Steve Keeley: Golden Era of Paddleball and Racquetball

In 1968, Steve Keeley entered veterinary school at Michigan State University. There he discovered the game of paddleball. Three years later, he was national champion, a feat he accomplished 5x. Together with Charlie Brumfield of San Diego (national paddleball champ in 1969 and 1970) they transitioned to racquetball, joining the pro tour at its inception. Brumfield quickly established himself as #1, with Keeley at #2 or #3 throughout the golden era. Fast forward to 2021, Keeley goes by the name of "Bo," is 72 years old, and lives in a metal container out in the desert on an abandoned army base called "Slab City." He is the author of 24 books and hundreds of articles. "The Complete Book of Racquetball," published in 1976, is still the largest selling book on the subject. However, more of his books are about his adventures around the world and hopping freight trains, hence the nickname, "Bo" (short for hobo). I met Keeley in 1974 when I was playing amateur, with dreams of grandeur, although I was never ranked higher than 32 on the women's tour. In 1983, I attended the Torneo de la Raza in San Jose, Costa Rica as a writer and photographer for National Racquetball Magazine and was surprised to learn that racquetball, which was invented in the U.S. in 1950, was actually being played in at least 9 Latin American countries. As I interviewed the team captains they all said, we have courts and equipment, but we need instruction. So I invited Keeley to join me the next year on a 5-month teaching tour of Latin America -- the subject of a future video. Keeley agreed to teach racquetball with me as long as we could get back to the US in time to hop freight trains from Roseville, California to Britt, Iowa to attend the National Hobo Convention. Of course I agreed, and ended up hopping X-country 3 years in a row with Keeley. My one regret is I didn't run for Hobo Queen. In this video Bo Keeley picked an abandoned graffiti-riddled warehouse to tell his version of the Golden Era of Racquetball. For example, Keeley states that he was the only racquetball player to beat Handball Champion Paul Haber in a hands vs. racquet match. According to Wikipedia (and many other sources), "Muehleisen and Haber played a second time on September 17, 1972 in Long Beach, California...Haber was characteristically late to the court due to a gin rummy game...Again they split the first two games with Muehleisen winning the first and Haber the second. But this time Muehleisen won the third to take the match, 21-9, 18-21, 21-8. :05 Started Veterinary School at Michigan State University in 1968. :30 Discovered Paddleball at MSU. 4:24 Won his first of five national paddleball championships in 1971. 11:40 Charlie Brumfield spent the summer of 1971 in Lansing, Michigan, practicing and playing paddleball and racquetball with Keeley. 15:17 Eccentric and uncoached, Keeley developed his own strokes and strategies. 20:56 Moved to San Diego, played at Mel Gorham's Sports Club, met Bud Leach, signed a contract, pro tour began in 1973. 24:10 Keeley becomes the first apparel-sponsored player with Converse shoes contract. 25:00 Early years of pro racquetball. First prize of $200. 26:20 Chuck Leve, editor of racquetball magazine, encourages Keeley to begin writing articles and a book. 28:00 Keeley becomes the first bonafide racquetball instructor. Taught camps and clinics around the country. 30:43 Brumfield and Keeley invented many new shots together. 31:53 Other top pros of the era: Strandemo, Serot, Hilecher, Wagner, and up-and-coming Marty Hogan who Keeley lived with in La Jolla, California. 32:59 Keeley would write instructional articles about the new shots that he and Brumfield developed. 33:31 Racquetball's popularity begins to escalate. Celebrities were playing too. Keeley continued to invent more strategies, sometimes as he was hitchhiking to tournaments and clinics. 35:52 Young Marty Hogan revolutionized racquetball with his power game. 37:54 Keeley loved conditioning for racquetball, but dropped out once the ball and game got too fast, eliminating the rally. 39:11 Keeley traded racquetball lessons for a variety of things. He liked playing handicapped matches, wearing swim fins or dressed as a clown. 41:14 Based on Superman and Bizarro comics, Keeley developed positional racquetball. 43:09 In Chicago Keeley invented the Run Along the Wall Ball and offensive theory of racquetball. 44:41 Keeley began playing and writing left-handed 46:06 Betting on matches. Paul Haber's famous "Hands vs. Racquet" matches. 47:53 Keeley got an eye injury in a match. This prompted him to wear blinders eyeguards. He began reading and writing upside down. 50:15 Conclusion. Check out: All About Haiti - Tout Bagay Sou Ayiti:    / chelseamaya   Chelsea Aventura:    / @chelseaaventura4986   Chelsea & Maya:    / @chelseamaya7828   #racquetball #bokeeley #keeley #racketball #SteveKeeley