Miami Casino Works to Save Beloved Jai Alai From Extinction

Dennis Dalton, known by the moniker "El Barba," Spanish for "The Beard," competes in a doubles Jai Alai match in the fronton at Magic City Casino, Sunday, March 13, 2022, in Miami. What could be Jai Alai's last stand is taking place at Magic City Casino, where a small group of committed enthusiasts are doing all they can to save the game that originated in the Basque region of Spain and France but took root in Miami during the go-go days of of the 1970s and 1980s. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

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By Associated Press

March 28, 2022 at 10:26 AM UTC

Updated on

March 28, 2022 at 8:20 PM UTC

Miami (AP) -- The world’s fastest ball sport has been dying a slow death for decades.

Now, a group of committed enthusiasts is doing all it can to save jai alai, a game that originated in the Basque region of Spain and France but took root in Miami during the go-go days of the 1970s and '80s.