These two lighted courts are situated back-to-back, not side-by-side, which cuts down on stray balls. Word has it that the Verdugo courts are very busy at night and weekends, yet me and my friend Frank strolled right on as planned at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Thank you to the family who let us on. Frank paid it forward by letting a waiting dad and daughter have the court after we’d been playing for an hour. This was gallant of him and also prevented me from blowing yet another 4-1 lead.

Getting back to the courts themselves, they are perfectly fine. On a Saturday afternoon, you could hear the squeak and shout of junior league basketball from the gym. You could watch people throwing footballs and people throwing baseballs peacefully co-exist on the stretch of lawn next to the courts. Beyond the lawn is a row of houses each with their own whimsical architecture that makes them all look like the setting of their own fairy tale.

There is a gigantic water slide on the other side of Verdugo Park, and then about three miles further east is Trustworthy Brewing Company, where me and Frank enjoyed an Alt beer, the copper color and dense flavor of which reminded him happily of his youth in Germany.

For the pleasure of playing gallantly and drinking moderately with me afterward, and also for volunteering his opinion that people really do care about my project of playing on every public court in LA County, I want to honor Frank with this brand new award — my wife’s idea!

He is Tennis Friend of the Week.

3201 W. Verdugo Avenue, Burbank, CA 91505 

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