|
More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
|
squash
|
|
(short for squash rackets) A version of *rackets, played with a softer ball and in a smaller court. It began at Harrow school in the first half of the 19C, where the first players were boys awaiting their turn on the rackets court, who passed the time by knocking up in a smaller area nearby. For this they needed a soft ball and the solution was a rubber one which could be 'squashed' in the hand. Many private courts were built in the 19C, but it was not until the 1920s that the game began to acquire its widespread modern popularity. Individual players seem able to dominate the international scene in a manner unlike any other sport. In the British Open Championships, Jahangir Khan (Pakistan) had ten consecutive wins (1982–91) while Heather McKay (Australia) achieved no less than 16 victories in a row (1962–77).
|
|
|
|