With great sadness we report that Handball Hall of Famer and Multi-National Doubles Champion Phil Collins has passed away.

Teamed with Johnny Sloan, Collins dominated the national doubles scene for years. Known as the "Windy City Whiz Kids," the tandem captured four consecutive national four-wall doubles titles, the longest doubles streak at the time. In 1955, the pair along with Vic Hershkowitz, took their show on the road, playing in 16 Eastern cities. The following year, they visited 25 cities across the country.

Collins was a serving/scoring machine on the right side. From 1951-60, Collins amassed 17 national AAU, USHA and YMCA doubles titles. In addition to his heralded right-side play, Phil was ranked among the top four singles players in the country for almost a decade.

A memorial mass is scheduled for Thurs., March 24 at 11 a.m. at: Sacred Heart Church, 425 N. M St., Lake Worth Fla.

Phil's widow Clementine is doing well, knowing Phil's in a better place. "He (Phil) just gave up," Clem said. "He had been in and out of the hospital for the past year and really suffering"