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The forerunner of badminton- battledore and shuttlecock
2000 year old battledore and shuttlecock was the forerunner of badminton
There are many theories about the origin of badminton. Sport historians speculate that badminton originated from battledore and shuttlecock, a game that is about 2000 years old and originated in Ancient Greece. The game involved hitting a feathered projectile like a shuttlecock backwards and forwards with a wooden bat. The ancient Greeks turned the wooden bat into a wooden frame with sheep skin in the middle;the elasticity of the leather made the shuttlecock easier to hit. This game spread eastwards and reached Siam, China and Japan etc from India.The bats were solid wood, had lather inside a wooden frame or were stringed. People are depicted using a bat to hit a shuttlecock or featherball in many ancient paintings of East and West. These types of games were collectively referred to as battledore and shuttlecock. These multifarious images illustrate the ancient origins of badminton.
The birth place of English badminton－ Badminton House
Badminton House is in the county of Gloucestershire in England and has been the residence of the Duke of Beaufort since the 17th Century. It is a majestic English country mansion surrounded by lush green grass. There is a record of the duke and duchess playing battledore and shuttlecock before 1850 and the bats and shuttlecocks are preserved in the house. The house’s northern hall was the place where badminton was introduced to England in 1873. At the time the court was shaped like an hour glass and the net was at the narrow part. This form of court that was popular early was used until the early 20th century, at which time the badminton court took on its current shape and size. The most famous annual events held at Badminton House are the Badminton Horse Trials and the annual hunt, both aristocratic sports centuries old.
Originated in Europe, popularized in Asia
There are different opinions amongst scholars about whether badminton originated in ancient Greece or England but what is certain is that badminton originated on the European mainland. However, badminton only became really popular when it spread to Asia and was even able to become an Olympic event from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics on. The passion of Asians for badminton is obvious in competition performance and also from the places where the world’s top badminton equipment makers originated. VICTOR is the best example. VICTOR Sports is a specialized badminton equipment brand that originated in Taiwan and grew in China and has
gone on to expand all over the world. In its 40 plus year history it has always adhered to the operating principles of “Honesty, Diligence, Trust-Seeking, Leading” with all employees working hard to develop, manufacture and market badminton goods that meet the latest fashions, including shuttlecocks, racket, clothes and accessories. Today, VICTOR is a world famous badminton goods enterprise and its products are bestsellers in over 40 countries, including China, and in Europe, North America, East Asia, and is recognized by the BWF as a premier badminton brand.
VICTOR Sports Head Office ( Edit by VICTOR Badminton )
