Jai Alai On The Rise Again

CBS4's Mike Cugno reports the heyday of jai alai was decades ago, but there are signs of a resurgence.

[@LukesGamePage]

Never knew it existed until I saw it on Madmen just now

[@Ben-jf3iv]

It’s an amazing sport! You can watch it every Thursday threw Sunday on @Jai-Alai Channel. Hope you check out the live streams and hope I helped

[@endamcnabola]

For me it was rewatching episode "The Masked Magician" on Fairly Odd Parents.

[@fahimbuzz]

Hahahaha... Me too

[@user-fl7ge6ql8b]

Same here dude.. I never thought that it was so popular in my country, the Philippines, before.. unfortunately it's already banned now idk why

[@sagex9812]

I remember seeing Jai Alai being played on the show "Jackass". I thought it was cool but never knew what it was called until today.

[@michaelperry6376]

Thank you Mike Cungo for the coverage. Wish that we had been able to get the Amateur play up here in Connecticut to be part of the your reporting. Maybe next time. Once again, Thank You.

[@somewheren.themiddle854]

Love the game. Been a fan/amateur player for 30 years Been playing every Sunday in Berlin CT for past 10 years

[@jaroncreed]

and you probably still stink at it🤣🤣🤣

[@sagex9812]

@@jaroncreed Damn, if you're a loser just say that. No need to project your short comings on someone else.

[@mckinleymac3452]

@@jaroncreed Yeah really... only time this turd ever does well is when he's alone. And that's only when he doesn't hurt himself. Pathetic

[@jaymueller2418]

Cool.

[@MissAmazanda]

I love baseball, hockey and horse racing but I've always loved Jai Alai too...I'd love to see it make a comeback

[@timopheim5479]

Thank you for putting your comment in perspective. Really helped me out a lot

[@bradwalker4988]

I used to enjoy watching this in Macau. Graceful game.

[@michaelperry6376]

Great Video!

[@bobbybaucom9440]

Many decades ago here in Las Vegas, Kirk Kerkorian constructed an impressive new hotel called the MGM. I'm talking about the property that's now Bally's, straight across from the Bellagio. Downstairs he built a jai alai fronton and a lovely movie theater where one could watch all the old MGM favorites while seated in a comfortable, living room type couch. Both the fronton and the theater were impressive. My young son asked us to take him to see jai alai for his birthday, which we did. My wife and I soon got addicted to the game and used to go and bet $2 on each game. Some of the players were impressive, as they caught speeding line drives and climbed the walls for others. Brings back wonderful memories. Business at the fronton gradually declined and the hotel closed it. After the disastrous fire, Mr. Kerkorian sold the hotel to Bally's and it was rebranded and then he built the present MGM there on the Strip and Tropicana.

[@M1tjakaramazov]

The biggest issue with the game is the court looks depressing and claustrophobic, like something played in a prison yard.

[@mckinleymac3452]

I couldn't quite put my finger on it Marcus but you're right...it looks like something straight out of a prison yard.

[@666kingdrummer]

Ever seen a Racquetball or Squash court? Its even worse.

[@jaialai6629]

Hope you will cover the 6th Battle court season coming up the end of Aug at Magic City. Thanks!

[@michaelperry6376]

Thank you

[@rascaliwmc]

Please make a comeback! Loved going in Bridgeport, CT back from '74-83, Castro was a big fav! Dad welded an exhaust pipe on his car back in the day. He asked him if it was 'rigged' & just got a smile back lol!

[@Meowhsss]

00:43 Sounds like people back in the day actually had fun

[@garygemmell3488]

I used to go to Tijuana to watch it. It's a freaking blast plus I never had to leave my seat to make a bet. They had runners to do it for us.

[@jkryanspark]

While visiting San Diego in 1982, a friend and I drove down to Tijuana and went to the fronton. It was minor league compared to the Florida and Connecticut circuit, but they had the best tacos I've ever eaten in my life.

[@jkryanspark]

It used to be said that Ozzie Smith, the HOF Cardinal SS, had the skill set to have been a great Jai Alai front man. Jai Alai players are extraordinary athletes. I used to drive from Queens, NYC to Milford CT (an hour and 15 minute drive) to watch and bet on this great sport. Now, all the frontons in the Northeast (Jai Alai is legal in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nevada, and Florida) have closed. I, for one, miss it, and have a handful of friends who feel the same.

