Four Corners: The building for this school was converted in 2005 from a racquetball club, it was made to accommodate up to 144 students with special educational needs.

"Think of a club, something like a racquetball club, where you could pay a modest fee and hang out and get recording time and practice your material and just have constant shows where everyone gets to check out everybody," he said.

It rises to 10 stories on the avenue, doubling its height on 23rd Street, and has retail space and a 44,000-square-foot health and racquetball club.

And he will tell you his wife, Sandy, is an activities director at a racquetball club in nearby Paducah.

"I used to work in a racquetball club."

The studio was only half a block away, housed in a former racquetball club that had gone belly-up once the passion for racquetball had passed.

On this sprawling complex on 9,600 acres, complete with village mall, there are several hot tubs and a racquetball club as well condominiums.

Born in Clinton, Iowa, Hawthorne grew up in Champaign, Illinois, close to a racquetball club.

"The way I see it, we need something like a racquetball club for musicians," he said.

Consequent to increased demand, racquetball clubs and courts were founded and built, and sporting goods manufacturers began producing racquetball-specific equipment.