| Wimbledon Facts, Figures & Fun |
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by Cameron Brown
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Everyone has heard of Wimbledon but how many people know that the game of lawn tennis was invented in the late 19th Century and was at first called Sphairistike? This elegant little hardback book is packed with facts, figures, records and statistics, and it's fun! It covers the history of the game, starting out with handball in the French monasteries of the middle ages, moving on to Real (or Royal) Tennis at the court of Henry VIII, to the modern game patented in 1874 by Major Walter Wingfield. The book also describes the history of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (Wimbledon's proper name) and the development of the modern championships. There are anecdotes and information about many of the great names of the 125 years or so since the championships began and, finally, a bit of background on the "village" of Wimbledon, where it all happens for 2 weeks a year. Henry VIII had a servant to throw the ball up in the air for him because he was too fat to do it himself. There is an entry in Hampton Court's accounts in 1531 recording the payment of five shillings (25 p) to "one that served on the King's side at Tennes", hence the word "service". About The Author Cameron Brown is a book publisher who has lived in Wimbledon since 1970 with wife, daughter, cats, two dogs and a horse. He is a part-time helper at The Wimbledon Society Museum who will benefit from all royalties earned on sales of this book.
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