Jai-Alai Fronton Closing After 48 Years in Seminole

Credit: Orlando Media, Bill from JaiAlaiUSA.net

Orlando Jai Alai, the Seminole County parimutuel where gamblers bet on handball-like games, is closing after nearly 48 years in business.

Employees were told Thursday that the struggling fronton's last day of operation would likely be Dec. 27.

Mutuels manager Howard Ostrom said the business' leadership had been trying aggressively for years to keep the business afloat, but increasing competition from other gambling outlets in the state contributed to its demise.

"I think most [employees] knew the writing was on the wall," Ostrom said. "Business was dropping steadily for years."

Fronton owner Hort Soper could not be reached for comment.

Jai-alai games are played February through April. The rest of the year, people come to place bets on races and games at tracks across the country.

On Thursday, some customers said they were upset but not surprised.

"We're like a family here," said Pedro Santos, 56, who lives in Kissimmee and has been coming to the fronton for 10 years. During that time, he said attendance has decreased dramatically.

"On a day like this, you'd see this place packed," he said, gesturing toward a room where a few small clusters of people moved about, and where most betting carrels were empty.

Crumpled betting tickets littered the floor and occasionally someone hollered while watching a race on a TV screen at a faraway track. There were no waits for placing bets.

About 75 people work at the fronton year-round. The fronton also employees about 30 jai-alai players, who fling small balls with boomerang-shaped baskets strapped to their wrists.

Live racing and jai alai have been declining in popularity across the state, but the Fern Park pari-mutuel was especially vulnerable because Seminole County prohibits card rooms.

Betting facilities in other parts of the state have propped up their finances with poker games. Ostrom said unfair policies at the state and county level put the business at a disadvantage. In recent years, the fronton tried to get annexed into Casselberry, where it hoped to receive authorization to open card rooms, but city commissioners weren't interested.

Casselberry Mayor Charlene Glancy, who opposes gambling, said she hates to see any business close, but she noted that it could be an opportunity for the land next door to the city limits.

"It's possible the time for jai alai has passed, and there will be a stronger interest for a different type of business there. We'd love to have it if it could be something else."

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Well I have many thoughts on this Jai Alai fans and I will post them after I gather all the facts. Just a very sad time for jai alai, another facility lost, another amatuer program lost, many jobs lost including a family of three who all worked at the fronton.

Bye bye from Orlando Jai Alai after 48 wonderful years, signing out its HOV.

Elizegi

There was some mentioning of Elizegi and his absence from the World Championship at Club Fronton. It was told from Fronton member “Dpo” that he was excluded do to his temperament, which was his eventual downfall at Miami Jai Alai. What a shame, he was one of the most exciting players to watch of the late 90s – mid 00s. He had that ferocious style and he attacked the pelota at every opportunity. He always favored the picada, and he had monstrous power from either side. When he stepped on the cancha you could feel that “business was about to pick up”. He was not the best catcher in the world but made that up with effort and desire. He never favored long volleys and the closer he crept to that front wall, the quicker the point was going to be over with one of his powerful forehands.

He was extremely emotional, which is rare for a jai alai player. I have many, many memories of Elizegi (including the “high cesta in vain” to Michelena and Arra after winning the Citrus for Orlando) but one stands out in my mind. It was a game 12 championship singles game on a Friday night in December, and there was a halfway decent crowd on hand. The game before, game 11, Goiko and Elizegi were running the game out from post one, just dominating the game when they ran into post eight which I remember being Orbea and Wayne.

Well it was a great point, Goiko was throwing everything at Wayne and Wayne was doing it all – climbing the wall, fall down rebotes, desperation right side rebotes, scrapping the sidewall – it was amazing. Finally with Goiko cheating inside, a rebote comes out to Orbea and he fires a soft, long rebote that isn’t thrown wide enough and Elizegi is just waiting on the wood. Like a lion ready to pounce he snatches the soft rebote and fires one of the hardest right side rebotes I have ever seen, but it landed well out of bounce. The crowd went nuts whistling and booing, and Elizegi exchanges words with several of the patrons. He was seething, his body tense and pulsating with anger. The eight runs it out.

Next game, the championship singles and the lineup was as follows:

1 Goiko

2 Tevin

3 Luis

4 Elizegi

5 Laucarica (sub)

6 Benny

7 Irastorza

8 Wayne

So the game starts with a long volley between Goiko and Tevin and eventually Tevin seats Goiko with a well placed left side rebote carom. Tevin handles Luis with ease and then faces Elizegi. I should note that during warm ups for game 12 Elizegi was still hot - pacing around, and when he got a chance for a practice shot he was just drilling the ball.

Anyway Tevin serves it to Elizegi and he fires a merciless right side carom from the back wall that scores and hits the side screen with great authority. The next point he overserves to Laucarica and while in the cage takes off his cesta and slams it into the ground, he is clearly ready to explode. Next point Benny hits the overhead screen, and then the 7 Irastorza sits down Laucarica. Wayne then defeats Irastorza and he beats Goiko when Goiko threw a rebote carom off the court. Luis defeats Wayne, then Tevin defeats Luis and up again comes Elizegi.

