Rules similar to that of today’s Badminton were written in 1893 and the modern game was popularized in England. A point is scored when the birdie hits the floor on the opponent’s side, regardless of who is … (Recreational badminton, on the other hand, is a popular outdoor summertime activity.) As we have already it above the game was invented in the 1870s and it was invented in the land of mystery, India. These rackets were made of parchment or rows of animal gutstretched across wooden frames. Earlier, the game was named Poona or Poonah after a small town in India, as it was very popular, and the rules of the game were created in the year 1873. Badminton is a well liked and familiar sport in the USA but, predominantly, is usually played as a fun game in the backyard or on the beach. The game has different levels of competition, that decide the magnitude of the competition and demonstrate a player’s proficiency. It was brought to England in 1870 and was played somewhat like tennis. The shuttlecock was made of a base of some light material, like a cork, with trimmed bird feathers fixed around the top. The rectangular court is 44 feet (13.4 metres) long and 17 feet (5.2 metres) wide for singles, 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide for doubles. However, it is extremely popular and played regularly by an estimated 220 million people around the world. Furthermore, the game is as popular among adults as it is among children. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thus, it was separated into a men’s and a women’s game. The BWF’s first world championships were held in 1977. The U.S. became members of the IBF in 1937. …supremacy in the sport of badminton. Your email address will not be published. This game was played by two people, using small rackets, called battledores. It was played with a woolen ball instead of a shuttlecock. Other well-known international tournaments include the Thomas Cup (donated 1939) for men’s team competition and the Uber Cup (donated 1956) for women’s team competition. The best-known of these is the All-England Championships. I'm Julian, the founder and author of Racquet Sports Center. The origin of badminton can be traced to the game called Battledore and Shuttlecock. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Battledore and shuttlecock was a simple game where players used paddles to hit a shuttlecock between them with the objective of keeping the shuttlecock from landing on the ground. Updates? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Worldwide the Asian countries have taken the lead by winning most titles. Initially, the shuttlecock that was used in the Indian version of the game was coated with Indian Rubber for outdoor games and was weighted with lead. In 1873 the duke of Beaufort introduced the sport at his country estate, Badminton, from which the game derives its name. British army officers learned the game about 1870. There was no fixed height of the nets at that time, but they were supposed to reach the ground. Shuttlecock games were played across Eurasia from centuries, but the modern version of the game was developed was derived from the game of ‘battledore and shuttlecock’. Badminton is extremely popular in Asia with 15,000 spectators seen at finals of major badminton matches in Indonesia and Malaysia. Badminton is derived directly from poona, which was played by British army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. Badminton has its origins in ancient civilizations in Europe and Asia. If you are a badminton player, you know that the server must hit in an upward direction, with an underarm hitting action. It is an Olympic sport that was first played in 1992 at the Olympic games in Barcelona. Badminton and tennis look very similar, but the differences are what set them apart, a ball and a cock. We know that once Americans see the other badminton—international badminton, the world’s fastest racket sport—they will want to see and play more. Thus, it was separated into a men’s and a women’s game. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Points were only awarded to the serving side until 2006, when the BWF adopted the “rally scoring” system, under which either side can score at any time. The Badminton Association of England organized the first England-Ireland championship in the year 1904. On a calm, quiet day in almost every city around the country, parents and grandparents can be seen playing badminton within their apartment complex and in local parks. Initially the game was played with the hand, using the palm as a racquet. The name Badminton was coined from the Duke of Beaufort’s Badminton House in Gloucestershire, but the reason behind the name is unknown to date. Badminton, court or lawn game played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock. Last updated on July 18, 2020 by Julian Leave a Comment. Badminton is also popular in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark. In 1873, guests at a lawn party on his country estate, Badminton, played a game of poona. Take this quiz to find out how many fun facts you know about the history and evolution of sports, some of them familiar and others definitely not. A number of regional, national, and zonal badminton tournaments are held in several countries. Badminton’s roots are tied to the game of battledore and shuttlecock which can be traced back to ancient Greece. Yonex. Formation of the Badminton Association of England: Transition from Badminton Association of England to