Gaelic handball
Gaelic handball (known in Ireland simply as handball;[1][2][3][4] Irish: liathróid láimhe) is a sport similar to Basque pelota, racquetball, squash and American handball (an almost identical game). It is one of the four Gaelic games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association.[5] The game may be played with two (singles) or four players (doubles).[6] An important difference between it and racquetball or squash is that the players hit the ball with the hand instead of a racquet. Either the left or right hand can be used, depending on where the ball is hit. In 2009, Irish Handball was rebranded as GAA Handball, and this has boosted the sports popularity in Ireland.
Rules
Handball is played in a court, or "alley". Originally, an alley measuring 18.3 m by 9.15 m (60 feet by 30 feet) was used with a front wall of 30 feet, off which the ball must be struck.
A smaller alley was also introduced, measuring 12.2 m by 6.1 m (40 feet by 20 feet) with a front wall 6.1 m (20 ft) high. The first alley of this size was built in Ireland in 1969. This smaller size is now the standard in the international version of the game, but both alleys are still used in the Gaelic game, with two separate championships ran by the GAA in the two codes.[7]
The objective of a game is to score a set total of points before your opponent does. Points are only scored by the person serving the ball. In other words, if a player wins a rally but did not serve at the start of that rally they only win the right to serve, and thus the chance to score after a subsequent rally. The serving player has two opportunities to hit the ball, from the "service area" (between the two parallel lines), off the "front wall" and across the "short line" (which is located exactly half-way down the court from the front wall).
Players take turns at hitting the ball off the "front wall" before the ball bounces twice following their opponent's previous shot. Most handball games take place in a four-walled court but there are also three-walled and one-wall versions of the game.
History
Handball-like games have originated in several places at different times. Hieroglyphs in the temple of Osiris in Egypt portray priests taking part in a game very similar to handball. Mesoamerican civilizations in South and Central America had a form of handball-like game, which was a large part of pre-Columbian culture.
The modern game of handball originated in Ireland and Scotland. The earliest written record of a handball game is in the town statutes of Galway, which in 1527 forbade the playing of ball games against the walls of the town. On the west coast of Ireland, Galway had many trading links with Spain, especially the Basque regions, where the similar game of pelota is played. It is highly likely that one game is derived from or influenced by the other.
Irish immigrants brought the game to many countries in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It is still played in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales, Africa and England.[8]
Handball in Ireland has been rebranded as GAA Handball.
Types of Handball
In Ireland, there are four main types of handball. There is 40x20 (small court), the traditional 60x30 Softball & Hardball (big alley) and One-wall handball. One-wall handball has gotten very popular over the past 3 years and it is the most popular version of international handball. It is played in over 35 countries and it is hoped that it will become an Olympic sport soon.
Irish competitions
There are many handball competitions that are run in Ireland. In 40x20, the main competitions are County, Province, and All-Ireland Championships plus the 40x20 Irish Nationals. In 60x30 Softball and Hardball, the main competitions are County, Province, and All-Ireland Championships. In 2011 GAA Handball Ireland launched the 60x30 Nationals and this competition will be held in July. In One-Wall handball, the main competition in Ireland is the Irish One-Wall Nationals, and this is now held in Breaffy House, Castlebar. There are also many competitions during the year held by various handball clubs around the country.
See also
Other modalities
References
- ^ http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ultach/2010/03/
- ^ http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0316/handball.html
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/handball-model-stars-see-off-alley-cats-1966204.html
- ^ http://www.gaahandball.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=749:one-wall-nationals-2010-news&catid=34:news-archive
- ^ http://gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/our-games/
- ^ http://stcomans.handball.gaa.ie/abouthandball.html
- ^ http://handball.gaa.ie/irishhandballmilestones.html
- ^ http://dublin.handball.gaa.ie/abouthandball.html
External links
- GAA Handball
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 450, 451.