Handball Memories

Email from Mary - February 21, 2022

Dad loved the game of Handball.  He met good friends who became business customers, and he got a good workout.  I suspect he started playing in Fort Dodge, Iowa at the YMCA.  (The Catholic Church did not approve of the Y and sanctioned joining the organization.  I sort of remember that it may have been a sin to join.  Dad was a devout Catholic, who served as an altar boy at morning mass well into his 80's but he figured God would excuse him for getting some exercise.)  He joined the YMCA when we moved to Washington and played handball there until the Washington Athletic Club opened their renovated handball, racquetball etc. courts and he was asked to join the club.  He met and played with a lot of bankers, the Nordstroms, jewelers and other men who became his friends.  Quite honestly, I remember being annoyed with him more than once because a game ran late, and I was waiting for him to give me a ride home.  He must have kept supper waiting too because dinner didn't start until Dad was at the table.

He came home onetime, and his right arm was swollen and black and blue from his wrist to his elbow.  (major vessel damage ). I asked him what happened, and he told me he got hit with the ball playing handball.  While applying ice and elevation I asked him why he didn't stop playing and he gave me the wide-eyed look and said, "we were winning"!  The game and exercise and the friends were very important to him.

As he grew older, he wasn't as fast or as strong.  I took him to play his last handball game when he was 80.  Onetime there was a national handball tournament at the Athletic Club.  Dad wanted to see the games and for some reason Jim agreed to take him with me. I think we were using the walker at that time.  The court had bleachers on one side, and we watched the games from the top row- probably the fifth row up.  When the games were over Jim helped Dad down and stood by the side of the bleacher waiting for me to hand him the walker.  For whatever reason I gave it to him, and I turned and stepped back to fall into thin air.   Jim caught me.  We were both terrified.  I was sure he would be injured for life.  He was so strong then.

Thank goodness for big brothers.