Jai alai, a fast-paced and highly skilled ball game, has a brief time of popularity in the United States. The sport was first introduced in the early 1920s by Basque immigrants who had brought it with them from their homeland. Over time, jai alai in Tampa grew in popularity, and the city became one of the premier destinations for the sport. Today, while the sport has experienced a decline in popularity in recent years, its legacy lives on in the history and culture of Tampa.
What is jai alai?
Jai alai is a fast-paced, high-energy sport that originated in the Basque region of Spain in the early 20th century. The term means “merry festival” in Basque. It’s played similar to racquetball. The game involves throwing a ball against a wall with a curved basket called a cesta, and players use their hands to catch and throw the ball back to their opponents. The ball travels at high speeds — around 150 mph — which is why the sport is billed as “the fastest sport in the world.”
Jai alai gained popularity in the United States in the mid-20th century, and nowhere was its presence felt more strongly than in Florida.
Jai alai in Tampa
Tampa’s love affair with jai alai began in 1953, when the city opened its own fronton (arena) on Dale Mabry. when the sport was introduced to the city by Cuban immigrants. During its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, jai alai was big business in Tampa. Due to the region’s large Spanish and Latino population, the sport drew thousands of spectators during its peak and led to large scale betting from spectators gambling on the outcomes of the matches.
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However, by the 1980s, jai alai began to decline in popularity in Tampa. The rise of other forms of gambling, such as horse racing and slot machines, drew gamblers away from jai alai, and the sport struggled to attract new fans. In 1998 Tampa’s fronton was closed.
The legacy of jai alai in Florida
The Tampa jai alai fronton was eventually replaced by a Home Depot. There’s still a fronton in the state of Florida. The Miami Jai Alai Fronton is now located in Cason Miami and jai alai is played year round.
One of the popular breweries in Tampa, Cigar City, named one of its best-selling beers after the sport. Cigar City Brewing pays homage to the sport and the dedicated players and patrons who keep this Florida tradition alive with its flagship ale.