July 9, 1877 – The First-ever Wimbledon tennis championship tournament began. It was truly a watershed moment as Wimbledon was the first official lawn tennis tournament anywhere. The creators were the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club as they decided to hold a lawn tennis tournament for men’s singles only that 21 amateurs showed up to participate in the London suburbs.
The club was originally centered around croquet, another lawn sport, but the growing popularity of tennis led it to incorporate tennis lawns into their expansive 4 acres of grounds purchased in 1868. The entrance fee of one pound for each participant could earn them the title of Wimbledon champion and a 25-guinea trophy.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
A Brief History of Sports Video Games
As the new NFL, Premier League, and, a bit later, NBA seasons get underway,
YESSIREE, BOB…BACKLUND! ONE NITE ONLY
INTRO: A CHORUS OF CRUNCHY HEAVY METAL GUITARS ANNOUNCER: Welcome to another head-banging, rocket-fueled,
Beating Your Division Rivals (NFL Division Totals From the 1970s)
On one of my recent posts on my Facebook page The NFL in the
What West Ham Fans Do Between Matches
Being a West Ham supporter has got a rhythm to it, one that an
Recounting The 1975 NFC Division Round Game (Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings)
Hello, sports fans, and welcome once again to Yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History
18 & Counting: The Stars Who Made the Boston Celtics Great
Back in June, the Boston Celtics clinched their 18th NBA Championship, moving ahead of
The Longest Pass In Super Bowl History (Thru 2024)
It is impossible to avoid getting lost in the pageantry when thinking of the
Live Casino Games Complement In-Play Sports Betting During Halftime
In the live sports betting world of speed, momentum matters. Live gamblers on the