Basque pelota Basque pelota Basque pelota ("" in the original Basque language also "" in Spanish, "" in French) is the name for a variety of court sports played with a ball using one's hand, a racket, a wooden bat or a basket, against a wall ("frontis or Fronton") or, more traditionally, with two teams face to face separated by a line on the ground or a net. The roots of this class of games can be traced to the Greek and other ancient cultures. The term "" probably comes from the Vulgar Latin term "pilotta" (ball game). It is a diminutive
Pelota Mano Court, Trebonne in 1528 and commented on how all the males played this game. Indoor ('courte paume') and outdoor ('longue paume') versions endured during the 18th century, but following the French Revolution the games were nearly abandoned for being associated with royalty and nobility. Its popularity, however, remained in small circles. From the early outdoor version evolved modern tennis and in the Basque country it became the present manifestation of Basque handball. The Basque pelota mano derives from Roman versions of the game and spread throughout western Europe and France. What became the traditional game "pelota basque" played in church porticos or