court. Lee on the other hand, shows his superb and fiery skills along with his boisterous court personality to complement steady “dad.” What father would not enjoy playing with his son, and at such a high level? The Andersons made quick work of Josh Osburn paired with relatively newcomer to the 3-wall game, William Vargas. Individually, Josh is a fine player with phenomenal skills. One can at times only admire him for his style and grace of execution; although, as a keen observer of the game of handball, Josh lacks one key element in his game to vault him to the next level. And to be fair, I am sure Josh is well aware of this missing element. The Andersons next faced Dave Bardwell and Adam Zimet. Bardwell and Zimet controlled the first game and muscled their way to a 15-13 win. The Andersons roared right back and held off a late charging Bardwell and Zimet at 15-10 to force the 11-point tie break. The Andersons unleashed a force of will over Bardwell and Zimet and slammed the door, 11-0.
The next round featured the teams with two opening round wins versus the teams with one lost. Winners from these matches would face each other to determine the champion. The preliminary round results set up a showdown between Alan Frank and Dan Zimet vs. Dave Bardwell and Adam Zimet. Perhaps it could have been a showdown, but Bardwell and A. Zimet were dispatched quietly 15-5, 15-3. In the match to determine the other finalist for this division, the Andersons faced Schad and Foley. Surprisingly, the always steady and stellar Schad and Foley offered little resistance and faded from the competition, 15-2 and 15-6.
The finals are an all too familiar sight that has played out on these courts at our regular Saturday gatherings and at some of our local tournaments, both indoors and out: Rick and Lee vs. Alan and Dan. Fittingly, this was the last match of the day and it did not disappoint. In the first game, Rick and Lee could do no wrong. Lee was on fire, shooting the ball from the deep court with echoing thunder of any well placed kill shot. And what Lee could not end, Rick was more than happy to finish with his wizardry up front; first game, Andersons, 15-4. Between games, one could observe Frank and Zimet telepathically reengage. The second game, Frank and Zimet regained form and cruised 15-5. The always exciting tiebreaker did not disappoint. The Andersons carved out a 9-4 lead with flawless execution and some great athletic play by Lee. Whether it was nerves showing on the part of the Andersons in wanting to beat Frank and Zimet or was it a show of will that they would not be vanquished, Frank and Zimet erased the 5 point deficit and forced a timeout with the score knotted at 9. The timeout did not matter as Frank and Zimet finished the Andersons at 9 to take the championship. It is a local rivalry that has heated up over the past several renewals and never fails to produce magnificent and stellar play by all 4 highly skilled individuals.
The cobbled together 50+/B division represented a cross section of burgeoning talent and seasoned veterans. Teenage up and comers Nathaniel Frank and Sam Worchesky teamed to wreak havoc among most of the seasoned and older pairs they faced. With Nathaniel’s raw power and Sam’s wicked left hand, 3 of the 4r matches they played went to tiebreakers with Nathaniel and Sam prevailing in two of the three. They started off by handling yours truly and my doubles partner, Bruce Cohen by splitting the first two games. In the tiebreaker, Nathaniel and Sam found themselves down 8-6, but regained serve, with Nathaniel using his power to reel off 5 straight deep and well placed serves to end the match. In Facing Bill Tebbenhoff and Pat Lowery, Nathaniel and Sam again split the first two games, but could not muster any tiebreaker magic and lost 11-2. Against Bob Bardwell and Joe Green, Nathaniel and Sam earned a split of the first two games and simply dominated in the tiebreaker winning easily, 11-0. To finish their campaign within the bracket, Nathaniel and Sam faced Joe Berman and Bob Maguire. There would be no tiebreaker in this match as the experience and skill of Berman and Maguire baffled the teen duo. And as with most all their matches for this bracket, Berman and Maguire were never pushed nor challenged. On the road to the being crowned champions, Berman and Maguire racked up 3 effortless match victories plus a walk over based on injury to Lowery. In the six games played to 15, Berman and Maguire only allowed a total of 23 points. Together Berman and Maguire are dynamic as Maguire is quietly and effortlessly brilliant from anywhere on the court while Berman punishes and kills any ball that is within his deceptive reach and agility up front. Berman has the complete game and can also befuddle an opponent with a right side crack and a deep hook serve to the left side.
In the matches we played, Bruce Cohen and I managed only one victory and that was over Tebbenhoff and Lowery. Bardwell and Green also only managed one win, with Cohen and me being their only victims. Tebbenhoff and Lowery bested Bardwell and Green for a total of two match wins.
In handball, like so many sports, games are played to produce a winner. The victories usually speak for themselves while losses seem to come with questions, reasons and recommendations. There are often a thousand reasons why you lost, but one reason why you won; you were better than your opponent at that moment. Perhaps you will always be better than a given opponent, but a lesson can be learned from every loss and that lesson can be the key to victory next time over an opponent. Talent and skill notwithstanding, determination and will can be counted as part of every point. The extra step or effort often results in surprisingly positive results. There can be only one champion, but ending his reign should become your goal. He may not rest knowing you are gunning for him, but let him worry about that, your job is prepare so that the next time, you are the better one.
Further to this, in sports, some teams seem to always have a particular team’s number no matter how terrible they are in any given season, one opponent, no matter how great always seem to succumb. In handball, age and skill act as great barriers to these fluke dominations. However, within those same two categories, there are rivalries that may have been going on for decades. In competition, we always face the same people since our aging timelines never diverge. So the guy you played at 35 will be the same competitor you will be playing when you are 60 if your skills remain relatively equal. Perhaps a few can even say, “He has never beaten me.” Therein raises the challenge to nullify that statement. But as it has been said, “…unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes.” Your challenge is to become the lead dog and change that view. Mush!
A solid bracket of 60+ players was formed when we welcomed 3 out of area players to join our ranks. Joe Ivy and Glen Paraskevin teamed and Keith Thode completed the visiting trio by teaming with local player Joe Pleszkoch. Within this bracket, the pairing of Dave Hinkleman and Dan Ho rounded out the top seeds. George Fambro and Paul Healy teamed as did Steve Alicandro and new comer to our group, Sam Goodman. Prohibitive favorites Hinkleman and Ho cruised through 3 matches with relative ease only being challenged at a turn by Thode and Pleszkoch. In the same vein, the team of Ivy and Paraskevin waltzed through their matches to set up a show down with Hinkleman and Ho. A battle royal ensued among these gritty warriors. There were long rallies and repeated side outs as the heat of the day and the battle began to take its toll. Hinkleman and Ho grabbed the first game 15-8 but lost 15-14 in the second, forcing a tiebreaker. As tiebreakers go, this was a classic. Hinkleman and Ho raced out and reached 10 while Ivy and Paraskevin hung on for their tournament life. Down by as much as 6 points, they clawed their way back to level the game at 10 as Hinkleman and Ho seemed to wilt from the heat of the day. At a critical point, Ho seemed to cramp in his legs and Ivy and Paraskevin pounced and snatched away the championship on an exciting final point.
The remaining bracket of 65+/C players featured 3 teams of Mort Frank and Elliot Greenwald, Charles Parsons and Rob Gordon and Tim Virostek and Daniel Andrews. Because of the small number of players, the games in this bracket were played to 21. In a word, eventual champs Parsons and Gordon dominated, allowing a mere 9 points total in 4 games played. Frank and Greenwald won easily over the young newcomers, Virostek and Andrews
Thanks to the participants, organizers and volunteers and referees for making this a pleasant and fun event; with added acknowledgement to Keith Thode who graced us with his presence on the court and later chronicled the event with his signature photographs.
Written by Peter Peart