Anyone who has ever taken the A, C, E, or F train to the West Village has witnessed some intensely competitive basketball games. And anyone who has lingered long enough has been mesmerized by the activity on the adjacent WEST 4TH STREET HANDBALL COURTS. At nearly all hours of the day, men and women beat the ball against the wall with their hands or fists, a deceptively simple action, since the game is so fast paced. Apparently, the city has 2052 official "handball surfaces," meaning a wall and accompanying painted court. Tournaments occur at different levels all over the city, ranging from Junior Club Handball to the United States Handball Association's National Championship.      -Lori Cole