Chris Walker Reviews The Sheriff of Squash October 15, 2018
“The Sheriff Of Squash: The Life And
Times Of Sharif Khan,” coauthored by Rob Dinerman and Sharif’s wife
Karen Khan, represents more than just an absorbing read about the
legendary Squash player Sharif Khan’s life story that spans almost 70
years. It delves in to the complicated challenges and journey he faced
as a child: growing up in a Muslim household, being part of a Pakistani
family, moving to England, being a “foreigner” at the prestigious
Millfield School, being forced into an unexpected and arranged marriage
before finally breaking the mold to become the person he wanted to be:
a full-time professional Squash player.
This book provides a precious piece of the jigsaw that is the history
of Squash between 1960 and the present day. It beautifully weaves in
with my recollections of the Hunt/Barrington/Jahangir era of the
“international game” that was going on across the Atlantic and the rest
of the world at that time. Sharif was clearly focused more on the
hardball game as a professional player in North America, but he
nevertheless had strong ties to the international game as well, not
least because his father, Hashim Khan, had already launched the Khan
dynasty on the international courts. It was also fascinating to read
about Sharif’s relationship with Jonah Barrington, how much he
respected and learned from Jonah during those early days on tour, and
how many of these lessons stayed with and helped him through his own
remarkable career.
This is a “must read” book for many reasons. For those who are
interested in what it takes to be a champion. For those who want to get
a real taste of what it must have been like as Sharif Khan growing up
as a little boy from a small town called Nawakille and becoming a
master of his art. For those who want to learn more about the history
of Squash in an era when the hardball and international games were
running in parallel. And for those who love a good, true and honest
story, well told, with nostalgia and love, tears, passion, joy and a
life well lived.
