The History of Badminton
Badminton is not only popular as a backyard and summer-camp sport, it is played in dozens of countries worldwide, has its own tournaments and is an Olympic event.
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Beginning
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Badminton began as a children's game in ancient Greece and Egypt where it was known as battledore and shuttlecock. It was similar to today's game. Players used small rackets to hit a shuttlecock back and forth. Traders brought the game to India, where it became known as poona.
England
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During the 19th century, British troops who were stationed in India learned the game and brought it back to England in the 1860s. Poona became a hit, and got its new name in 1873 when it was played at a party hosted by the Duke of Beaufort at his estate, which was named Badminton. When people spoke of the party and the new game they learned, they referred to it as the Game of Badminton. Over time it was shortened to just badminton.
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Rules
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In 1887 the Bath Badminton Club was organized and official badminton rules published. In 1895, the Badminton Association of England was formed to replace the Bath Badminton Club and built on the rules, Still govern the game worldwide.
British Competition
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At first, only men played badminton, but it did not take long for women to join the action. The first All England championship was only for men and was held in 1899. The first one for women was in 1900. The first officially sanctioned tournaments were held in 1904. Badminton's popularity is evidenced by the rate at which the number of clubs grew. In 1920 there were 300 clubs, in 1930 there were 500 and by the end of World War II there were 9,000 in the British Isles alone.
Badminton in the United States
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Badminton was organized in the United States before it was in England with the formation of the Badminton Club of New York in 1878, but it was more a social event for the elite of New York society. The United States joined the International Badminton Federation in 1938. American teams were big winners in the 1950s but it soon became more of a backyard sport until the Atlanta Olympics of 1996. Today the United States Badminton Association, with its office in Colorado Springs, Colorado, promotes badminton in the country and develops players.
International Competition
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The International Badminton Federation was formed in 1934 by nine countries---Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales---and in 1939 began plans for the first international competition. However, the war had caused a shortage of shuttlecocks and the first international competitions did not take place until nine years later. There was not enough money to hold both men's and women's tournaments until the 1956-57 season. The International Badminton Federation became the only governing organization for the sport in 1981 and now has more than 130 members. Badminton reached the pinnacle of international competition in 1992, when it became an official Olympic sport.
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