Benny Young Fondly Reflects on His Handball Friendships and Doubles Partners
WPH Press, Tucson, AZ, 8/29/23
The WPH is thrilled to introduce Favorite Handball Memories, featuring any handball player who is willing to share their favorite memory in the sport.
WPH Board of Directors Member, one of Clark Park’s engineers and pioneers, and Tucson handball ambassador Benny Young reflects on what has made handball so special to him, specifically his first time discovering the game and his doubles partnerships.
Benny Young Reflects on his Favorite Handball Memory
Handball has been important to me since I first witnessed the game being played in an outdoor 4 court/4 wall wooden ‘complex’ just outside the east entrance of the University of Arizona’s Bear Down Gym (right after enrolling as an engineering student freshman) in the fall of 1969. I was immediately ‘hooked’. As I reflect on 50+ years of playing and being involved with/around handball and players of all skill levels since then, it is hard to single out a favorite memory! The memories are many – and precious.
Although I have played in a lot of tournaments, including a few at the national level, I have never been a particularly high-level player. But I loved the game and always played vigorously. You might say that I ‘came of age’ at the old Central YMCA in Tucson, playing mostly doubles (consistent with the Y ‘ethic’). My favorite recollections revolve around the people that I have been privileged to be on the court with – specifically my favorite doubles partners.
There are at least 20 different players that I had the honor of playing with in various tournaments, mostly at the local and state level. What a joy that was. And what a cast of characters! They are all my ‘favorites’; however, not too many could figure out how to win with me as a partner. There are a few exceptions to that general rule…two that come to mind in particular:
- Alex Trujillo
- Fred Lewis
“The secret to doubles is picking a good partner”! – Fred Lewis
Alex Trujillo
Alex and I both played extensively at the Y starting in the 80’s. We were about the same age and the right combination of ‘westside – southside’ Tucson. In the early 90s, we played together in the ‘City Championships’ at Tucson Athletic Club (TAC) and won the title in the Masters’ Division (over Charlie Wicker and Dan Kiley). Charlie Wicker was an American Hero, Grand Master Handball Champ, and the unofficial dean of amateur Tucson Handball. Dan Kiley was an accomplished author and wrote a book about ‘men who never grow up’: The Peter Pan Principle – in retrospect, how appropriate was that?! May they rest in peace.
Alex and I thought we had hit the ‘big time’…
Over the years, we have played together in numerous tournaments. Alex is still a superb player in our age group and was my partner in the last competitive doubles match that I played in (five years ago – my shoulder blew out in that one and I am now in line for a replacement, finally).
Alex is also a devoted father and a friend to the handball community in Tucson. A wonderful cook, he often blesses us with his cuisine and even hosts get-togethers on the ‘rancheria’!
He is the most tenacious partner I have ever had.
Fred Lewis
I had the wonderful opportunity to play in tournaments with Fred only twice. Both were in Flagstaff at what was then the annual summer unofficial (get out of the Phoenix and Tucson heat) ‘State Championships’. We won both times – 2011 and 2014.
In all honesty, it was more like ‘Freddy won – and Benny was on the court chasing the ball around’. In fact, Bobbie (my wife) said “Freddy needed a striped shirt. It was ‘yours’, ‘yours’, ‘yours’ and then ‘whack’ (kill shot in the corner)”. The only thing I can specifically remember Fred saying to me during any of the matches was, “Can you get off the right wall? You are taking away my lane down that side.”
What a thrill it was to be on the court with such a great, humble man – and legend!
(Courtesy: USHA)
Since the late 90’s, it has been my honor to also be involved with Fred in his efforts to ‘pass it on’, starting with the formation of the ‘Yes 2 Kids’ Program in Tucson – which is now the Fred Lewis Foundation (FLF). He was also instrumental in the creation of the World Players of Handball (WPH). Fred has done so much to further the sport we all love – the “World’s Oldest and Greatest Game”!
Some of his proteges are now carrying on that legacy, including current WPH Pro and FLF Coach, Abraham Montijo.
Thank you to Tucson’s handball ambassador Benny Young for sharing what has made handball so special to him and for all he has done to grow the game for 50 years in Tucson and beyond.
Do you have a Favorite Handball Memory to share? Email me at David.fink@wphlive.tv
Stay tuned for more Favorite Handball Memories throughout 2023
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer