Badminton Facts

The beginnings of Badminton can be traced to mid-18th century British India, where it was created by British military officers stationed there. Early photographs show Englishmen adding a net to the traditional English game of battledore and shuttlecock.

Being particularly popular in the British garrison town Poona (now Pune), the game also came to be known as Poona. Initially, balls of wool refereed as ball badminton were preferred by the upper classes in windy or wet conditions, but ultimately the shuttlecock stuck.

This game was taken by retired officers back to England where it developed and rules were set out.  As early as 1860, Isaac Spratt, a London toy dealer, published a booklet, Badminton Battledore - a new game, but unfortunately no copy has survived.

The new sport was definitively launched in 1873 at the Badminton House, Gloucestershire, owned by the Duke of Beaufort. During that time, the game was referred to as "The Game of Badminton," and the game's official name became Badminton.