Great point with Tevin doing everything possible to beat Elizegi but Elizegi was possessed he was saving everything and Tevin could not locate the chic chac. Finally Elizegi catches a left side at the nine line and is now on the offense. Roles reverse and it’s now Tevin saving everything trying to stay alive. Elizegi was repeatly placing the big forehand on the inside and I told my wife that he is setting him up for the carom. Finally after getting another desperation rebote out of Tevin, Elizegi receives at the three line. He winds up the big overhead forehand and Tevin once again retreats to the sidewall where the previous forehands have gone, instead this time Elizegi throws the carom and it scores. Immediately Elizegi starts to glare at the fans that were pestering him and gives the entire front row a vicious glare and struts past them with great swagger. I was loving watching this unfold.

Next up the six Benny and Elizegi beats him with ease and then up comes Laucarica, Elizegi on game point. Laucarica returns the serve from the right and Elizegi is just stalking the pelota from the six line. He catches from the right and throws a huge right side forehand that screams toward the back wall with visions of “Chula” written all over it. It takes a sharp bounce and Laucarica dives back and just gets enough of the cesta under it to save it. Elizegi takes it from the three line from the left side and hammers it of the middle of the back wall. Laucarica returns a weak left side rebote, very high off the wall though and Elizegi catches from about the nine line and hammers it. This reoccurs about 5 times and finally Laucarica switches the tempo up and throws a left side rebote dejada but it is up on the front wall enough for a charging Elizegi to catch it from the left. Elizegi attempts the home run but Laucarica has just enough room at the 1 ½ line to tap a left side rebote. Elizegi who was standing in the middle of the cancha at the four line sprints to the wood and SLIDES ON HIS KNEES, sticks the cesta out against the side screen, catches it and throws a very weak right side from his knees. He barely had enough room to get the shot off against the screen, it was an amazing save and the fact the he got of a return was equally amazing. Laucarica is waiting in the middle of the cancha from the three line, catches the soft return and winds up like he is going inside. Elizegi sensing this charges like a bull back to the inside and Laucarica chips a carom to the EXACT SPOT that Elizegi would have been if he stayed on the wood. Elizegi sees this and without hesitation slams his cesta on the side wall and the tip goes flying up in the air, he then looks at the cesta closely and then hits it four or five times against the wall until just the bottom part of his cesta remains on his hand. He then walks down the wood pulsating in anger and has words with the patrons in the front row again, then walks past Laucarica and stops for a second like he is going to kill him, and then turns for the cage. Classic Elizegi in many ways, the power, the effort, the madness, the style, and the temper – it was all on display on that chilly night in Miami.

Txik-Txak-“Zula”, Benny, and player thoughts.

I take great pleasure reading the blog “Txik Txak Zula” every time it is updated. It provides the American and English speaking fans something we have not had in a long time, and that is information from the Basque land written in English. I would of not known the pairings if it was not for this blog, it is truly jai alai gold. I also like the opinions he shares and how he puts a personal perspective on what he sees. He simply just doesn’t report the action, but gives you his true opinion on what he sees. I love it.

The recent blog was a wonderful piece on the match between Goiko/Alberdi III and Egi/Felix. Without seeing this match I would like to share my comments. If you would like to read it you can find it at the Fronton homepage or here: http://txik-txak-zula.blogspot.com/.

I think Mark T. has a great point; a true number one seed should have the two best players, no? Isn’t that how a seeding system works? If Goiko and Enbil have won multiple world championships together, don’t they deserve the right to keep defending the crown until they are defeated? If they have lost, then fine, but if they continue to win they should have a right to defend IMO. Punishing Goiko just because he is dominating is not fair IMHO. To say that he should win this championship with a below average back is not fair either, obviously Goiko’s whole strategy changes when he has to compensate for a weak back, the blog clearly mentioned that Alberdi III could not handle the heat from Egi and Felix. Even the best players from every era had players that they were uncomfortable with, maybe with the exception of Boli, who seemed to win with everyone.

As far as the balls go, I have watched Goiko throughout his career and probably could argue that I have seen as much as him than anyone, and he can play with any ball, on any court, against any talent. After a multitude of singles and doubles world championships, dominate tourney play in the states, and just sheer brilliance day in and day out at Miami, against an incredible roster, I am not under the impression that he has a lot to learn. Just some thoughts…………………………….

I talked to Benny a couple weeks ago on the phone and what a great guy. Very open and honest about everything he is doing and he seemed like a regular, everyday guy. I told him that I would keep everything off the record, but let’s just say that Dania has the perfect man for the job, and they should really look into expanding his role.

Couple of player notes before I close:

Aitzol is steadily improving. He has always had great power but his catching has vastly improved and he now has great decision making and placement on his remates. He has a number of kills from each side and he is very powerful.

Aritz in the early games really isn’t fair and that says a lot considering the early talent. He is so smooth and just systematically took those guys apart yesterday.

Enrique may be playing his best jai alai of his career. He is catching everything and is making a lot better decisions and actually trusting his backs.

I was all over Garro in game 9 Monday, just had a weird feeling and he was overlooked big time on the trifecta and exacta wagering. He got to game point with some great catching, then Aragues came up and threw a perfect rebote carom on a ball that was hugging the side wall to dash my hopes. Errrrrrrrrrrrrrr! ;)

When Berekiua gets the left side rebote he just absolutely crushes it! Lately, many of them have flown off the court however.

Gallardo is in great form lately and like I have said many times, just perfect left side form.

That’s all guys! Bye bye from Jai Alai!