Basque pelota form of the word "" which may relate to a hard linen or leather ball filled with "" (fur or hair) or to the Latin words for strike or and is related to the English word "pellet". Today, Basque pelota is played in several countries. In Europe, this sport is concentrated in Spain and France, especially in the Basque Country. The sport is also played in Latin American countries such as Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Cuba. Operated as a gaming enterprise called Jai Alai, it is seen in parts of the U.S. such as Florida, Connecticut, Nevada, and Rhode Island.
Venancio García Venancio García Venancio Pérez García (22 April 1921 – 28 November 1994), known simply as Venancio, was a Spanish footballer who played mainly as a forward. From a poor family in Sestao, Biscay, started working at a young age in the Altos Hornos de Vizcaya factory. Tall and powerfully built, he played "pelota mano" (an offshoot of Basque pelota) in his youth, and only became a full-time professional footballer at the age of 24. Venancio started playing the sport as a hobby, whilst he was performing his military service in Vitoria-Gasteiz. After starting out at SD Erandio Club he signed