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Battledore and Shuttlecock
In the 1600s Battledore and Shuttlecock was an upper class pastime in England and many European countries. Battledore and Shuttlecock was simply two people hitting a shuttlecock backwards and forwards with a simple bat as many times as they could without allowing it to hit the ground.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
Poon
A contemporary form of badminton - a game called ‘Poon’, was played in India in the 1800s where a net was introduced and players hit the shuttlecock across the net. British officers in the mid 1800’s took this game back to England and it was introduced as a game for the guests of the Duke of Beaufort at his stately home ‘Badminton’ in Gloucestershire, England where it became popular.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
Game of Badminton Invented
Badminton took its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the ancestral home of the Duke of Beaufort, where the sport was played in the last century. Gloucestershire is now the base for the International Badminton Federation.
(http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-badminton.htm)
The game of Badminton was invented in the house in
1863. (http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-badminton.htm) -
Badminton Garden Party
The British officers and Government officials brought back with them the newest development in the game and in 1873, the Duke of Beaufort held a garden party in his country place, Badminton. A game like the one played in Poona was played on that day and became popular among the British society's elite. The new party sport became known as "the Badminton game"
(http://badmintondenmark.com/cms/?&pageid=1787) -
Bath Badminton Club formed
In 1877, the Bath Badminton Club was formed and developed the first official set of rules. -
First Open Tournament
In March 1898, the first Open Tournament was held at Guildford the first 'All England' Championships were held the following year.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
All England Open Badminton Championships
The All England Open Badminton Championships began in 1899 and were the world's first badminton competition. -
American Badminton Association
The American Badminton Association was formed in the United States in 1936. -
International Badminton Federation
The International Badminton Federation was formed, with the initial members including England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, Canada, New Zealand and France, with India joining as an affiliate in 1936.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
U.S. Adult National Badminton Championships
The U.S. Adult National Badminton Championships—first held in Chicago, Illinois, in 1937—is sanctioned by USA Badminton, the national governing body for the sport of badminton in the USA. -
ABA joins IBF
The American Badminton Association joined the IBF in 1938. -
Thomas Cup
In 1939, Sir George Thomas donated the Thomas Cup, a trophy to be awarded at the International Badminton Championship for the top men’s singles players. (Badminton can be played by men or women in singles and doubles competition, and by teams of mixed doubles.) Thomas was a British lawn tennis champion who switched to badminton and won 90 tournament titles over 24 years. Thomas was also the first president of the IBF.
(http://www.sportsknowhow.com/badminton/history/badminton-history-2.shtml) -
Sports Illustrated Badminton Cover
Joe Alston, an FBI agent and badminton champion who was the best player in the U.S. in 1955 when he became the only badminton player ever featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
When the March 7, 1955, cover hit newsstands, Alston was in his fourth year with the FBI and had just won his second U.S. Open singles title. He expected to be reassigned within the FBI, but his growing sports fame intervened.
(http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/24/local/me-alston24) -
Uber Cup
In 1956, the Uber Cup competition was created for women. Betty Uber of England, one of badminton’s top doubles players, donated the trophy. -
Commonwealth Games Sport
Badminton was introduced as a Commonwealth Games program sport in Kingston Jamaica in 1966 and has been part of every Commonwealth Games program since then. Initially all five disciplines were included – singles (men, women), doubles (men, women) and mixed doubles with the Teams Event included in the program in later Commonwealth Games.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
Olympic Sport
Badminton is a relatively new Olympic Games sport. After being a demonstration sport in Munich in 1972, badminton became an Olympic sport in Barcelona in 1992 with the singles and doubles disciplines introduced for the first time in the Olympic Games. In Atlanta in 1996, a mixed doubles event was included and this is the only mixed doubles event in all of the Olympic sports.
(http://www.bwfbadminton.org/page.aspx?id=14887) -
Mixed Doubles Added to Olympics
Mixed doubles was added in 1996. -
Second Most Popular Sport Worldwide
According to an article published by ESPN on July 23, 2004, Badminton is second to soccer in participation worldwide.
(http://www.badmintonplanet.com/badminton-rules-laws-terms-regulations/badminton-history-timeline-origin.html) -
YONEX USA International
YONEX USA International 2015 in Orlando, FL.
