7 sports invented in England

Some of the sports that were invented in England have spread around the world and are now popular everywhere.

In this article, we will look in detail at the sports that were invented in England and are now played all over the world. Many of them are "versions" of what they originally were, but we cannot deny that the people of this country are very creative.

What sports were invented in England?

Sports are a cultural, social and even economic symbol and have always been important in Britain, but in the early 20th century they took the lead. These sports were invented in England:

1. Soccer

Soccer is not a 100 percent English invention, but the way we play it today is. Ancient Greece and some American civilizations already played sports with round objects.

Modern soccer began when the principles and rules of the game were written down. To begin with, it was a very violent sport. It's said that the "birth" of modern soccer took place in 1863, when the Football Association met for the first time and 14 basic rules were written. The first official tournament was played in England in 1871.

2. Rugby

The rules of this sport are based on the rules of soccer. It is an adaptation of the violent carnival games of the time. Rugby has since been said to be the alter ego of soccer.

They say, "Football is the sport of gentlemen played by scoundrels, and rugby is the sport of scoundrels played by gentlemen." The creator of rugby was an English theology student named William Webb Ellis. In fact, the Rugby World Cup trophy bears his name.

3. Tennis

Although the first mentions of tennis were French (known as Jeu de paume ), the truth is that England was credited with the invention after racquets were added.

Originally the sport was played only on natural grass courts, and this continues in the traditional Wimbledon tournament. It was also a sport for the rich in English-speaking countries. Today it is played almost all over the world and has been an Olympic sport since it was first played in 1896. Learn more about tennis through the experience of famous German tennis player Steffi Graf. 

4. Cricket

Cricket is a sport consisting of a ball and a flat bat in which two teams of 11 players compete. Cricket is played on an oval grass field with an empty rectangular area in the middle.

It is one of the sports, which was invented in England, but is also popular in other countries. The sport is especially popular in the Indian subcontinent. It is widely believed that it was children in Sussex and Kent who invented the sport in the Middle Ages.

5. Golf

This sport of accuracy was first played in the Netherlands in 1297, but it was developed in Britain. Gloucester Cathedral has a stained-glass window depicting a golfer in honor of an English warrior who was a big fan of the sport. If golf is also your sport, then learn here https://www.golfbladet.com/saadan-opnaar-du-det-perfekte-golfsving/ how to improve your swing.

In 1744 the first golf association was founded in Scotland, and a year later in England, where the first rules were written down. Golf was part of the Olympic Games in 1900, 1904 and 2016. 

6. Hockey

Although there are localities and remains that confirm that hockey already existed in Egypt and Ireland, the invention again belongs to the English; at least the modern version of 1886.

The first club of the sport goes back to 1861 in London. At first, it was only men, but in 1880 women began to participate in the sport as well. The International Hockey Federation was created in 1886, and the first international matches were held in 1890. It was part of the 1908 Olympic Games.

7. Table tennis

This sport was also invented in England and is derived from tennis. Because of the unfavorable climate of the island, the players had to look for an indoor alternative. Thus, they invented a table resembling a real tennis court, as well as reducing the size of the ball and racket.

In 1885, the first matches were played in English universities, and in 1890 the table was patented. Table tennis was already popular in Europe and India in the early 20th century.

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