Chinese handball
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chinese Handball (also known as Ace-King-Queen, King(s), and Slugs), is a form of American handball popular on the streets of New York City and Bridgewater, NJ during the 1960s and 70s, and is still played today.
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[edit] Game play
Similar to one-wall handball with an opposite twist ("Chinese"), instead of hitting a ball against the wall to opposing players after the first floor bounce as in a normal handball scenario, would hit the ball (normally a spalding or kick pinkie) to the ground first toward the direction of the wall. The ball would then bounce off the wall and to the intended player. That player would either return the ball (the same way) back to the server or another player down the line.
The line consists of 2 to 20 players, with the first player being the "Ace". The second player is the "King" and the third is the "Queen". The final player in line is known as an "Ace Killer" because of his opportune position to take out the "Ace". The runners mission is to run the ball with enough power skill to score.
[edit] Special Maneuvers
A variety of special maneuvers were incorperated to enhance gameplay. Depending on the maneuver, the player who hits the ball or the player who is about to hit the ball will shout out one of the maneuvers which would slightly alter the rules for that particluar moment in game play. Some of the maneuvers include:
- American: Player hits the ball underhanded so the ball hits the wall before hitting the ground.
- Watermelon: Player runs under the ball rather than hitting it, and in doing so bypasses his turn.
- "Wormburner": Player hits the ball at an acute angle towards the wall so that the ball is very low to the ground and travels very fast so that it "burns the worms" as it rolls back.
- "Cobble Smash": Player hits the ball with a closed fist instead of his palm, thus creating a greater velocity and a much harder shot to return. This maneuver it not very hard to perfect, however in the early stages of learning this move many tend to hit the wall on a fly rather than the ground first.
[edit] Variants
A form of Chinese handball was extremely popular among schoolchildren in the Los Angeles, California, area in the 1960s. It differed from the New York variety in being a strictly two-person game, like ordinary singles-play American handball. Younger players generally used a large inflated rubber playground ball; older or advanced players used a heavier kickball-style ball that could attain much greater velocity and be given significant topspin or backspin with the use of karate-like chopping strokes. In advanced play one typically attempted to "kill" the ball by hitting it at a low angle to the ground with heavy backspin in such a way that it would "die" by bouncing twice almost immediately after rebounding from the backboard.
[edit] East Coast Variation
Most Popular among high school kids on Long Island, New York,and Bridgewater, NJ. This consists of the basic rules but gives an opportunity to retrieve the ball after a second bounce. If the ball bounces a second time, the hitter may put the shot between their legs and have it bounce once and hit the wall. This allows for longer and more enjoyable gameplay. Other rules in this variation are:
No Take/Reject: The player second in line may choose to accept a ball by hitting it or reject it by calling "No Take" or "Reject" before the balls third bounce. If rejected, the ball is replayed. Different calls depend on where you play but mean the same thing.
Intro/Interference: This rule is used if a player or bystander comes in the way of the hitter in his pursuit of the ball. If the player calls this, the ball is replayed.
Grass/Wall/Fence/Curb: This a variation of the Interference but by inanimate objects. If you were to play this outside and have the ball hit the grass or the edge of a curb, the ball will be replayed but if the player was to hit the ball before it reached the grass, the ball is still fair. In the case the field is sided with a fence, or hits the wall again; players can either choose to have the ball replayed or have one extra bounce before the ball is dead.
Ace Doesn't Burn/Ace Rule When more then 2 players are left in the game, if the ace or server, gets out, they move to the end of the line. This rule no longer applies with 2 people remaining. Again, Different calls depend on where you play but mean the same thing.
Any other rules are at the the discretion of the players, making each game variable from the number of outs, to the boundaries, varying the flow of the game.
[edit] Australian Variation
A version of Chinese handball is still very popular in Australian schools, where it is known simply as "handball". Some schools even have specially designed handball courts, which are divided into one-and-a-half metre or two-metre squares.
The Australian version of the game has enough variation to be considered on its own merits. See Australian Handball
