Hardball squash

Hardball squash is a format of the indoor racquet sport squash which was first developed in North America in the late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century. It is sometimes referred to as being the "American version" of the sport. [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-255005/hardball-squash-rackets Encyclopaedia Britannica Online article] , britannica.com, retrieved on March 21 2008] Compared to the "British version" of the game – which today is usually referred to as being the "international" version, or "softball" squash – the hardball game is played using a harder rubber ball which plays faster, and usually on a smaller court for singles play, or a much larger court for the doubles game.

Records of squash being played in Canada go back to the early-1880s. There it was found that the softer squash balls being used in Britain were not ideally suited to playing in the extremely cold conditions of the Canadian winter, and so a harder rubber ball was developed. It was quickly discovered that this ball was better suited to playing on slightly narrower courts than were used in the British version of the game. As the popularity of the game spread around Canada, the United States and Mexico, court specifications were codified. In 1924, it was decided to standardize the court width for the hardball games at 18½ feet, with a 'tin' at the bottom of the front wall which was 17 inches high – whereas the British version of the game was played on a 21-foot-wide court, with a 19-inch 'tin'. By 1929, official court plans were being sold by the United States Squash Racquets Association (USSRA), and the hardball game was brought into controlled growth. [ [http://www.worldsquash.org.uk/history2.html World Squash Federation – One Hundred and Thirty Years of Squash] , worldsquash.org.uk, retrieved on March 21 2008]

Hardball squash was largely the only form of the game played in North America until the 1980s. Growing exposure to the international version of the game then led to many clubs in North America building 21-foot-wide courts, and the "soft" ball being used on wide and narrow courts. Additionally, the USSRA recognised a 20-foot width as being acceptable for playing the international version (this width being derived from an increasing trend of converting racquetball courts for squash play). By the mid-1990s, the vast majority of squash players in North America had switched to playing the international version of the game. In 1996, 80% of squash ball sales in the United States were of the international-format balls. [ [http://www.worldsquash.org.uk/history2.html World Squash Federation – One Hundred and Thirty Years of Squash] , worldsquash.org.uk, retrieved on March 21 2008]

Though hardball squash is no longer a very popular game for singles play, the hardball doubles game continues to thrive. Hardball doubles is played on a court measuring 45 feet long and 25 feet wide. [ [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/squashrackets.shtml Squash Rackets] , hickoksports.com, retrieved on March 21 2008]

Famous hardball squash players

* Michael Desaulniers
* Clive Caldwell
* Stuart Goldstein
* Ralph Howe
* Sam Howe
* Kenton Jernigan
* Victor Niederhoffer
* Sharif Khan
* Diehl Mateer
* John Nimick
* Henri Salaun
* Mario Sanchez
* Mark Talbott

"Most observers consider Sharif Khan (late-1960s to early-1980s) and Mark Talbott (mid-1980s to mid-1990s) to be the two greatest players of all time in the hardball game." [ [http://www.squashmagazine.com/vcm/squashmagazine/COLUMNS/top100.html The Best of the Last 100 Years] , squashmagazine.com, retrieved on May 9 2008] [ [http://www.us-squash.org/ussquash/hall-of-fame-members.html United States Squash Hall of Fame Members] , us-squash.org, retrieved on May 9 2008]

Softball champions who also enjoyed notable success on the North American hardball circuit:

* Azam Khan
* Hashim Khan
* Jahangir Khan
* Mo Khan
* Roshan Khan

Well-known recreational players:

* Donald Rumsfeld

References

Further reading

*cite book|last=Satterthwaite|first=Frank|title=The three-wall nick and other angles : a squash autobiography|location=New York|publisher=Holt, Rinehart, and Winston|year=1979|isbn=0030166667

External links

* [http://www.squashmagazine.com/vcm/squashmagazine/FEATURES/State_of_Game/Hardball_Singles.html Articles on hardball squash at squashmagazine.com]
* [http://www.worldsquash.org.uk/history2.html Article on the history of squash at worldsquash.org]
* [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/squashrackets.shtml Article on the history of squash at hickoksports.com]
* [http://www.squashtalk.com/html/columns/diner-2001-6a.htm Article on great hardball squash rivalries at squashtalk.com]