Figure 1.-- Here we see French boys receiving trophies after a Jai Alai tournament in 1960. Notice the cestas that they are holding. We wonder if this might be a school event. The priest suggests it is a Catholic school.

The name of the sport, Jai-Alai, translates as "Merry Festival" in the Basque language--a language unrelated to Spanish. We are not sure about the origins of the game, but it may have been in the Basque country where it continues to be very popular. Jai Alai is a game similar to handball, played on a three-walled court by teams of 2, 4, or 6 players. Unlike handball, it is played with an elongated wicker basket called a cesta / xistera . The cesta is strapped to the wrist and use to catch and throw a small (125 grams) hard ball. The ball is thrown at the front court. Jai Alai is notable for the speed of play. With the use of the cestas the speed of the ball can exceed 180 miles per hour. The came is played in Spain and seems especially popular in the Basque countey. It is also played in France and Mexico. We have also noted it being played in Cuba, but we are not sure what its satus is since the Revolution. It is played by the Cubans in Miami. A HBC reader reports the photograph here is from France, but it was actually a French school in Casablanca Morocco. I'm not sure about the uniforms worn for Jai Alai, but I think T-shirts and white shirts are common. The original caption under the photograph read, "Denek Bat de Casablanca : Bergerot - Vielnomme - Rouillard". A reader writes, "So it seems to be yet another French school in North Africa. As for "Denek Bat", all I was able to find is a French basketball team that bills itself "Denek-Bat BAYONNE URCUIT - the Basque basketball team." That seems to rlate to the popularity of Jai Alai in the Basque country.

Created: 1:46 AM 5/16/2005
Last updated: 8:50 PM 5/16/2005