Magic City is also experimenting with the rules, creating so-called Battle Court matches resembling head-to-head singles tennis. To speed up the sport, Magic City has reduced the traditional fronton by nearly 60 feet (18 meters) and replaced the goatskin ball - as hard as a hockey puck - with a bouncier pelota that ricochets against plexiglass instead of the traditional granite wall. “I don’t stand a chance in the long run, but I want to play as hard as I can.” “It’s like a high school basketball player facing off against Lebron James,” said Davis, who at 39 is one of the oldest but most physically fit players. In 2018, he was among the Hurricanes alumni who answered an email blast looking for volunteers from Magic City’s owners, the Havenick family, who are also major donors to UM athletics.ĭavis is grateful for the opportunity to put on a uniform and get the adrenaline flowing again. Tanard Davis, who was signed by the Indianapolis Colts after playing football at University of Miami, saw his NFL career fizzle and moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in law enforcement. The remaining players are former high school and college athletes who learned the game as adults and still struggle with basics like catching the ball.
“This is the only place where you can make a living playing jai alai,” Goitiandia said, wiping his brow after winning an exhausting round-robin doubles match.