What is the Howe Cup?

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

For the first time in the history of the Howe Cup, the squash tournament will include a team from the state of Alaska.

The first team from Alaska to compete is notable, but even more impressive considering the tournament's 77-year run.

The tourney got its start in 1928 as a competition between teams from New York, Philadelphia and Boston. In 1955 the tourney was dubbed the Howe Cup, earning its name as a tribute to Margaret A. Howe and her twin daughters Peggy and Betty. The Howe's combined for eight national women's squash championships.

The Howe Cup now features three divisions in the team class, but only contained an A division until 1958. That year a second division was added, and 10 years later the C class was created. The Howe Cup has been hosted by cities all over the country. This year Philadelphia is the host city with the matches being played at The Racquet Club of Philadelphia and the Ringe Courts at the University of Pennsylvania.

Squash is considered a much more popular sport in the Eastern United States, and the results of the Howe Cup prove that. It was not until 1995 where a Seattle-based team became the first squad from the western half of the U.S. to win the Howe Cup. While teams from the east still dominate, squads from Seattle and San Francisco have taken home championship trophies.

This year Team Alaska, which includes team captain Nathalie Martin, Dawn Alger, Pam Lewis, Karen Gardner and Jackie Thurbee, is one of two teams from the west coast competing in the event. A squad from Seattle is in the B class.

Team Alaska is competing in the C class with squads from Baltimore, Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia and New Jersey. There are two teams in the division from Boston, Philadelphia and the nation's capital.

Since none of the players on Team Alaska have not competed in a squash tournament outside the 49th state the team opted to enter into the lowest class.

&#8220We really don't have anything to compare to,” Alger said. &#8220We could potentially be a B team. As a C team we have a good chance of doing all right.”

Team Alaska is in the second pool of the C team, and starts the tournament with a match against one of the Philadelphia squads Saturday, at 2 p.m. EST.

Each of the players on each team are ranked one through five. In the matches, Team Alaska's top ranked player faces the opponent's top-ranked player. Each number two player would face, and so on.

Team Alaska plays in three matches on Saturday, and those results determine if it earns a spot in one of the two playoff matches. The top teams from each pool meet in the championship game, while the second place teams meet in a consolation final.

For more information on the tournament see www.howecup.com.