WPH Press
Jim Karner has been one of the top master’s players in the country for nearly two decades, racking up 3-Wall and 4-Wall national titles. Karner’s experience playing the best players in the country for the past 40 years has provided the “Mad Scientist” with the formula to become one of the SR48’s elite. Armed with a reverse serve to the right that hops into the wall and handcuffs an opponent for aces, Karner also brings consistency, experience, and a right-corner kill to overwhelm his foes. Now the “Mad Scientist” will try to find the formula to solve the WPH Rapid Fire Challenge.
Jim Karner WPH Rapid Fire Challenge
- Best city to play: Cleveland Central YMCA (now closed). They had been playing handball tourneys there for over 100 years and the place was steeped in handball lore. You could swim at the pool where Freddy Lewis was a lifeguard and even spot his 1974 National Singles trophy displayed in a case by the front desk. Lots of legends played there over those years.
- Who is your toughest opponent: 3-Wall is Dan Zimet. 4-wall is Kevin Price.
- Fastest person in handball: Luis Cordova.
- Who is the hardest hitter in handball: Indoors, Dessie Keegan. Outdoors, Casey Mayo.
- Best server in handball: Indoor- Naty Jr. Outside its Jim Corrigan and Dan Zimet.
- Best off-hand in handball: Dan the Hand (Armijo).
- Handball hero: Marvelous Merv (Deckert)
- Favorite court: 3-wall at Belle Isle in Detroit. It may be the birthplace of 3-Wall
- Player with the best offense: David Fink, and Sal Santa Ana back in the day.
- Player with the best defense: Kevin Price, all those wraps, ceilings, wraps.
- Most satisfying tournament victory: 11-10 tiebreaker over Tyler Stevens for the 2014 Michigan State singles.
- Most disappointing loss: 21-20 in the second game to Zimet and Frank at 3-Wall Nationals (I played with Pat Myers), after winning the first. We got killed in the tiebreaker.
- Most important title to win: I think the Four-wall National’s titles carry a lot of prestige.
- Favorite doubles partner: Dan Armijo
- Longest match you ever played: I think Andy Schad and I played almost three hours at 3-wall nats a couple times! Grueling in the heat and humidity.
- Favorite sport besides handball: Hockey
- Favorite tournament (ever): 3-Wall Nationals in Toledo.
- Best match you’ve ever played: That finals match against Tyler Stevens.
- Best match you’ve ever watched: So many…Chapman vs. Durso 1-wall money match!
- Title you’d most like to win: A title at the World’s.
- Favorite sport to play besides handball: hockey
- Favorite athlete (any sport): Alex Ovechkin
- What is your favorite book: Frankenstein
- What is your favorite movie: So many to choose from- Casablanca, Shawshank Redemption
- What your favorite tv show: The Americans
- Most important shot in handball: the serve
- Your best shot: right side corner kill
- Legend you’d most like to play in his prime: Tati
- Best Fans in Handball: Juarez, MEX
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer