High, white walls and men walking around randomly shouting and talking to themselves, might make some people uneasy. Not Jon Symon - he's beaming at the success of his handball tournament, the Bob Symon Memorial. This is the first year since 1985 that the tournament, named in honor of Symon's father, has taken place. Despite the break, the field of forty players was still highly competitive. Matt Hiber emerged as winner of the championship bracket. "It definitely made the trip worthwhile," Hiber said, who came from Roseville, Minn. "It will make my drive home a little easier." His win over Dessie Keegan came on an ace in the second game, with the score tied 20-20. Hiber won the first game 21-10.

Matt Hiber, Roseville, Minn., won the Bob Symon 2003 Memorial Handball Tournament in St. Joseph Sunday. Competing against Hiber was Dessie Keegan from Ireland. Hiber won both games, 21-10 and 21-20 to claim the $600 first-place purse. (IVAL LAWHON JR./St. Joseph News-Press)

Keegan, who flew in from Ireland on Thursday for the tournament, was up 20-17 but couldn't finish Hiber off to force a tiebreaker.

"He moved me around," said the Irish national champion. "I couldn't get set. He got me tired. I got a couple of chances to go for the killing but I didn't know whether to pass or kill it."

In the first game Keegan went ahead early, jumping to a 9-3 lead, but Hiber, the older player, adjusted and was able to come back.

"I had the tournament jitters," Hiber said. "He puts some pace on the ball I just haven't seen in a while, if ever.

Hiber teaches a handball class at the University of Minnesota and is ranked No. 20 in the United States."

Honorary chairman and former Bob Symon champion Pat Kirby predicted the outcome, saying before the match that Hiber would win because he was the more experienced of the two players. Keegan is only 21 years old.

"Good match," Kirby said. "Excellent second game. Experience prevailed."

As well as the last Bob Symon championship back in 1985, Kirby has a few other honors as well, according to Jon Symon.

"He's the last champion of the championship bracket, former world champion, and Irish national champion about 10 years in a row. He's won more tournaments than even he can remember. He's won eight world tournaments."

Kirby no longer plays due to two hip replacements and one artificial knee. He just smiled when asked, in his prime, if he could have won the tournament this year.

Symon, who lives in Kansas City, left the tournament glowing on Sunday. He called it one of the finest tournaments since the event started in 1971.

He also said plans are already in progress to bring the tournament back to the St. Joseph YMCA in January 2004.