|
More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
|
rackets
|
|
One of the fastest of British ball games, played with a racket and a hard ball in a large rectangular court enclosed on all four sides. It is now played by only a few because of the expense of such a court and of the number of rackets that get broken in modern play, but its origins go back a long way to more humble circumstances. It was a favourite game from the 18C wherever an open courtyard was available with suitably high walls.
|
|
|
|
These were often found in the yards of taverns and there was one in use at Harrow school; but the best known of all was in the *Fleet prison, which provided many of the best early players (restricted inevitably to home matches). The sport is second only to boxing in having an acknowledged list of champions from a very early date, in this case 1820. The first custom-built court was completed in 1853 in Hans Place in west London, and its dimensions (18.3m/60ft by 9.15m/30ft) became the standard size. *Squash emerged at Harrow as an offshoot of rackets.
|
|
|
|