Can you imagine being so good at a sport that you can’t remember how many state championships you won?

That is the case with Brett Badovinac, whom we call Bado for short. Bado knew he won three open state championships, but he wasn’t sure how many masters titles. The master’s division is for players 40 years or older, and Bado won seven of those titles.

He also wasn’t sure if he won an open doubles title with his longtime partner who just happens to be my brother Don. They did. In 2018. They also won four masters titles and one golden masters’ crown. That’s the 50-plus division.

Bado also has won the Bill Ryan and Al Bersanti Memorial Handball Tournament at least 10 times. He won 11 city singles titles and 13 more in doubles. His 11 city titles are tied for Jack Cavanaugh for the most in Butte handball history.

Butte has long been a big handball town. When the all-time great handball players from Butte are discussed, you hear names like Cavanahg Bill Peoples, Ray Gallant, Bob Brady, Jack Whelan, Jack Shannon, Tom Pomoroy, Steve Stanisich and Butch Starin, just to name a few.

You also have to throw Bado’s name in that list. Someday, he should be a slam dunk for the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, even though he is probably most well known for being the father of Brooke Badovinac, the cold-blooded scoring machine who now plays for Montana Tech women’s basektball team.

Bado, though, is still writing his handball story. Recently, he competed in the national championships in Southern California.

Listen into this podcast, which was recorded Wednesday inside the vault at the Metals Sports Bar & Grill, as Bado talks about getting into the sport after college and how it took him years to get to be as good as he is now. Listen as he talks about some of the great handball players he played with and was influenced by along the way. Listen to hear that his father, John, is No. 1on that list.

Today’s podcast is presented by Leskovar Honda, home of the 20-year, 200,000-mile warrantee.