#52: The Origins of Badminton
Badminton has existed in some form or another for centuries. However, in 1867, the British added a wild new twist: a net through the middle of the court. Pretty spicy. With the introduction of the net came new rules and regulations that badminton fans are familiar with today. However, the game’s original name may not be familiar.
The British army officers stationed in Poona, India, invented the modern version of badminton. The area is now named Pune in Maharashtra, but back in the 19th century, people called the city Poona and named their new game after its city of origin. The game lost all connections to its roots when it was imported back into England. A British duke renamed the game “badminton” after his country estate, Badminton House. How quaint.