Introduction<br > I started playing racquetball a few years ago for sport and<br >pleasure-not for competition. 1 wanted (and needed) a fitness<br >program， and it struck me that since I played a lot of tennis<br >and handball in my youth， racquetball might be the game for<br >me. 1 checked with my doctor， and he said to try it moderately，<br >and I did. 1 play it at my pace-never hard， never fast or furious.<br >I am over 50 and know better.<br > Being a professional writer for the last twenty years， it<br >dawned on me that since 1 enjoyed the game so much and saw<br >others enjoying it， perhaps a book on racquetball for the<br >beginner would be in great demand. I felt there were thousands<br >of people like me out there who had not played a sport in some<br >time， who wanted some exercise for body and mind.<br > Some 30 million people now play racquetball-this is an<br >impressive testimonial for this sport. But it is well-deserved<br >because racquetball makes you run， stretch， and think. It is an<br >excellent way to keep the body in shape and help promote good<br >cardiovascular health.<br > Racquetball does not have to be an expensive recreation (you<br >can even rent racquets rather than buy)， and the game can be<br >played all year long at any time in most all cities. Thirty min-<br >utes of racquetball played twice a week gives the average person<br >all the exercise he needs. In addition to the benefits of health<br >and fitness， there is the reward of playing a sport well. And too，<br > there is a good deal of social camaraderie in this sport.<br > 1<br >