Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Diaz to Honor Bronx Handball Stars for Beating Brooklyn in Annual Tourney

By Eddie Small | February 16, 2016 3:23pm
 Handball players from The Bronx were victorious over Brooklyn in the most recent matchup between the two boroughs.
Bronx Handball Victory
View Full Caption

THE BRONX — Better luck next time, Brooklyn.

The Bronx's handball team handed a stinging defeat to their southern rivals in their most recent matchup, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. now plans to honor his borough's team at a Feb. 25 dinner.

“These kids are ‘Bronx Tough,’ and I knew they would rise to the challenge against the Brooklyn squad, just like they did last year," Diaz said in a statement. "Success breeds success, and based on their past achievements, I felt confident they would keep the trophy right where it belongs: in The Bronx.”

This was the fourth time the boroughs faced off on the handball court, and both teams now have two wins apiece.

The latest competition between the two teams took place in November at the Johnny Ray Memorial Handball Tournament inside the Apex Gym at Lehman College.

The tournament was put on by the United States Wall Ball Association, a non-profit group that aims to use handball to motivate young people throughout the New York metro area to stay in school and stay healthy. The organization says it currently works with more than 2,000 children.

“The Johnny Ray Memorial Tournament was created in memory of my brother to celebrate the best young handball players in the city and eventually morphed into a battle between these two great hubs for the sport,” USWA Founder and President Jasmine Ray said in a statement. “There needed to be an outlet for kids from underserved communities to become champions in life and in sport."

The Bronx team's victory dinner will take place at 5:30 p.m. in Bronx Borough Hall.

"We live in an era where kids play sports on their computers or PS4s or Xboxes as opposed to getting real exercise," Diaz said in a statement. "[Handball] allows for kids to be active, while also teaching important life lessons that these kids can carry with them into adulthood, such as the importance of teamwork, self-discipline, and how to handle pressure and adversity."