Al Masyk Biography
Hall of Fame 2024 "Contributor"
South End Rowing Club

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Al Masyk is best known for his long history supporting handball at the South End Rowing Club (SERC).  His greatest contribution was as the SERC Handball Commissioner for 20 years.  Big Al was also the founder of the SERC Memorial Day Handball Tournament, often sited as one the best tournaments in California.  In the 1970s and 1980s, the top players from Southern California would make the trek north to compete against Northern California’s best like Jim Vandenbos, Jim Barnett, Don Duarte, Don Chamberlain, Jaimie Parades among others. Doubles competition often included some of the top doubles players in the nation. 

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Al was a  leader in the development of young handball players at the SERC.  Once a month, sometimes more often, Al organized in-house singles and doubles tournaments and one day handicap tournaments,  He also organized the SERC Bay Counties Team. In the early 1960s, when the SERC suffered a fire, Al was there to help.  As a professional accountant, he investigated the SERC’s insurance and finances and determined that the club was insolvent.  So Al and others banded together to lend the SERC the necessary funds to survive.  

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In the 1980s,  Al took over the handball duties at the San Mateo Elk’s Club.  Senior citizen handball tournaments became his specialty.  

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Al also pounded the ball around the handball courts.  With his padded gloves, he placed the ball and tapped into the corners, frustrating the two fisted hard-hitting players. Al played with a number of the greats, including Howie
Wyrsch, Tom Fleming, Stan Clawson, Paul Haber, Rudy Stadlberger, Bob Little, Al Sayers and others. Sadly, he passed away in 1992 (77 years old).

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Submitted by Tom Fitzwater & Mike Linnik