Beyrouth Savages

The Beyrouth Savages are a professional malletball team belonging to the Sayaffallan Mallet Association (SMA) and playing at the Royal Beyrouth Mallet Club (RBMC) which is located just outside the city proper of Beyrouth.

The field where the Beyrouth Savages play on the beautiful manicured grounds of the RBMC with the mountains of Beyrouth in the prominent background.

History

Founding

The Beyrouth Savages were founded by Harold Fitzsimond on June 1, 1920 and originally played at his oceanfront estate until he formally "retired" from the sport and handed the reigns over to a group of friends he called the "Informal Governors" which ran the club until 1941.

Royal Beyrouth Mallet Club

The Royal Beyrouth Mallet Club was founded after the unexpected death of Harold Fitzsimond at the young age of 32 in a tragic car accident outside of his estate. In his will and testament Harold Fitzsimond left his estate wholly to the purpose of "founding a club or organization dedicated to preserving malletball". And thus the Royal Beyrouth Mallet Club (RBMC) was founded and the estate of Harold Fitzsimond was converted over the next 5 years into a proper playing area and clubhouse for the new organization.

The RBMC established itself as a members only enterprise which exists to this day with spectators being the friends and family of players and invited members of the RBMC. To this day only those who are on a pre-approved list are granted admission to games and events of the RBMC per the original charter that made such stipulations the letter of the RBMC's governing principles.

Public attendance

The formal estate house of the Beyrouth Royal Mallet Club, once the estate home of Harold Fitzsimond.

In 1962 the RBMC opened up 100 seats to the general public so long as they were purchased ahead of season and the individuals attended an orientation to be aware of the extensive etiquette involved in attending a formal match of the Beyrouth Savages. Contrary to their name the Beyrouth Savages typically are anything but savages starting the game with a champagne toast between both opposing teams and the Ceremony of Hands (Mallet Club) which involves the lining up of all the single women in the crowd who then shake hands with the players of both teams before returning to their seats, a sort of pre-game tradition of the Beyrouth Savages.