[@nicholasnicholas3306]

I think miami jai alai is still open and dania jai alai may close down at the end of this month and Orlando jai alai is also closed

[@jkryanspark]

@@nicholasnicholas3306 I discovered Jai Alai on a trip to Florida in 1980 and Miami was the first fronton I attended. On subsequent trips I went many times to Dania. I hope it remains open, but I think sooner or later Miami will be the last fronton standing. Oddly, I also saw some terrible Jai Alai in Tijuana. But they had great food at the concessions.

[@billhorst-kotter5184]

MSG would show this late at night and I stayed up and watched it once. It kinda lost me was the scoring like a horse race.

[@tbk29]

so the rich kid in Madmen, was he succeed ? Did he give his father a team on his father's birthday ?

[@billcouch8308]

Got to know Joey a little in Hartford. Great technician. Bolivar was the incredible athlete. Both great Jai Alai superstars!!

[@mrenjoyable]

I saw this as a Kid in florida someplace... is there anywhere in Florida you can see it today?

[@timopheim5479]

Meet me off the abandoned pier in Pelican Bay, on the third thursday of any month at 1149 pm

[@Jai-Alai_Aficionado]

Yes! Dania Beach Jai Alai or Magic City Jai-Alai in Miami. You can watch live in person or on KZbin

[@hectoraguirre5116]

Never knew this existed till I rewatched jackass volume 2 episode 2

[@jayjohnson4607]

Thought they were talking about the beer

[@Ben-jf3iv]

Lol the beer is good! Have you ever watch the sport?

[@Music2Die4]

Just recently, the Dania fronton closed down..... Where do we go from here?

[@theflyingnon8546]

i found this sport by seeing what was the fastest moving ball in a sport, and yes indeed jai alai players can deorbit a ball from the space station

[@shadycnetwork]

I wish they would bring it back.

[@rudytrulytruly7467]

There is something in this sport...it's easy and exciting

[@user-rw8uq3tv6p]

Love the Basque language. Reminds me of Star Wars. Jai Alai kooks like a sport that would belong in the space opera.

[@pmlonghorn7694]

Just saw this on espn. No joke.

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

I grew up with my Granny going to bingo and jai alai every week. Unfortunately i don't even see it coming back to where it was in the 1980s

[@farginbastage805]

I remember this from watching Tron the original movie

[@divertissement3941]

i reapte the Miami Vice serie ... and i see this sport .... it's the first time i know this is really existe lol

[@esejony65]

"Jai alai" just means "happy party", The game is called "Cesta punta" or "point basket"

[@alltimehiphop5318]

Archer brought me here

[@PinkuStyle]

Miami Vice Intro

[@americafirstmaga5073]

Dania beach, I use to go their back in the mid 80's, I use to bet on Joey, he was awesome. David, Alejandro, Ortega..etc My fav # singles game 451 Ortega 1st, then david & Joey played for 2nd & 3rd. I hit $2,700 that singles match. Fantastic sport, that ball (pelota) moves over 100mph.

[@jkryanspark]

I've seen Joey. Imagine, a Jewish guy from Miami was the top player at the top fronton. I've seen the legendary Bolivar, Juaristi, and Zabala. They all played in Bridgeport and Milford, CT. I loved the sport.

[@americafirstmaga5073]

@@jkryanspark I met this big dude at Dania, Bernard, we became friends so I'd sit with him and this older woman that use travel between Bridgeport & Dania bch. Can't remember her name. I went my myself or girlfriend sometimes, they explained how to play. Those guys are really talented, not an easy game. Everyone loved Joey & Alejandro.

[@jkryanspark]

@@americafirstmaga5073 The unfortunate fact is that corruption was a major part of its decline. Juaristi, Milford's top stud, could do something nobody else could do. From up front he'd hit the front wall, it would carom off the back wall and then hit the front wall again before anybody could field it. It was called a home run. Yet Juaristi dropped more gimmes than any other player. It was widely known he was tanking. There were scandals all over the circuit and the public became sick of it.

[@americafirstmaga5073]

@@jkryanspark Yeah, I've seen some easy balls missed to a few times a wondered, after making an unbelievable play.

