Fountain Valley Hosts Handball Nationals

Many of the top professional players in the nation will compete in the U.S. Handball Assn.’s Four-Wall Nationals beginning today at the Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley.

Naty Alvarado Jr. of Hesperia, son of one of the game’s greatest players, is seeking his first national title. He earned the No. 1 ranking in men’s pro singles this year with three consecutive championship victories on the Simple Green/USHA Pro Tour. He knocked David Chapman of St. Louis out of the top ranking after defeating him in the finals of two of the three tournaments.

Chapman, the defending national and world champion, will be after his seventh national title and a share of the $30,000 purse. Before this season, Chapman had won all but five pro tournaments in the past three years. This year, however, he has won only one title.

Munoz, who defeated Chapman a week earlier in Milwaukee, is ranked third.

In the women’s division, Priscilla Shumate of Albuquerque seeks to defend her singles title. Shumate defeated Anna Christoff of St. Paul, Minn., in last year’s final, but Christoff is coming off an upset of Shumate in the championship of the event in Burlingame.

Top local players include Skip McDowell and Rod Gaspar of Aliso Viejo, in the 55-and-over men’s doubles, and Mike Bock of Fountain Valley and Kelly Russell of Long Beach in the 45-and-over doubles.

Competition, which takes place daily from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., continues through June 23. The men’s singles championship will be June 23 at 12:30 p.m. For information, call 714-754-6314 ext. 330.