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
How Sport Learned to Prove It Was Fair: A Short History
Every contest rests on a single fragile assumption: that the result was honest. From
The Decade of New and Improved Stadiums
If you would be asked to name one particular decade where the pro football
Big Ten Men’s Basketball Best Season (1988-89′)
As a lifelong fan of the Big Ten Conference, particularly a fan of the
Forgotten Matches That Deserve a Second Look
Finals or viral moments keep some matches alive. Others fail to take off despite
1972 Los Angeles Lakers: Beating 17 Years of Frustration
From 1949 to 1954, the Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA titles. They reached the
When the Odds Were Wrong: Historic World Series Upsets
Image by Nattapol_Sritongcom on Magnific Baseball history has always had room for the unexpected.
6 Best Online Golf Simulator Retailers: A First-Time Buyer’s Guide for 2026
Putting together a home golf simulator is far more involved than most people expect,
Jim Schmitz: USA Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Born in Ukiah, California, in 1945, Coach Jim Schmitz has been involved in weightlifting