Sadly, there is a present lack of International competitive Fives and there is little prospect of this activity increasing certainly within the present century. Nevertheless, the Swiss Zuozers made a London tour in May, playing at Westminster and Harrow, and their last tour was ten years ago. There is a new group of younger players in Zurich and hopefully they will be part of the English Fives scene in the years to come.

Contact with the Nigerians is maintained largely through International Handball, where they may well appear in the foreseeable future. Their game in Nigeria is largely played with the Big Blue Handball, and Eton Fives trips to Nigeria are presently somewhat fraught with political difficulty.

Activities at Rheinberg and Ausberg are, I understand, almost non existent, and the court in Buenos Airies is presently closed. Perhaps Howard Wiseman could use his endeavours to visit the factory their and re-open the court for the benefit of South America in general.

However, there have been considerable activities to report in other directions. Pieter Brueker's highly acclaimed television documentary series 'Fives in Europe' did pay reference to both Eton and Rugby Fives. The programme largely featured'Duxie' Walsh, the leading Irish Handballer and D J Carey, who is the number one hurler in Eire, and also a top class Handball player. In September 1996, Jamie Halstead from Highgate and myself spent an entertaining five days with the four-man camera crew in Dublin, Ballymore Eustace, Roscommon and Kilkenny, where over twenty hours filming was shot to produce a forty-five minute documentary!

The series examined Fives in various European countries, the culture and language of those areas and looked at the way of life of Fives players rather then their sporting prowess or achievement. It must be remembered that Fives is very much the generic name for any ball game played with a hand, a ball and a wall, and there are different varieties which presently cover Western Europe. The series was first shown on Dutch TV during June 1997 and is expected to be translated and available to England next year.

On a more relaxed and social scene, the Welsh Handball team experienced Eton Fives for the first time when they came up for a social Sunday introduction at Highgate in July. It was pleasing that Nancy Rossi, Joe Seelig as well as Jamie Halstead all turned out to provide a variety of standards and I think that a useful contact has been made with the Welsh Association and their players, who are firmly established in European Handball.

It is prhaps pertinent to note that two Fives players achieved some degree of success in the recent European One Wall Handball Championships held in Roscommon, Ireland. There were eight participating countries: France, Belgium, Holland, Wales, Finland, England, Ireland and Spain and Neil Roberts, the current British Rugby Fives Champion and the recent victor over Wayne Enstone, and Tony Hughes successfully beat Wales in the final of the Plate Doubles! European Handball is growing at a noticeable rate and new countries are likely to appear in the programme of events within the foreseeable future.

In August 1997 Jamie Halstead and myself both played in the World Handball Championships in Winnipeg. One reason for the visit was that we had been invited to provide a demonstration and exhibition of Eton Fives immediately prior to the opening ceremony and this was a unique opportunitY to show our game on a world stage. We were advised by the Canadian Jesters that a court would be adapted, such that the basic principles of Eton Fives could be demonstrated. When we arrived this promise was not entirely fulfilled which required a certain amount of adjustment and re-thinking by the players. Fortunately, however, we were able to play demonstration games against the Welsh and the Irish and we are sure it gave the interested spectators an opportunity to at least see the significant features of the game. Certainly the audience were intrigued and asked a lot of questions. A further Exhibition took place later in the week which involved other Irish and American pairs, with a court which was beginning then to resemble the main features of our game.

We would both like to thank the World Handball Council and the University of Winnipeg for their interest and co-operation and for allowing another sport to be demonstrated. The Championships return to the United States in the year 2000 and there is every likelihood that the game may be further demonstrated, perhaps with a more uniform court available!

Finally I would urge all interested Fives players to attempt to play Fives and indeed Handball as they travel the world. There are far more places available than we all imagine and I would be pleased to hear from any Fives players their experiences in countries which this report has failed to cover.

International Report 1996-1997 by Tony Hughes
Created 8th February 2006 by Mike Fenn
efa@etonfives.co.uk

Go to EFA Home page