NEW SPORT FOR BRITAIN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 271, 31 October 1932, Page 5

NEW SPORT FOR BRITAIN

“HI-LI” FAStEST GAME IN WORLD. London, Sept. 12. The fastest ball game in the world, jai-afai (pronounced Hi-li), or pclota, as it is called in Spain, is about to be introduced to this country. Plans have been made to build the first fronton (or stadium) in London. This will cost £250,000,. and it is the intention of the syndicate—well-known and wealthy men—to' erect five more, in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, and either Brighton or Cardiff. When the scheme is in full operation at least £2,000,000 will have been spent, and work found for some 600 men and women, and about 200 skilled players. Arrangements were concluded yesterday to bring over 50 Hi-li players from Spain, Mexico, Cuba, and China. There are no pelota players in Britain, and it takes even a Spaniard 10 or more years to become proficient. Hi-Ji is the national sport of Spain and the Basque country, and is also highly popular in cities such as Shanghai, Havana, and Miami. There arc three frontons in Havana, and all are packed both in the afternoon and evening. It was stated that there has never been a case of a fronton failing, and the profits, of course, are very large. All the betting will be conducted through totalisators. Each tournament will last about three hours, and those who have watched Hi-h will know that it is possible to bet on every one of the 40 points scored by the teams. The main part of a fronton is the playing court. The spectators, seated on one side, face this, and are protected from injury by a wire net. The game consists of keeping the ball in play by hurling it at the right-hand wall. The players wear on their right hand a contrivance known as a cesta. This is curved into a sort of semi-circle, and is nearly 3ft. in length. It is made of straw, and at the end, where the ball is caught, is about 4in. deep.