Badminton World Federation: Your email address will not be published. Gopichand’s family moved to Hyderabad when he was a young boy. If we were to remove tennis and badminton from the list of racquet sports, many people around the world might not even have the slightest idea of the different games that might be there one list. Later on, the hands were replaced with the legs, something that made this game popular among Indian men but extremely difficult for the Indian women. Mixed doubles was introduced at the 1996 Games. In its initial version, the game was played with 1-4 number of players on each side. I've been playing tennis for over 20 years and my playing career includes playing college tennis at a D1 University. Points are scored when one player or team does not successfully return the shuttle over the net to … The cup was donated in 1939 by Sir George Thomas for a series of men’s international team competitions to be managed by the International. The Badminton World Federation (BWF; originally the International Badminton Federation), the world governing body of the sport, was formed in 1934. Through them, the game spread to other countries where Britain had a presence as rulers or traders. A game is played to 21 points, provided that the winner has at least a 2-point advantage. It is said that “Poona” means “the game of the city Pune”. The BWF’s first world championships were held in 1977. It isbelieved that badminton was initially known as ‘battledore’ which was played with small racquets called “Battledores.” This was played in Britain and was popular among the officers of British India. Badminton began in the mid-18th century when a net was added to the game called "Battledore and Shuttlecock". What sport originated because businessmen found the new game of basketball to be too difficult? Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting the shuttlecock back and forth across the net without letting it touch the floor or ground within the boundaries of the court. Tennis in India is limited to urban areas but counted among the top ten most popular sports in India along with Badminton and Football, introduced in India in the 1880. Badminton was introduced into the USA in the 1890’s and became quite popular in the 1930’s. Badminton also has level four tournaments, that encourage the young players to participate and compete against top players from around the world. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. A number of regional, national, and zonal badminton tournaments are held in several countries. Most people know that badminton is the game where two or four people hit a shuttle back and forth over a net. Currently, China has the strongest team of men and women competitors, followed by Indonesia, Denmark, South Korea, and England. When India was still a British Colony badminton was played mostly by the British military officers. It may come as a surprise to some people that badminton is among the world’s most popular sports. The game is named for Badminton, the country estate of the dukes of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England, where it was first played about 1873. There was another version of the game which was played around the year 1850s and was called ‘Ball Badminton’ in the region of Thanjavur. India became an affiliate in the year 1936. The modern racquets are an upgraded version of the old ones, and they come with additional benefits and features that boost the performance of the players. Young people can also consider becoming professional badminton athletes as it has more scope as compared to tennis. Corrections? A net 5 feet (1.5 metres) high stretches across the width of the court at its centre. More than 1.1 billion people tuned in to watch this competition on television. During the 1930s, badminton had become a popular sport in the United States. As years passed on more countries started hearing about the game and started playing it. Hence, you need to look for the essential factors that make a racquet ideal for playing. The BWF’s first world championships were held in 1977. Ninh explains the Rules of Badminton, a popular racquet sport played worldwide. Within a few years, countries like England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand became the founding members of the International Badminton Federation in 1934. To learn more about the history of badminton competitions, you can watch this video: Level two has major tournaments like the BWF Super Series that enables world-class players to qualify for the Super Series Finals. Later the number of players was fixed as 2 or 4 to get the most out of the game. It is particularly popular in Asia, with many of the best players ever to … The founder of badminton game official moniker originates from the Duke of Beaufort. While badminton is most popular in Asia, it also attracts great interest in Europe with players from Denmark among those regularly challenging for top honours. Scoring. If you have any queries or suggestions, you can write them in the comments. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. The game may have originally developed among expatriate officers in British India, where it was very popular by the 1870s. We provide unbiased reviews so that you can find the right equipment for you. The organization later changed the name to Badminton World Federation and is governed by it. 1878 and the first England-Ireland championship in the world ’ s athletic … it an! 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