3-Wall handball has a long and rich history in Gainesville. The courts, with their unique design, have stood for over a half-century on the campus of the University of Florida, clearly visible in their location along West University Avenue to anyone visiting the campus. Over the years they have been a part of the lives of countless members of the UF community.

    The College of Physical Education, Health and Athletics was established in 1946. It was one of the first colleges of its kind in the United States. All physical education, health education and recreation courses at that time were administered under Schools or Divisions.   One of the units departments of the UF College was the Department of Required Physical Education for Men. There was an eight semester requirement with a five semester participation requirement under instruction.

    Within that broad requirement every physically qualified male student had to take and pass at least two of four required courses: 1. Golf 2. Handball 3. Tennis 4. Swimming.  Because of the high quality of instruction, the facilities, and the opportunities to learn lifetime skills and achieve high levels of physical fitness many students took all four sports, adding even others. In order to present opportunities to take advantage of the salubrious climate, competition, and fitness, 3-Wall Handball was a popular activity.

    The 3-Wall courts were built in 1946 just west of Murphree Dormitory. At the time of their construction handball courts were specified by rules to measure 2OX40 feet, with the front wall twenty feet high. The Murphree courts (as they were earlier referred to) were different, however. The original plans for these courts came from the city of Chicago, where they had been built as courts particularly suited to doubles play. The Murphree courts were 40 feet from front wall to baseline, 23 feet wide (sideline to sideline), and the front wall was built 16 feet high.

    Apart from its different dimensions the major uniqueness of the Murphree courts from other 3-wall designs came from the fact that the side walls came back only to the short line (20 feet) instead of continuing to the base line. The side walls are tapered down from the front wall (16 feet) to the short line (12 feet high). This design feature introduced a new skill into play since players must learn to anticipate when a ball hit near the edge of the side wall will rebound toward the center of the court and when it will barely miss the wall's edge and continue its lateral motion. In this situation during doubles play the partner on the side to which a ball is hit moves out of bounds in anticipation of the ball missing the edge of the side wall, while the other partner comes to the center of the court in case the ball hits the side wall and rebounds toward him. Because of this added feature and because the side walls are only 20 feet long, and the court was 3 feet wider than regulation, the Florida courts presented a much more suitable venue for doubles play.   (Above right: Courts in July, 1978 )

    The possibility of collision injuries was precluded by not building common side walls (one wall serving two adjacent courts)and, within a short period of time after construction, adding a large concrete apron behind the base line on all courts. Chain link fences were later installed to prevent handballs rolling down onto the tennis courts and out onto University Avenue. A fence was added several years later to the top of each front wall to prevent many handballs from going over the top of the front wall.

   For several decades students received instruction and played recreational handball in large numbers. Also, several faculty groups used the Murphree 3-Wall handball courts for fitness and recreation. For many years all 16-handball courts at the Murphree area were busy during the daylight hours, with groups having to wait for a turn to play. After many years some lights were added, but they proved to be inadequate because of the shadows intersecting on the courts.

     Handball play at the 3-Wall Murphree courts has always been on a  recreational, unofficiated and friendly level. However, the Gainesville 3-Wall players have always made a good showing at the annual 3-Wall State Championships held at Ormond Beach, Fl, even though the courts in that tournament have standard dimensions, with side walls running all the way back to the base line. They have done well at all skill levels, age levels, and in both singles and doubles play. There has been only one State Champion from Gainesville - T. M. Scott, who won the 1977 Golden Masters crown.  (See clipping at right.)      

Above: Steve Schnell at Daytona 1977