New York City handball is more than just a sport. It’s a street tradition that reflects the city’s grit, energy, and community spirit. Played on concrete courts in parks and schoolyards across the five boroughs, one-wall handball is fast, intense, and accessible to everyone. Players use their bare hands or gloves to slap a small rubber ball against the wall, combining skill, endurance, and attitude in every rally. For decades, it’s been a melting pot where generations, cultures, and neighbourhoods meet… from kids in the Bronx to old-timers in Brooklyn, keeping alive a uniquely New York pastime that’s as much about pride and respect as it is about competition.

Shamil Tanna had the pleasure to shoot the local handball players in Forsyth Street during his latest travels to New York.