During this difficult Covid pandemic period, finding things to fill or vary our days can be a real challenge. Many of us haven’t seen a squash court for months, and the lack of playing our great game coupled with the lack of camaraderie and socialization that goes along with it are painful.

 

One way to fill the time is by reading, and there are many books available about squash. Here are a few of them:

Lucky is the biography of one of the top amateurs of the twentieth century. Anil Nayar and his wife, Jean, have put together a fascinating story of a great champion and symbol of diversity in the game.

Anil Nayar was born in 1946 in a rural town in India, just before the partitioning between India and Pakistan. He picked up squash at a nearby Cricket Club and had the good fortune of having a wonderful coach, Yusuf Khan. Anil rose to become the best player in the country and in 1965 played (and won) the British Junior Open, the de facto world junior championship.

Anil came to the U.S. and matriculated at Harvard. His adaptation to life in America and to our (then) hardball squash game is fascinating. Nayar went on to craft a superlative career on the squash court, winning national titles in three countries. His life after college in both the U.S and India is filled with interesting squash, business and family developments. In 2018, Anil was inducted into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame.

This is a story of pride, determination, cultural divides, and deep personal recollections. From 1968-1982 Sharif Khan won almost every major North American hardball squash tournament in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. During the 1970s and 1980s, our own Boston Open Championship was one of the major tournaments on the pro tour. Sharif played often in Boston, and his stellar play and dominating personality led to his winning this event seven times.

Sharif, born in Pakistan, was the eldest son of the patriarch of the Khan clan – the legendary Hashim. Sharif was educated in England and emigrated to North America in his early 20s. The book chronicles not only Sharif’s great athletic success, but also the personal costs of his journey, replete with separation and cultural confusion.

Nick Matthew is one of the greatest British squash players of all time – a world No. 1, world champion and British Open Champion. He is also a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the holder of a record number of British national titles.

Trading Secrets features Pakistani great, Azam Khan, and the extraordinary story of how he came to Britain, as well as the emergence of Geoff Hunt and Jonah Barrington, two players who took fitness and sporting rivalry to a new level in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The book also looks at Peter Nicol, Britain’s first world champion, and Canadian magician Jonathon Power, before the likes of Nick Matthew and Ramy Ashour recall the matches which have transcended them into modern greats of the game. 

Many MA Squash members are familiar with Sakhi, eldest son of the late, great Harvard Club pro Mohibullah Khan, and longtime top member of the MA Squash community. Sakhi was a number one ranked player in his junior years, a four-time All-American collegiate player, and he won the World Teaching Professional Championship. Sakhi was the squash coach at Colby College for many years, and is now living in Arizona. He has written this book which was published in 2019. It is a concise book of tips based on the thirty plus years of experience he has had competing and coaching in squash. 

Squash historian and author Rob Dinerman has written numerous books on the history of squash at various educational institutions, including Harvard, Princeton, Episcopal Academy, Deerfield Academy, and St. Paul’s School. His latest one is A History of Squash at Brunswick School. He also has written Chasing The Lion, a prep school memoir about his years at Phillips Exeter Academy.

We hope this short list is a good starting point for anyone missing the game. If you know of other great squash reads, please email them to communications@ma-squash.org for us to share!

Please contact Nat Lovell if you have interest in hosting a free one hour virtual, multi-media Rules and Refereeing Clinic with your members or students via Webex. The instruction level can be tailored from beginner to advanced.  Nat is the Rules and Referee Director for Massachusetts Squash and is a US Squash National Level III Referee. He has hosted many clinics for junior and adult players of all levels over the past decade. He often referees top junior and professional matches for PSA, CSA, Massachusetts Squash, US Squash, and other international organizations.

Nat can be reached at nwlovell@yahoo.com or by phone: 515-519-2864.

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