Currently, there are a large number of individuals all over the world who are so into badminton. In fact, hundreds of tournaments are always being launched as badminton players hone their skills in this game. For those who are not familiar with the sport, badminton is a racquet sport wherein two opponents ( whether singles or doubles) take position on opposite halves of a court separated by a net. A score is received by a player whoever makes a shuttlecock land in the opponents court. Some notes on badminton history traces its roots to mid 18th century India when it was still under the British rule. In fact, it was the military officers assigned in India who frequently played this sport. Badminton history also suggests that the game also was earlier referred to as Poona since it was often played in a British garrison named Poona. At the beginning, the game was played using spools of wool which was common then in India. As time passed by, the shuttlecock was changed since it was made out of duck feathers.
Later on, the British officers brought the game back to England which became more formal as set of rules were developed for players. Truth is, badminton history sources such as James Masters guide accounted that as early as 1860, a London toy dealer by the name of Isaac Pratt published the first booklet about Badminton. Unfortunately, not a single copy of that booklet has ever survived. In 1873, badminton was held at the Badminton House in Gloucestershire which was owned by the Duke of Beaufort. Badminton history emphasizes this turning point as the use of the term badminton for the sport. As time passed, badminton history became complex as rules were set and the All England Open Badminton Championships were held in 1899.
Currently, most South East Asian countries excel in this sport as nations like Indonesia, Malaysia and China dominate international tournaments. According also to badminton history, Badminton started as an Olympic event in 1992 that included divisions for both men and women. As for the western world, Denmark through Peter Gade is leading in this field. Truly, badminton history has gone a long way from a prison guards sport to an international sporting event.
