A Brief History of Badminton  

By: Maeve Rich.

The history of badminton begins long before most people would think, a game that was played by ancient Greeks. Over time it has been modified to have more defined rules and is now a competitive sport around the world.Modern badminton derived from a child's game called battledore and shuttlecock (hence the term "shuttle"). British Army officers in India were the first to turn the game into something for adults, calling it poona and attempting to keep the shuttle (then called the bird) in the air. As the game became popular in India, a net was added to the badminton court, and the stage was set for an official sport to be born.Roughly 10 years later, in 1873, Badminton became official when the game was played at "Badminton," the Duke of Beaufort's home in Gloucestershire, England. It became wildly popular in England, though its original Indian rules prevailed. A group formed to oversee these rules and make them simpler than the confusing guidelines in place. This group was known as the Bath Badminton Club. They ruled until the Badminton Association formed in 1895; they still oversee Badminton in England today.In 1904 the first official All-England championship was played. Soon afterward, Badminton's popularity spread to other countries. This necessitated the formation of an international governing body for Badminton; hence the International Badminton Federation (IBF) was developed. War and finances kept the first international Badminton tournament from being held until the mid-fifties.Badminton came to the US in the late 1870s, with the formation of the Badminton Club of New York. Badminton became widely played in the US, being offered at clubs, colleges and YMCA's.Today there are thousands of badminton clubs around the world. Badminton's rules have continued to evolve.