[@jkryanspark]

@@americafirstmaga5073 Sometime a miss, even an easy miss, is legit, but humans will be humans and fixing is, and always will be, a problem. I was a $2 bettor so I can live with it. Some people went just to gamble. For me, it was the beauty, speed, athleticism, and even the violence of the sport.

[@mikec2502]

WHEN THE WORLDS GREATS SUCH AS, JOEY, BOLIVAR, MENDI, REMEN, INCLAN, PABLO, CACHIN, CHIMELA, ARRIAGA, URQUIAGA, ZULAICA, ZABALA AND COUNTLESS MORE PLAYED THE GAME IT WAS A SPORT TO BEHOLD, I'M FROM CONNECTICUT AND BACK IN THE 80'S JAI-ALAI WAS A MUST SEE EVENT AS WELL AS SOMEPLACE YOU WOULD TAKE A DATE FOR DINNER. EXCITING AND GREAT TO BET. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE PLAYERS TRIED TO FORCE A PLAYERS UNION ALONG WITH THE MOB CORRUPTION, THEY ALL RUINED A GREAT THING. TOO BAD

[@billcouch8308]

Jai Alai was run by a bunch of gangsters, for that it was destined to fail. See Paul Rico, John Callahan and Richard Donovan.

[@marlo8456]

Sterling Archer brought me here lol

[@radicalpotato666]

I came here while solving a crossword puzzle, never heard of this sport.

[@und3rcut535]

İf it is in the casino’s hands they won’t do it

[@lesleymcshanemitchell9651]

Best fastest game on earth

[@jasonpeters9865]

Makes watching soccer tolerant

[@Ben-jf3iv]

Have you ever seen jai alai in person

[@Ben-jf3iv]

Or you can watch it on @jai-alai channel. They live stream the sport every Thursday threw Sunday!

[@jasonpeters9865]

Crochet?

[@crypto2633]

Bruh isn't this moonball from warframe?

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

Hyperblade PC game

[@wheelmobile33]

Put on a cesta and yall wouldnt be runnin your mouth

[@Ben-jf3iv]

Yeah the sport is very difficult

[@Ben-jf3iv]

Have you been watching the magic city jai alai live streams

[@jodysharpe2831]

Typical be this, drive throughs will defraud one. Yet, a casino be the eversomostworst. Firstly, where is the hole in the wall foreach goal. It seems every casio business program be from other patrons that purse be stole. This be like a Cuban rolled from poke salad leaves.😂

[@tonyuzi881]

Derecho.Pasa Mala.

[@joemomma1091]

Golf has the highest ball speed

[@gnarlyDUCK]

Can you just make this into a video game instead?

[@ini6392]

hahaha

[@ini6392]

What a great comment you made here. Thank you.

[@GabrielNavarro-bo7st]

PC videogame Hyperblade mixes Lacrosse with Jai Alai.

[@Brian-ng7og]

Lol 😂

[@Meowhsss]

Stricter immigration policies??😂😂😂. The border is wide open.

[@jasonpeters9865]

Joey...NO ONE CARES! LOL

[@TR-vr5pz]

NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU ASSHOLE

[@OneAdam12Adam]

It's a shame that we let Jai-alai fall by the wayside. It's a great game with a great history. Unlike the stupid pickleball game trend. Are we becoming a nation of pussy kickball and pickleball players? We are doomed.

[@user-rw8uq3tv6p]

Rugby and Lacrosse are becoming more popular. Thank goodness.

[@danem2215]

Lobbing a ball at a wall from a lobster claw. How exciting

[@foxthiele5871]

You have No Idea, how difficult and exhausting this Sport is. It is amazing to See, how These athletes are playing this Sport with such finesse.

[@foxthiele5871]

@John doue Quebec wow, i am Happy for your Grandpa, that He Had the Chance to Play this Sport! I wish we had such a Jai alai field Here in Germany.

[@foxthiele5871]

@John doue Quebec Well I Hope, that you will get the Chance to Play it sometime evantualy :) and Same age Here, maybe i will get the opportunity to Play it too! And I Hope, that it will be revieved soon in your Country💪🏻

[@edgagnon7808]

Dane Maricic - I thought the same when I was growing up in Connecticut until I saw it. It’s a great game to watch and a blast to bet on.

[@DJmcRUSH]

This sport is a hundred times more exciting than American Football

[@stephenkarlowicz9033]

do i hear someone playing taps ?.......i think i do....cuz jai-alai is deader than marley's ghost !