St. Louis, MO, WPH Press, 6/29/25
The Forest Park Handball Club played host to the 2025 Big One Tornado Tournament at the famed forest Park Courts, featuring 54 players competing in the BOT Open Doubles. Big Ball superstar Anthony “Chopper” Hernandez traveled to the Midwest for the second consecutive weekend from Southern California after winning the Tim Nass singles at the KCAC last weekend (2025 Tim Nass recap HERE). Chopper was joined in the BOT field by his partner JR Jones, Race 4 Eight pro and St. Louis Captain Jeff Streibig, Will Lemp, and a number of the best outdoor players in St. Louis.
The left side wall on one of the two Forest Park 3-Wall courts was destroyed by a recent tornado, leaving the matches to be played on just one court.
Chopper and JR def Jeff Martinez and Rob Burton in the semifinals and met Streibig and Lemp in the final after Streibig and Lemp defeated Derrick Olsen and Numan Asghar.
The final produced sensational handball, with both teams scrambling and battling in a razor close finish.
“It was an intense final with great shots from both teams,” Chopper would later say. “Our shots weren’t as sharp as we wanted but our heart and hustle managed to put us past the finish line. I have gained a tremendous amount of respect for the big ball game of Will and Jeff. St Louis is definitely a contender in the big ball community.”
“It was a good match,” stated Captain Streibig. “I’ve played on the (Forest Park) courts a few times in the last two weeks so I felt better but it’s hard to keep the ball on the court.”
“Legendary match at Forest Park,” stated St. Louis handball donor and ambassador Maty “Rowdy” Iglehart. “Some of the best handball ever played on the big wooden courts of St. Louis. Chopper and JR played a traditional Forest Park left and right formation early then switched to more of a hybrid I-formation mid and late match. Will Lemp played very steady and covered the left side with Jeffrey Streibig covering the front court aggressively. In the end, Chopper, who told me he has studied every recorded match of David Chapman and aims to emulate his style, made the most of his opportunities with a mix of deep court drives and precise passing shots to win the day. His anticipation and shot selection were the deciding factors in a high-level exhibition that would make any handball enjoyer take special notice. The attendees were left wanting more!”
Semifinals
JR Jones/Chopper def Jeff Martinez/Rob Burton 25-2
Will Lemp/Jeff Streibig def Derrick Olsen/Numan Asghar 25-7
Final: JR Jones/Anthony Chopper Hernandez def Will Lemp/Jeff Streibig 25-22
Follow the Forest Park Handball Club on Facebook HERE
Photos courtesy of Jeff Streibig
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer