Author of "Ballet with Bullets"
Ken Veit is a retired insurance executive who lives in Arizona. During his working career he lived in CT, where he was President of AETNA International. From 1976-1988, he attended jai-alai every week, maintaining detailed statistics on players and teams with the help of a friend in the IT Department.
In college in New York (in the 1950's), he saw jai-alai on TV (from Tijuana) and organized a group of
amateurs who played regularly on makeshift double handball courts, taught by Eduardo Hernandez, a retired Cuban professional pelotari.
After college, his interests turned to breeding thoroughbred racehorses, which he did for many years.
When jai-alai opened in CT in 1976, he renewed his interest. Recognizing that, at the time, most bettors had little knowledge of correct odds or player skills, he wrote a book called "Ballet with Bullets", dealing with all aspects of the game. In addition to much assistance from the Public Relations Directors of World Jai-Alai and Bridgeport Jai-Alai, he received valuable insights from the great Joey Cornblit in Hartford and the immortal Francisco Churruca in Bridgeport.
Two of his greatest thrills were watching, from the announcers' box, Joey and Enrique win the final game of the Miami-Tampa Tournament of Champions in 1977, and watching the legendary Bolivar's undefeated final night in Tampa.
During his active days, Ken was a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.
Here's Sensei (Ken Veit) on the Isle of Capri
