# Phil Casey

In: [Learn](https://handball.theperfectship.com/learn.md) > [History](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history.md) > [People](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/people.md) > Phil Casey

Also printed as Philip Casey

Died 12 July 1904 (sources disagree, see below); active 1876 to 1909.

## Where the sources disagree

**Date of death: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
- 12 July 1904 (preferred, source rank 2): [New-York Tribune (New York), 13 July 1904, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1904-07-13/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 757)
- 11 July 1904 (also given, source rank 4): [Find a Grave, memorial 170807793 (Philip Casey) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/170807793/philip-casey)

## Roles

- Champion: world's champion Source: [The Evening World (New York), 12 July 1890, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1890-07-12/ed-3/?sp=1) (OCR lines 311-312)
- Court builder: Phil Casey's court, 297 Degraw street Source: [The Sun (New York), 24 November 1880, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1880-11-24/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 1050-1062)
- Champion: champion of the world (as styled by the Evening World, 1890) (by 12 July 1890) Source: [The Evening World (New York), 12 July 1890, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1890-07-12/ed-3/?sp=1) (OCR lines 311-312)

## Dated facts

- 22 February 1876: New York handball and racket players elect a provisional committee (Metropolitan Committee) at McQuade's court to hold an international tournament and form a permanent national organization to supervise the game Source: [The New York Herald (New York), 5 March 1876, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030313/1876-03-05/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 381-430)
- 26 October 1880: Philip Casey, handball player and Alderman of Brooklyn's Tenth Ward, arrested on a charge of fraudulent voter registration Source: [The Sun (New York), 27 October 1880, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1880-10-27/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 977-989)
- 23 November 1880: Courtney (New York) beats Burke (Philadelphia) in the closing series of a $100-a-side handball match, Madison Street, New York Source: [The Sun (New York), 24 November 1880, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1880-11-24/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 1050-1062)
- 13 December 1883: Notice, not a report: a double-handed match 'will be played' on Thursday 13 Dec 1883 at Sweeny's Murray Hill court, 159 East 35th Street, New York, Alderman Phil Casey and ex-Alderman Jim Dunn of Brooklyn against Wm. Courtney and Frank Reynolds; no report of the match has been found Source: [The Society News (Wilmington), 15 December 1883, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88053091/1883-12-15/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 257-271)
- 29 November 1887: Casey beat Lawlor in the first seven of the eleven New York games, winning the international match and the 'championship of the world', at the Brooklyn Handball Club court, Degraw Street Source: [The Sun (New York), 30 November 1887, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1887-11-30/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 538-560)
- by 21 November 1890: By 21 Nov 1890 Brooklyn courts play under the Sun's new service rule (serve only from the ace line); Casey endorses it Source: [The Sun (New York), 21 November 1890, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1890-11-21/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 1443-1448)
- 4 January 1891: Brooklyn Handball Club resolves unanimously to play all games under the Sun's new rules; Murray Hill and South Brooklyn courts already adopted them Source: [The Sun (New York), 5 January 1891, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1891-01-05/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 1200-1206)
- 1 March 1892: Brooklyn Handball Club reorganised in Casey's parlor: Major John Carmody president, Col. Thomas Meehan vice-president, Frank J. Prendergast secretary, Philip Casey treasurer; committee on the playing ball Source: [The Sun (New York), 3 March 1892, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1892-03-03/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 617-660)
- by 18 January 1894: Phil Casey writes that there has been no rule in his court for five years except 'The Sun's rules', which govern all six courts near him; leading courts everywhere follow the Brooklyn Handball Club's rules Source: [The Sun (New York), 18 January 1894, p. 8](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1894-01-18/ed-1/?sp=8) (OCR lines 355-383)
- by 5 April 1896: Sun reports a handball convention planned at Cork for July 1896 to arrange uniform rules, at which 'THE SUN code used by the experts in America' would probably be adopted as the standard Source: [The Sun (New York), 5 April 1896, p. 30](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1896-04-05/ed-1/?sp=30) (OCR lines 400-409)
- 23 June 1903: Egan beat Timothy Twohill of Kanturk 7-0 at Jersey City (23 Jun) in the first half of a best-of-15 'international' match for the world championship, $1,500; second half in Ireland 12 July; Phil Casey referee, Dr. A. M. Gillen scorer Source: [The Minneapolis Journal (Minneapolis), 26 May 1903, p. 18](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045366/1903-05-26/ed-1/?sp=18) (OCR lines 282-285)
- 12 July 1904: Phil Casey, for 25 years handball champion of the world, died at his Brooklyn home on 12 July 1904, aged 56 Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 13 July 1904, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1904-07-13/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 757)
- 16 February 1909: Obituary of Edward J. Sweeney: his father and he established the handball and racquet court in 34th St, opposite the old police station, where Phil Casey and Jim Dunn had many matches Source: [The New Haven Union (New Haven), 16 February 1909, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92051126/1909-02-16/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 552-560)

## Sources

- [New-York Tribune (New York), 13 July 1904, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1904-07-13/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 757)
- [The Evening World (New York), 12 July 1890, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1890-07-12/ed-3/?sp=1) (OCR lines 311-312)
- [The Sun (New York), 24 November 1880, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1880-11-24/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 1050-1062)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 5 March 1876, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030313/1876-03-05/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 381-430)
- [The Sun (New York), 27 October 1880, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1880-10-27/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 977-989)
- [The Society News (Wilmington), 15 December 1883, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88053091/1883-12-15/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 257-271)
- [The Sun (New York), 30 November 1887, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1887-11-30/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 538-560)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 30 November 1887, p. 7](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1887-11-30/ed-1/?sp=7) (OCR lines 510-515)
- [The Sun (New York), 21 November 1890, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1890-11-21/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 1443-1448)
- [The Sun (New York), 1 November 1890, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1890-11-01/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 1497)
- [The Sun (New York), 1 December 1890, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1890-12-01/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 1049-1085)
- [The Sun (New York), 5 January 1891, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1891-01-05/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 1200-1206)
- [The Sun (New York), 2 January 1891, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1891-01-02/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 396-404)
- [The Sun (New York), 3 March 1892, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1892-03-03/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 617-660)
- [The Sun (New York), 18 January 1894, p. 8](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1894-01-18/ed-1/?sp=8) (OCR lines 355-383)
- [The Morning Call (San Francisco), 28 October 1894, p. 18](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn94052989/1894-10-28/ed-1/?sp=18)
- [The Sun (New York), 5 April 1896, p. 30](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1896-04-05/ed-1/?sp=30) (OCR lines 400-409)
- [The Minneapolis Journal (Minneapolis), 26 May 1903, p. 18](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045366/1903-05-26/ed-1/?sp=18) (OCR lines 282-285)
- [The Worcester Spy (Worcester), 24 June 1903, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn86086481/1903-06-24/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 856-885)
- [Waterbury Evening Democrat (Waterbury), 12 July 1904, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn93053726/1904-07-12/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 619)
- [The New Haven Union (New Haven), 16 February 1909, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92051126/1909-02-16/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 552-560)

## Corrections

Found a mistake, or a source we missed? Email perfectshipllc@gmail.com with the subject "History correction: Phil Casey (/history/people/phil-casey/)". Please name the page and, if you can, the source.