The 15th annual "Dog Bowl" and 5th Annual Jerry Folkman tournament was held at the New Mexico Sports & Wellness Midtown Club, November 22-24, 2002 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Close to 100 participants from 7 states and Juarez, Mexico slugged it out exhibiting some great handball, sportsmanship and fun.

By way of history, the dog bowl challenge was started back in the late 80's in Albuquerque. While there are several versions of the rules, the basic definition of a "Dog" is to hold an opponent under 10 points for each game of a two game match which then requires the losers to "lap" beer out of a dog bowl usually in front of a jeering audience of unsympathetic antagonists. This local challenge developed to the annual tourney which has gained (handball) world-wide repute among grown men and women with nothing better to do than drink "suds" from a dog bowl! (and we wonder why this is a dying sport). Being "Dogged" is almost as bad as eating quiche with a racquetball player or wearing a color coordinated outfit on the handball court. Chronic "Doggees" have been known to abandon Albuquerque for more peaceful and easier handball climes like Tucson, Denver, and El Paso where they daintily drink beer out of mugs. Egads!

Special thanks to Tourney Director, Jim Karner assisted by William Cervantes, Earl Badger and several others and to some super sponsors headed by the prime sponsor Dr Jay Folkman (Jerry's Son) & family. The hospitality was great to include Noel Hager's roast beef lunch special and the infamous Dog Bowl "midnight" banquet at the German-American Club. Chances of being invited back to that venue are slim to none! Actually it is a great place that genuinely likes the crazy handball crowd. It also was great to have Lenore and Ross Aragon, former owners of the Academy Court Club, back at tournament control ensuring a smoothly running operation in spite of players who can't tell time, count to 21, or find courts!

Several current and former "pro's" and current and former USHA national (and world) champs were included in the very talented playing mix. Sal Santa Ana, El Paso Tx, took a convincing win over home town pro, Dan Armijo in the open singles and then teamed with brother, Omar, to win the open doubles over Armijo and Ryan Grossenbacher. The Santa Ana's are long-time Dog Bowlers and well appreciated and admired by the local players.
The Garner boys from San Antonio, Alan & Aaron , showed they are a force to be reckoned with in coming years. Alan beat Jim Karner (National age group semi finalist) in the first round of open play and took pro Dan Armijo to 20 points in the 2nd round while Aaron won the A Singles over Ted Neff from Flagstaff AZ. Gary Hughes, Amarillo TX steamrolled the Master's singles to include his win over Durango, Colorado's Brett Jameson in the finals. Albuquerque's Larry Lite was the class of the Golden Masters taking a tough, tie-breaker win over Mike Owens, Brownfield TX. Jim (Kid Dynamite) Economides, reigning USHA and World 65+ Champ, blew away his age group by inflicting "Dogs" on two of his opponents and narrowly missing doing it to Charlie Wicker who went home shaking his head and requesting a steroid and blood-doping test on Econ. Bob Sanchez won the 70+ bracket and is living proof that knees are not required to play the game. His final, 3-game match included two 21-20 games.
The Albuquerque all-world ladies doubles travelling team of Jan Breed & Debbie Forrester wreaked havoc in the B Doubles sending two local male teams to the trash heap of handball history. They were polite enough not to "Dog" their opponents because they are tiring of seeing grown men cry!

If you missed this year's Dog Bowl make sure it's on the calendar for 2003. Super thanks to the Roadrunner Handball Club.

Final Results:

Open Singles: Sal Santa Ana over Dan Armijo, 21-10, 21-5. Semi Finals: Santa Ana over Ryan Grossenbacher, 14, 8 and Armijo over Alan Garner 10,20.
A/B Singles: Alan Garner over Ted Neff, 21-12, 21-7. Semi Finals: Garner over Victor Gonzales (13), 8, 9 and Neff over Jose Medina 18,16.
B Singles (Dropdown): LeRoy Lopez over Luis Delcid 21-13, 21-14.
C/D Singles: David Ibarbo over Phil Parker, Forfeit. Semi Finals: Ibarbo over Bob Torch 17, 18 and Parker over Steve Baca (17),16, 8
17 Under Singles (Round Robin) Mike Lentz
Master (40+) Singles: Gary Hughes over Brett Jameson 21-3, 21-11. Semi Finals: Hughes over David Vandiver 12, 2
And Jameson over Jesse Lujan 15, (14), 0.
Golden (50+) Masters Singles: Larry Lite over Mike Owen 21-11, 12-21, 11-3. Semi Finals: Lite over Garner 2, 12 and Owen over Hooten 16, 12.
Super (60+) Masters Singles: Jim Economides over Jim Story 21-8, 21-9. Semi Finals: Economides over Wicker 14, 7 and Story over Coulie 19, (7), 8.
Diamond (70+) Singles: Bob Sanchez over Carl Brand 20-21, 21-21, 11-3. Semi Finals: Sanchez over Adolph Guzman (Forfeit) and Brand over Charles Sanchez 14, 10.
Open Doubles: Santa Ana/Santa Ana over Armijo/Grossenbacher 21-12, 15-21, 11-6. Semi Finals: Santa Ana's over Garner/Garner 13,14 and Armijo/Grossenbacher over Karner/Cervantes 19-21, 21-17, 11-1.
A/B Doubles: Hinds/Doose over Medina/Medina 21-12, 21-12. Semi Finals: Hinds/Doose over Lujan/Seiberlich (5), 13, 10 and Medina/Medina over Parker/Parker 20, (18), 5.
B Doubles (Dropdown): Forrester/Breed over over Novis/McNeely 21-15, 21-11. Semi Finals: Forrester/Breed over Luten/Torres 9 (12), 7 and Novis/McNeely over Hager/Hood (Forfeit).
Master Doubles: Cervantes/Folkman over Bonskowski/Holland 9-21, 21-19, 11-3. Semi Finals: Cervantes/Folkman over Faherty/Posole 14, 16 and Bonskowski/Holland over Vandiver/Mauritsen.
50 Plus Doubles: Volderding/Owen over Badger/Jarrell 17-21, 21-12, 11-8. Semi Finals: Volerding/Owen over Dahm/White16,6 and Badger/Jarrell over Lite/Garbin(18), 18, 3.

Dave Coulie