Welcome to the unofficial web site of the 
Historic Garfield Street Paddleball Courts at Hollywood Beach, Florida

           This site was created to "represent" the Historic Garfield Street Paddleball Courts and to describe the game of paddleball as played on the Historic Courts on Garfield Street, at Hollywood Beach in Hollywood, Florida. The game of paddleball has been played here for nearly 75 years- or as long as the City of Hollywood, FL has been incorporated. 

   In the course of a week, thousands come to play the game or to visit to watch the competition. Watchers of a game are surprised to learn that the fierce competition has its prize: to remain on the courts and play yet another game with waiting challengers. 

    Hard-Core Seniors arrive at 7:30AM to "get their games in" before the heat of the day. They are followed by the "curiosity seekers" and less talented players, because courts are available to them. Comes the evening and the "A" court players dominate the attention of all who visit as they play under the lights. 

    Paddleball at the Historic Garfield Street Paddleball Courts has been played since the 1930's. Wally Schmidt, the Historic Garfield Street Park Courts manager states- "These courts started out as paddleball courts when they were built- calling them handball courts is a misnomer." For a little history of the Historic Courts, follow the link.

    Paddleball at the Historic Garfield Street Courts

    Per the text in the Guide to play & Tournament Rules, " In the 1840's in a London debtor's prison, the sport we now call paddleball was then called "rackets."
    Rackets was invented by tennis players who adapted the game of tennis to the prison courtyard. They whittled solid paddles out of wood planks and played their new game against a single wall of the prison.
    The game is the parent sport of the games know today as racquetball, squash and paddleball."

    Today, there are several versions or modalities of paddleball- single wall, three wall and four wall, but the six Historic Courts on Garfield Street are single wall and the game here has had its rules as it is played in Hollywood, Florida since the 1930's.
    One must be reminded that the common thread that binds the game wherever in the world it is played is a ball, a paddle and a wall. Court dimensions and rules may vary, different balls may be used but the basic remains- hit the ball to the wall before it bounces twice for as long as you can to win the point or the right to serve the ball. 

    The game as played in Hollywood, has as its official ball, the Wilson Regular Duty tennis ball and has been a source of enjoyment in recreational play as well as the ball used in the fiercest of tournament competition.

    The public courts permit other games of "ball on the wall" whether struck by hand or other means but the popularity of the game in Hollywood remains constant with the use of a paddle and a Wilson Regular Duty tennis ball.

    So again welcome to this site! Browse on and I hope you enjoy these pages. This web site was put together for you the player and you the spectator and lover of the game. 

    Submissions of comments, ideas, pictures and other material pertaining to our favorite sport will be appreciated but submission implies acceptance for publishing on this site and is subject to our editorial discretion. And don't forget to sign the Guest Book!

    Email me at gspaddles@gmail dot com 
    Email Wally at Wally311@bellsouth dot net